Sunol Regional Wilderness Loop

Near: Freemont
Distance: 3, 7, or 10 miles
Elevation: 400-2200 ft (400, 1600, or 2000 feet of elevation gain)
Vegetation: Grass and Pasture

High Valley Camp in the Sunol Regional Wilderness

**Note: Sunol Regional Wilderness is on the border of the 2020 SCU fire complex check park websites for up to date information on the state of trails there** 

The Sunol Regional Wilderness has become my favorite of the East Bay cow parks.  Its not actually anything like a wilderness, of course, yet after Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, it's probably my second favorite dog legal park in East Bay.  While it's mostly open pasture, there are a few single track trails through picturesque sections, some particularly steep local peaks, and a somewhat aspirationally named section of cataracts on the Alameda Creek called 'Little Yosemite'.  For this post I plotted out some common routes for an easy, medium or strenuous outing hitting some high points of the park.

Rules

Dogs OK off leash under voice control, on most trails, but there are a few trails with a leash required.  Also you may want to leash your dog when you inevitably run into some cows.  Control your dog and give them space.

Trailhead

Main park entrance on Geary Road.  (Take the Caleveras Road exit from I-680).  $5 Parking fee, $2 dog fee.

Route

For an easy route, head up the Camp Ohlone Road to Little Yosemite and return via the Canyon View Trail.  The wide gravel road follows the Alameda Creek up the main valley of the park.  From Little Yosemite, turn north on Cerro Este Road (dirt road) and then take a quick left onto the single track Canyon View Trail which will return you to the main parking area with minimal extra climb as it creeps up the side of the valley and gives you better views of the park and Alameda Creek below.  

For more of a challenge, continue climbing past Little Yosemite on Camp Ohlone Road, Backpack Road, The McCorkie Trail and finally Cerro Este Road to its junction with Cave Rocks Road.   The entire ascent is in fairly open pasture land with excellent views of the valley.  As you get higher on Cerro Este Ridge, Mt Rose and Mt Hamilton to the south east become visible in the distance.  If you've had enough climb at this point, start your descent down Cave Rocks Road, then finally on Indian Joe trail, which follows a small creek past a modest pile or rocks popular for bouldering and down a more slightly more wooded valley to the park HQ.  If you want to maximize your climb, continue up Cerro Este Road another 300 feet of climb to the park high point, and then head down to Cave Rocks Road, but continue on past Indian Joe trail to Flag Hill Road.  Flag Hill adds another 250 feet of climb and finishes you off with excellent views in all directions before you plunge down a steep single-track trail to park HQ.

CalTopo Map: https://caltopo.com/m/B2E0

Elevation profiles for an easy, medium and strenuous loop around Sunol Regional Wilderness

Pictures

Looking south from the summit of Flag Hill.  I think that's Rose Peak with a rare dusting of snow to the left in the distance.

Looking north from Flag Hill.

A typical cow party on Flag Hill trail.

A lonely tree along Hayfield Road

The bridge across Alameda Creek near park HQ.