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eLivermore.com - By Bill Nale |
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Hiking, Biking, and Horsing Around |
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Contents |
Local Trails Photos |
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The list below provides a quick guide to Hiking, Biking, and Horse Back Riding locations in the Tri-Valley. The rural streets of the area are common venues for organized bike rides. Some photos are included in the linked pages. More will follow shortly.
See also the Parks section of our Things to Do page.
| Name (links to photo page) | Functions | Location | Description |
| Mt Diablo State Park | Hike, Horse, Bike | East of Danville | A Tri-Valley landmark, Mt Diablo offers a great view of the area, and lots of activities including Rock City and fossil ridge. At the peak, at 3849 feet, is the Summit Museum. State Park Site. |
| Isabel Trail | Hike, Bike, Horse | Livermore, along Isabel Ave | The Isabel trail runs along the new section of Isabel Ave, from Jack London Blvd near the airport to Alden Lane, where it turns east and runs between the quarry area the the Oaks housing development. It is a multi-use trail, for bicycling, walking, and horseback riding. The intersections at Concannon Blvd and Jack London have "pedestrian" buttons up high for those on horses. Most of the trail is separated from the Isabel Ave traffic making it a good trail for children. Isabel also has bike lanes on the road itself. |
| Arroyo Mocho Trail | Hike, Bike | Livermore, through town. | The Arroyo Mocho trail runs from the Isabel trail to Almond Ave. School. From the west end it travels through a housing development, running along the original path of the Arroyo Mocho, which has since been rerouted to run along Stanley Blvd. When exiting the housing development the trail meets back up with the the present Arroyo Mocho. It then goes under the railroad tracks, under the old SP railroad bridge that is no longer used (see pictures), then under Stanley Blvd. From here is goes behind Granada High School, and Mocho Park, and under Holmes street. It then proceeds under L Street, and through Robertson Park, where it crosses the Arroyo Mocho on bridges a few times. It crosses Livermore Ave. at the old Ferrario winery building (aka Mayflower building) and the Retzlaff Winery, then heads north for a bit behind city hall and near the skateboard park, heading through another residential area to Almond Ave school. The whole path is about 5 miles. It crosses quite a few streets along the way, but most are not very busy. It passes under the busiest streets, such as Stanley, Holmes, and Arroyo Rd, although the underpass at Holmes is closed when the creek is up in the winter. This forces a short detour to a traffic light. Also a good trail for children. |
| Stanley Blvd Bike Path | Hike, Bike | Stanley Blvd, between Livermore and Pleasanton | This bike path runs on the south side of Stanley Blvd and is slightly separated from the road. It is very flat, with a slight downhill grade toward Pleasanton which may be either offset or enhanced by the wind. It connects on the Livermore end with the Isabel trail and provides access to Shadow Cliffs park. It currently ends as a separated path at about Valley/Bernal Ave although you can continue on in bike lanes. If you go at the right time you will get a good view of a passing freight or ACE train. While not as separated from the road as the Isabel trail, it is still a good trail for children. My 5 year old was able make it from Livermore to Shadow Cliffs and back with ease. So did my 3 year old, but he was on the tag-a-long. |
| Vineyard Ave | Bike | Vineyard, between Livermore and Pleasanton | Not a separated trail for most of the distance, and very narrow road without even a bike path. Not good for children. This is likely to change when the new road is put through which will provide a good bicycle route with better scenery than Stanley Blvd. The new road is under construction. This route is sometimes used for bicycle events. |
| Pleasanton Bike trails | Hike, Bike | Pleasanton | Pleasanton has a variety of bike trails. Click for: Pleasanton Parks & Trails web page Trails and Bike Paths Map |
| Iron Horse Trail | Hike, Bike, Horse | Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, through town | 12.69 mile trail between Dublin and Concord on the Southern Pacific
right of way that was abandoned in 1977. Flat trail, crosses many
streets. Eventually this trail will be extended to connect to
Livermore trails. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Sycamore Grove Park | Hike, Bike, Horse | South Livermore | This park in south Livermore was the home of the Olivina Winery of Julius Paul Smith. The park is now 742 acres. There is Hiking, Biking, and Horse back riding on a variety of trails. The main trail is blacktop, and goes from one end to the other, and is mostly flat. The newest portions of the park are to the west, which is more hilly. One trail takes you to a height of 1000 feet, which is more than 500 feet over the surrounding area. A great view of Livermore, the Veterans hospital, and Cresta Blanca. The last portions of this are quite steep (I left the bike at the bottom). Entrances on Wetmore road and Arroyo Road, by the Wente Visitor's center. LARPD page |
| Lake Del Valle | Hike, Bike, Horse, boat, windsurf, camp, fish | South of Livermore | The Del Valle Reservoir provides swimming, boating, wind surfing, hiking, horse back riding, and bicycling. It is south east of town off of Mines Road. For more of a challenge you can enter from the Arroyo Road side on foot, bicycle, or horse. This is where the dam is located. There is a parking lot by the entrance, and a trail that takes you around to the recreation area, but it is several miles and quite hilly from that end. You are rewarded with a great view, from about the 1000 foot level. This reservoir has a number of trails. One goes all the way through to the Sunol Regional Wilderness. Another goes along the north side of the lake and ends up at the dam. East Bay Regional Parks District site. See also the Del Valle Dam Construction photos. |
| Shadow Cliffs | Hike, bike, boat, fish | Between Pleasanton & Livermore | Shadow Cliffs park is a popular park along Stanley Blvd between Pleasanton and Livermore. The lake is a former Kaiser Industries gravel pit, providing swimming, boating, and fishing. The park also includes a water slide. East Bay Regional Parks District site. |
| Pleasanton Ridge | Hike, Bike, Horse | West of Pleasanton | 3163 acre park at the top of the hills between Pleasanton and the east bay. Great views of Pleasanton. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve | Hike, Bike, Horse | West of San Ramon | 529 acres on a ridge top west of San Ramon. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Morgan Territory | Hike, Bike, Horse | North of Livermore | 4147 acre park north of Livermore East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Sunol Regional Wilderness | Hike, Bike, Horse | South of Pleasanton, on Calaveras Road. | Large park for hiking, biking and horse back riding and camping. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Lake Chabot | Hike, Bike, Horse, boat, fish, camp | Castro Valley | This one is in Castro Valley. It is a great place for camping, hiking, biking, horse back riding, boating, and fishing. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Mission Peak | Hike, Bike, Horse | Fremont | Connects to Sunol Regional Wilderness via a trail. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
| Ohlone Regional Wilderness | Hike, Horse | South of Livermore (south of Del Valle) | Ohlone Regional Wilderness connects Del Valle to the Sunol Regional Wilderness. Includes Rose Peak, which is just 32 feet lower than Mt. Diablo. East Bay Regional Parks District site |
eLivermore.com photos (also linked to above)
Page 1
- Isabel & Arroyo Trails in Livermore
Page 2 - Sunol Regional Wilderness
Page 3 - Sycamore Grove
Page 4 - Sycamore Grove - View from the
peak
Page 5 - Del Valle Dam Area
Page 6 - Del Valle, main area.
Page 7 - Pleasanton Ridge
Page 8 - Iron Horse Trail
Page 9 -
Shadow Cliffs
External site:
www.trivalleyphoto.com