12 1 Day Treks to Explore in Alameda County

The Alameda Creek Regional Trail runs from the mouth of Niles Canyon in Fremont to the San Francisco Bay, allowing recreational access to the levees on both sides of Alameda Creek and its flood control channel. The trail on each side of the creek is roughly 12 miles long. The trail on the south bank provides access to Coyote Hills Regional Park. An additional 3.5-mile-loop trail off the Alameda Creek Trail, into and out of Coyote Hills, and back onto the Alameda Creek Trail.

Anthony Chabot Regional Park is located in the hills of Oakland, in Northern California. Popular activities include hiking, cycling and horseback riding. Camping is a major activity in the park with a 75-campsite family campground and seven group camps. It is part of the East Bay Regional Park District system, and covers 5,067 acres.

Brushy Peak, also known as Brushy Knob or Las Cuevas, is a summit in Alameda County, California that overlooks the Livermore Valley. North of the valley, it is part of the Diablo Range. It rises to an elevation of 1,686 feet and is the location of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve; there are guided tours to the peak itself. Historically, the peak and its immediate surroundings were used for some outdoor events, like picnics

Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve is nestled in the Berkeley and Oakland hills behind the historic Claremont Hotel. There are a lot of scenic views in the area, but this one is especially good because it’s high, yet it’s also close to the urbanized flatlands of Berkeley and Oakland. The Preserve is relatively undeveloped and offers almost no amenities to visitors other than two hiking trails: Stonewall Panoramic Trail and Gwin Canyon Trail.

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful parklands, open space, and trails in Alameda. The system comprises 121,000+ acres in 73 parks, including over 1,200 miles of trails. This parks are ideal for healthful recreation and environmental education. We invite you to enjoy hiking, biking, picnicking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, golfing, boating and nature study in our parks.

Joaquin Miller Park is one of the best examples of the Oakland Hills’ surprisingly lush landscapes. The park isn’t all redwoods, though; there’s a nice variety of scenery. The park is quite popular, especially the relatively level Sequoia Bayview and Sunset Trails. The Oakland Hills location provides panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay area. The park features include miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, an off-leash dog area, a children's playground.

Mission Peak is a 2,517-foot summit east of the San Francisco Bay in Fremont. Mission Peak has symbolic importance, and is depicted on the logo of the City of Fremont. It is located in Mission Peak Regional Preserve, a regional park operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. Mission Peak Regional Preserve is a popular location for hang gliding and paragliding.

A majestic 9,737 acres regional park in the United States that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system. It offers a 28-mile trail between Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont and Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore. It is a grueling backpack with over 8,000 feet cumulative elevation gain, and most people do it in two or three days.

The Pleasanton Ridge is one of the best hikes around the Tri-Valley area. You can make it as hard, long or as casual as you want. It contains over 25 miles of trails, most of which are dirt roads, except for the Woodland Trail, the Bay Leaf Trail, and a few sections of the North Ridge and Ridgeline trails. Park elevations range from 400 feet at the main entrance to over 1,600 feet at the highest point.

Sunol is a large protected parcel of land, with a plethora of plant communities, and plenty of trails through varied terrain. The popular park has a reputation for being one of the most challenging but also most scenic parks in the East Bay. Trails for hiking, horse-riding, and mountain biking cross the park. There are also facilities for camping. The 27.74 square kilometres park was established in 1962,

Temescal Regional Recreation Area is a beautiful, large park in Oakland California that offers a variety of activities for people of all ages. The lake is the main attraction in the park, which also offers trails, picnic areas, forest habitats, and bird watching. The lake was originally constructed as a drinking water reservoir for the city of Oakland.

Vargas Plateau Regional Park sits on a plateau in the Fremont Hills of Alameda County, California that overlooks the San Francisco Bay. This 1,249-acre regional park provides tremendous views from its setting in the Fremont Hills. The park contains an array of habitats, such as grassland, seasonal wetlands, stock ponds, perennial and ephemeral drainages and so more. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are the most popular activities. Observation of birds and other wildlife can also be enjoyed.