Parking: See Del Valle Regional Park, Sunol Regional Wilderness and Mission Peak Regional Preserve On the other hand, when you go in winter (and like to take in the views like me) bring a head lamp. Horses are also able to use this trail. From end to end it’s 29 miles or so. The Ohlone Wilderness Trail at the Ohlone Regional Wilderness is a strenuous 28 mile one-way trail that features stunning mountain vistas and connects the Del Valle Regional Park to Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont, CA. Just follow the red-tagged trail markers, which are numbered in reverse order from the Fremont terminus of the trail. Ohlone Wilderness Trail. The trail is honestly pretty difficult, if done in a backpacking trip. Your goal: 10 miles to the Maggie's Half Acre campsite near Rose Peak. The hike was very dynamic and the terrain would change dramatically throughout the length of the trip. Even after I reached the Rose Peak, the "descent" into Del Valle packed enough uphills to set my tired muscles on fire every step of the way. We failed to bring a variety of other snacks however. The exit on the Del Valle side has a different kind of soil and it just made the mud stick and slippery. If you're hiking in the heat make sure to bring and treat water. 15 hours) ~ 6 hours from LA You can see the map shown below here. It begins at the southern end of Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore, California, and ends near Mission Peak at Fremont.Most of the trail goes through Ohlone Regional Wilderness. Excellent Workout...made it in only 3.5 miles in a total of 7 miles round trip. Mosquitos and flies were especially abundant. When you start at Del Valle, the first ascent is extremely steep but you basically descend the rest of the way to MP. The Ohlone 50K is a point-to-point race traversing the entire Ohlone Wilderness Trail, a tough 31 mile distance run on trails and fire roads.The trail crosses sections of four East Bay Regional Parklands: Mission Peak Regional Preserve, Sunol Regional Wilderness, Ohlone Regional Wilderness, and … Went through 4liters on the first day I probably should have searched around some more at the Sunol park headquarters, because I ran out of water about half-way up the back side of Mission Peak and there isn't any running water until you reach the Stanford Ave. staging area. The trail takes a few steep dives but it's mostly pleasant ridge walking for the first 10 miles down to the Sunol Wilderness headquarters. Nothing compares in the Bay Area. That would be my suggestion to people who don't think they can do the hike in one day. A right turn takes you over to Murietta Falls, the highest waterfall in the Bay Area. Be sure to enter your trip on the board so rangers will know you're out there in case of fire or other emergency. Rose Peak had good views and was worth the effort to do at least once. Fees, reservations Overall it was quite nice. The Ohlone Wilderness Regional Trail Hiking Permit/Map is required for both day use and camping/backpacking for each person, ages 12 and over. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. Great trail but watch the weather, we went up at the end of March and found ourselves in sow and hail storms and woke up under 2” of snow. So that was unfortunate and slowed me down near the end. Post navigation. Sign in at the Ohlone Wilderness Trail board near the Sunol HQ; the trail resumes nearby, passing a corral and climbing along on a narrow single-track. Electricity and cell service? I'm not a backpacker, so I just went for it, with an option to bail at the 20 mile mark when I reached Sunol. Anyone younger I might assume would struggle. Amazing experience right here in the Bay Area. Late winter and early spring are the best times to go because the temperatures are cool, the hills are green and the wildflowers are in bloom. Next comes a plunge down to Williams Gulch (crossing the stream can be tricky after heavy rains) and another wicked push up the infamous Big Burn: 1,400 feet of climb in a mile and a half. The trail offers a number of activity options. All in all, what a workout! You have to hike or ride horseback to see this magnificent 9,737-acre parkland, accessible only by way of the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. It's got a great view! Two-Heel Drive write-up on this hike There is no shade you are very exposed. It is located in southern Alameda County, near the cities of Fremont, CA and Sunol, CA. Break for lunch at the Sunol headquarters and give yourself plenty of time to recharge your batteries for one more leg burner: 2,000 feet over five miles to Mission Peak summit. No through hiking to Lake Del Valle Regional Park. The nights get pretty cold even in the summer, so make sure to layer properly. After calling the reservation line, they advised that dogs are not allowed in the backpacking area. Mid spring would be a better option. This trail is about 29 mi (47 km) in length, excluding the trails that connect to it along the way and each end of the trail. Trail was muddy in a few places but not bad. Day 2 down to the falls and finished at del valle... despite leaving from rose peak, still found a way to climb approx 2500 ft in the hike down. 8am - 8pm I got an early start from Del Valle around 6:30 because I wanted to have the sun at my back for as long as possible. If under 7 days, you should plan to purchase your Ohlone Permit from one of the locations listed above. East Ridge to Ridgeline, East Shore, and Hetch Hetchy Trail Loop, East Shore and Heron Bay Trail to Venadas Group Camp, Squirrel Gulch Trail to Eagle Crest Trail to Ridgeline Trail Loop, East Shore, Ridgeline, and Hetch Hetchy Loop, Del Valley East Lasso to West Beach via East Shore Trail, Oak Grove, Black Sage, and Cedar Mountain Loop, Arroyo Rd Staging Area to East Shore and Heron Bay Trails, Winery Loop via Arroyo del Valle Regional Trail, http://www.tommangan.net/twoheeldrive/index.php/2007/04/16/two-days-on-the-ohlone-wilderness-trail. Also, turkeys! From I580 turn South on N LIVERMORE AVE - go 1.0 mi, continue on S LIVERMORE AVE - go 2.0 mi, S LIVERMORE AVE becomes TESLA RD - go 0.5 mi, Turn right on MINES RD - go 3.5 mi, continue on DEL VALLE RD - go 4.5 mi, arrive at 7000 DEL VALLE RD, LIVERMORE. I trained, but should have trained more! Hiking Murietta Falls - Ohlone Wilderness Regional Park Total Distance : 12 miles Elevation Gain: 4,176ft Everage Grade: 16.8% Trailheads: 11001 Del Valle Rd. Video recapping from sunol to del valle - may 2017, temps ~85-95 degrees    That said, waking from Stuart’s camp to then peak in forging snow with not another person in sight was magical. This trail traverses 28 miles of mountains and oak canyons in southern Alameda County and is open to hikers and equestrians. Completed Dec 17th. However, the last day on Mission Peak is another story. Feb 1 - Mar 8 The Ohlone Wilderness (Regional) Trail has been calling my name for half a year. This trail is about 29 mi (47 km) in length, excluding the trails that connect to it along the way and each end of the trail. Del Valle's Lichen Bark picnic area has a sign marking the eastern terminus of the Ohlone Trail. It also has a garbage can for you to unload some trash. This is the best training hiking in the Bay Area. Nothing out of the ordinary, water and a john. Although the map indicates potable water sources the three camps we stopped at to fill up did not have potable water. Trail bicycles and motor vehicles are not permitted. Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a hiking, horseback riding, trail running, walking adventure located in or near Sunol Regional Wilderness, CA. We ran out. Previous. The last few miles to the Stanford Avenue entrance to Mission Peak Regional Preserve can be crowded with hikers, particularly on weekends, but the downgrade is a welcome change after so much climbing. Where? Trail Permit Fee It was a great hike, although I wouldn’t recommend doing this one in summer. Ohlone Wilderness Trail, Livermore: See 5 reviews, articles, and 10 photos of Ohlone Wilderness Trail, ranked No.38 on Tripadvisor among 74 attractions in Livermore. Rugged but rewarding trek is best way to see East Bay backcountry 3 days 2 nights. Every campsite was empty so we explored them all before selecting #1, as it's secluded and elevated offering a nice view. After a seemingly endless climb, you cross a ridge and make your way to another T intersection. It got very cold at night, which was to be expected, but still very much worth the trip. May 9 -Nov 1 I tried my best to record the trail as I did it, but like I mentioned the cellular signal was spotty and I was rationing battery life toward the middle of the hike. Particularly the section immediately after the Sunol visitor's center is quite steep, although it is a nice gravel trail surface. Most hikers drop their packs here and make a dash to the top, take a few pictures at Mission Peak's famous summit post, and head back down. https://www.relive.cc/view/1511244740, Great hike in the Bay Area. The first mile is a gentle up-and-down to a sign-in board. Lots of good Geocaching along the way and can't wait to return. But I didn't see it. Soon the trail crosses Calaveras Road, where your push to Mission Peak continues along a broad ranch road. Even though it's not Mount Diablo, this area shares similar ecosystems because it's all part of the Diablo Range. So if you plan to park there, as we did, expect to wait 15 minutes for a spot to open up. Suggestions: The Del Mar side packs all of the elevation gain into the first day including the dive into William's gulch. But we did it! It was a cool April day, so I wore a hoodie the whole time (especially at elevation). Very challenging, but an enjoyable local adventure. The hike from Del Valle to Maggie's Half Acre was quite intense with elevation. The hike down from Mission Peak was extremely muddy from the previous night's rain! There is a latrine toilet/outhouse, and some water may be available, but, backpackers should carry water to this site in the event that the springs are depleted. Arguably the premier backpacking route in the East Bay, the 28-mile Ohlone Wilderness Trail connects Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore with Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont. Get race details, runner reviews, race reports, photos, videos and more! The only electricity I was able to find was in Sunol on the backside of the Visitors Center building. However, we did not come across any rangers and were not checked for our permits. There are some places to throw trash away, so don’t worry about having to carry it for too long, you’ll eventually run into a campsite or rest stop with a trash can. Unless there’s a trash or a toilet, take your butt or roach with you. First day out of Lake Del Valle is straight up for miles. But when it started raining for 18 hours straight, it made the trail even more challenging! Be prepared. The runoff started filling those little creeks to the point you almost couldn't cross them. We were able to get to Eagle Spring (~15 miles) with a couple hours to spare before it got dark. Learn about the Ohlone Wilderness 50K Trail Run in Fremont, California. I have a "Wildflowers of Mount Diablo" booklet that is great for identifying the flowers. Beautiful shining rocks- some white, some pink! California has enough wildfires. Overnight parking, with a reservation and permit, is allowed in the Del Valle, Sunol, and Mission Peak parking lots. Other than that, the main area was closed due to flooding, so we hiked along the perimeter. The trail is wide and quite popular with day hikers, and those looking to watch the sunset. Hopefully you've left a car here, or made transportation arrangements. Those campsites were School Camp in Sunol, Joes Horse Camp, and Maggie’s Half Acre. We did encounter heavy rain on the last day. On way back hit Murrieta Falls which had pretty good volume. I hear the waterfalls are worth it, though, so I recommend spending the night at Stuart's Camp and doing the 1 mile side trip to see it (if it's been raining, of course- the falls are usually dried up)! I recommend if you don’t want to hike back and repeat to a total of 60 miles park your car on one end and Uber to the other. Ohlone Wilderness is a 9,737 acres (39.40 km ) regional park in the United States that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) system. I did it in 2 days, 1 night and I was exhausted! I would also suggest bringing packets of powder Gatorade or similar, you’ll need the electrolytes. Ohlone Wilderness Trail - Del Valle is a 5.2 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Livermore, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. We went on an overcast and a rainy weekend with full packs. We started from the Del Mar side as was highly recommend by others. Hiked from Sunol Wilderness to Del Valle as a day hike in preparation for summer hiking season on JMT and Colorado Trail. Highly recommended for a local backpacking adventure. bl3ssthism3ss February 21, 2016 January 3, 2017 Backpacking. After that, though, the climbing is again quite intense. Camping reservations must be made at least TWO days in advance by calling the Reservations Department at 1-888-327-2757, option 2 (8:30am-4:00pm PST, M-F). What to bring: It was so special to come upon the glitter trail after a long grumpy day of hiking up and down over and over again. (Large raptors like eagles and hawks can often be spotted swooping down on their doomed prey). This climb is no joke, be prepared. Sun screen -- there's very little shade on this trail. Watch out while walking around at night, don't wanna step on one of those little guys! This is a steady climb but refreshingly easy compared to your first day. If you turn left, you're in for another four miles of gentler climbing till you reach Rose Peak. Make sure to train for this hike! From the sign-board it's a grueling climb up an old ranch road. Very Intense Trail! The trail is wide and quite popular with day runners, and those looking to watch the sunset. We brought freeze dried meals that we bought from REI, boiled water with out propane camp stove, and enjoyed. Duration: This was my first ever backpacking trip! I have not hiked this trail, so I don’t want to downgrade the stars. I've actually never done a marathon, and this was a marathon with a 7500 ft climb, which is pretty insane. There is zero cellular service at the park HQ. The gate opens at 8am; be there ready already. I weighed in when I got home and lost 4 lbs during the hike. It does have its own beauty but not much to see. EBRPD page for Mission Peak Regional Preserve A few blown down bushes but passable. 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