That's where I had lunch the first day. There were salamanders galore after dark! (Large raptors like eagles and hawks can often be spotted swooping down on their doomed prey). Post navigation. 8am - 9pm it really made the hike a little bit pleasant than exposed to the sun.Because there aren't much shade along the trail, to make hike more challenging during the summer time. My friend and I did all Ohlone Wildness Trail ( all 30 miles) in 10 hrs & 30 mins in 100 degree weather. EBRPD page for Sunol Wilderness So that was unfortunate and slowed me down near the end. It was a cool April day, so I wore a hoodie the whole time (especially at elevation). We started from the Del Mar side as was highly recommend by others. Hopefully you've left a car here, or made transportation arrangements. Feb 1 - Mar 8 Overnight parking, with a reservation and permit, is allowed in the Del Valle, Sunol, and Mission Peak parking lots. 8am - 6pm Rose Peak had good views and was worth the effort to do at least once. But it's worth the strain as you soak up amazing vistas, scout for wildlife and marvel at being in such a remote locale so close to a huge metropolis. Don’t underestimate the route, especially if wearing a full pack for three days. I didn't see any other people until about 8 miles in where I passed 4 backpackers. Temps hovered around the low 60s down to the low 30s at night in mid December. This trail starts off fairly navigable but gets steep quickly, with the steepest sections pitching up to 25%. You’ll lose service once you get out of the Mission Peak area going into the trail. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381. Ohlone Wilderness Trail is one wicked walk: 28 miles in two days with over 7,600 feet of elevation gain. It's got a great view! On way back hit Murrieta Falls which had pretty good volume. In addition to the misleading water sources also be advised that the water sources are not on the trail and are pretty far off. Do yourself a favor and stop here to enjoy the views! We did encounter heavy rain on the last day. Today I hiked to Williams Gulch. It got very cold at night, which was to be expected, but still very much worth the trip. Don’t F’ing do it. Just follow the red-tagged trail markers, which are numbered in reverse order from the Fremont terminus of the trail. It was pretty difficult especially around mile 21. Plus as others have said, you want to get the hard part out of the way first. Literally hundreds of people scrambling up the well worn trail. Surrounding Rose Peak are grassy ridges, profusely flowered in season. Nothing out of the ordinary, water and a john. So think about that. That would be my suggestion to people who don't think they can do the hike in one day. 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. Click the map image below to see an enlarged version. Six miles round trip with 2000 plus feet of elevation gain. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/ohlone-wilderness-trail 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. This wasn’t clear from their website. But also ran into LOTS of cows. I carried a full 30 lb backpack and finished in 11 hours and 15 min. Maggie's Half Acre has an outhouse and water, although the water needs to be treated before use. It was mid-April, so everything was blooming. This trail traverses 28 miles of mountains and oak canyons in southern Alameda County and is open to hikers and equestrians. Pack in and pack out. I stayed at Hawk's Nest at Sunol backpacking camp.    Depending on where you decided to stop for the night there may or may not be trees convenient for putting up a hammock, or there may not be worthwhile ground for sleeping on. It would've been flowing strong after this rainy winter, but I just could not muster the strength to do that side trail on top of my 15 miles for the day. Every campsite was empty so we explored them all before selecting #1, as it's secluded and elevated offering a nice view. The Ohlone Trail passes through the Ohlone Wilderness and three regional parks: Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont, Sunol Regional Wilderness near Pleasanton and south of Sunol, and Del Valle Regional Park. It was a great hike, although I wouldn’t recommend doing this one in summer. 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. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. It’s strictly prohibited in all the parks anyway. Along the way, I was greeted with beautiful orange poppies and assorted wildflowers. I know it sounds silly, but just imagine if each hiker took just one rock, it would make a big impact in a negative way. The others had larger flat areas with fire rings, but exposed to morning sun. But what comes up, must come down, and after Rose Peak, it's pretty much all downhill until you reach Sunol. The runoff started filling those little creeks to the point you almost couldn't cross them. First day out of Lake Del Valle is straight up for miles. The region is home to very few people, but it shelters abundant wildlife. 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. During mid July, I wore shorts the entire trip and was fine. 8am - 8pm We also brought lightweight hammocks, small sleeping bags, and roll up sleeping pads. We went on an overcast and a rainy weekend with full packs. From end to end it’s 29 miles or so. Particularly the section immediately after the Sunol visitor's center is quite steep, although it is a nice gravel trail surface. Bring an abundance or bring a stove. The rolling hills reminded me of England. But I didn't see it. The Ohlone Wilderness trail runs from Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore to the Stanford Ave Staging Area at Mission Peak in Fremont. It’s great for trail run but beware there not much water source. I have a "Wildflowers of Mount Diablo" booklet that is great for identifying the flowers. The trail can be used by backpackers for a two to three day trek, or by day-hikers content to turn around and head back once they reach their limit. The campsites were nice, and a short hike will get you to the top of Rose Peak. But I like a challenge, so wth. In the morning we went out at Mission Peak Stanford Staging Area. it was a tough hike, we encountered driving rain in the morning, but it's dry out in the afternoon. From Del Valle, we started climbing constantly until reaching Rose Peak. And there are several benches where you can rest your weary limbs and soak up the views of the southern San Francisco Bay. If you're hiking in the heat make sure to bring and treat water. Post navigation ← Brazen Racing’s Drag-N-Fly Half Marathon Hiking the Ohlone Wilderness Trail Day Two → On clear days you can see farther than you'd have imagined possible from the summit: all the way to San Jose and the Santa Cruz Mountains beyond. Rose Peak lies roughly halfway between Sunol headquarters and Del Valle. You may purchase your permit in one of the following ways: If purchasing by phone, online or by mail, the Ohlone Wilderness Regional Trail Hiking Permit/Map should be purchased at least 7 days in advance of your planned trip to allow time for mailing. This stretch is a bit more scenic and worth a try if you're feeling energetic. Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a hiking, trail running, walking adventure located in or near Ohlone Regional Wilderness, CA. Backpacking fee is $5 per night per person (fees may have gone up since this was written). Plenty of water in streams and cisterns this early in the year and were able to cut down on weight by hauling less water. Directions to the trailhead, free maps, and more. Parking on the Fremont end of the trail is fraught with risk of having your car broken into. This is really difficult physically and mentally at some points. This is a steady climb but refreshingly easy compared to your first day. 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. I weighed in when I got home and lost 4 lbs during the hike. Highly recommended for a local backpacking adventure. Clothing? Staging areas and vehicle parking lots that give access to the Ohlone Wilderness are located at Del Valle Regional Park outside Livermore, Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve near Pleasanton, and Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont. Anyone younger I might assume would struggle. The Ohlone Wilderness (Regional) Trail has been calling my name for half a year. Reservations can be made by calling 1-888-EBPARKS, and pressing #2. Freezing, extremely windy, and raining beyond belief. For the first time made it to Rose Peak from Del Valle Trailhead. I recommend doing it this way, because the Del Valle section is pretty steep, and although my knees were killing me, I preferred to do the "Big Burn" section downhill. We ran out.    After calling the reservation line, they advised that dogs are not allowed in the backpacking area. There is zero cellular service at the park HQ. I don’t recommend summer due to its pretty dry, hot, and exposed. One word of caution, weather reports for the wilderness area tend to be for lower elevations. Horses are also able to use this trail. The Ohlone wilderness regional trail extends about 28 miles from Mission Peak on the west, through Sunol regional park to Del Valle near Livermore at the eastern end. I was hoping to fill up on water in Sunol, but the fountains along the trail weren't working. Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a hiking, horseback riding, trail running, walking adventure located in or near Sunol Regional Wilderness, CA. The Del Mar side packs all of the elevation gain into the first day including the dive into William's gulch. Trail bicycles and motor vehicles are not permitted. 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. The overcast weather made it a beautiful hike because it wasn't warm out so we were sweating. The Eagle Spring camp is again rather high up. Where? It also passes through two watershed areas leased from the San Francisco Water Department. We were able to get to Eagle Spring (~15 miles) with a couple hours to spare before it got dark. 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. 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. 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. Sep 12, 2020 - A 29-mile scenic hiking trail located in the Ohlone Regional Wilderness. I would also suggest bringing packets of powder Gatorade or similar, you’ll need the electrolytes. The permit is valid for one year from the date of purchase.    It also has a garbage can for you to unload some trash. Both trails converge again atop a high ridge overlooking the Diablo Range -- one of many stunning vistas to come. If you're into that, I recommend bringing a booklet like that. In both of these areas I saw red-tailed hawks and groups of beautiful deer. I suggest this trail to all ages over 13. The hike down from Mission Peak was extremely muddy from the previous night's rain! It's not only 20 miles long, but with a huge, relentless elevation change, about 6,500 ft up and down. On the other hand, when you go in winter (and like to take in the views like me) bring a head lamp. Trail bicycles and motor vehicles are not permitted. This trail was great besides the constant sounds of jets from the bay area. 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)! My third hike on the Ohlone Trail this year. 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 … We started at Mission Peak which means we basically were climbing the entire way. The trail goes to a shoulder north of a narrow trail about a quarter-mile from the summit. I have not hiked this trail, so I don’t want to downgrade the stars. I wanted to get this hike in before it got hot and it worked out great! 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