One of my favorite place for sunset stroll with my dog. The trail is pretty flat and takes around…read more10 min one way with lovely view of the valley. Along the trail, there are some picnic tables/ benches and a disc golf field. If you wanted to watch sunset at a summit without strenuous hiking, this is the place to go. Parking is easy around the neighborhood.

"Green Rolling Hills with Lots of Cows--Most Friendly but one Looked at me with Menacing Eyes."…read more I parked at the summit, and took the trail north. It's about 3 miles if you go all the way to the driving range at Bridges Golf Course. At that point the trail peters out. It looks like they are constructing a new trailhead there. The trail is open, so don't count on any shade in the summer. It's pretty much green hills, with a compacted dirt trail. Fortunately, it's not rutted. I found the hike mildly interesting, but honestly, nothing special. Near the golf course practice center, I saw a lot of range balls on the ground. I was tempted to take them, but I threw most of them back onto the range. I'm pretty sure I did not hit anyone, but a few times I heard some klunks, followed by shouts. I wasn't sure what that meant. They might have been mad that I still had 2 golf balls in my jacket. I did not notice I had borrowed some golf balls until I was pretty far away. These trails are good for beginner hikers, since there aren't any wild animals around. I'm pretty sure there aren't any rattlesnakes or mountain lions. But if there are, I did not see them. And even if I did see any, I had some golf balls I could throw at them. The only wild animals are herds of cows. And there are lots of them! At one point I had to go way around a huge herd. I'm not really afraid of cows, but one kept looking at me with menacing eyes and did not budge from the trail. I was afraid of that one. Could it be a boy cow? I was afraid to get close to find out, so I honestly don't know if it was a boy or girl cow. But he or she looked mean. The whole time I went around the cows I kept saying pleasant things like, "Hi Susie," or "Hi Betsy, how are you?" I'm pretty sure they knew I was a friendly man. I was surprised they knew English. So over all, a pleasant hike. Nothing really special, but plenty of parking makes this a convenient location. The incline is really not too steep, so most hikers will find this an easy hike. For yelpers who are geocachers, there are plenty of geocaches on this trail. I put out about 8 new ones, so there will be lots to find. Keep in mind that there really aren't any facilities such as restrooms or drinking faucets. On the other hand, it's really not a very long hike. Just watch out for that cow with the mean looking eyes.

I have hiked or run on this trail many, many times. It is one of my favorite places to go,…read moreespecially on a hot summer day. However, I must admit this is where I fractured my foot; other than that. Hardly any bones have been broken. One neat feature about this trail is that it connects up to Dublin regional park, which is part of east Bay. regional parks.

This is truly a hidden gem in the Dublin neighborhood and a must! It's situated behind some…read moreresidential properties in a beautiful trail. There's ample parking in the neighborhood and you'll follow the road til you see the gate and sign for the start of the trail. The beginning part has quite a bit of sun and then it's shady for most of the way. There's an option to extend the trail once you get the gate. Then you can hike all the way to the top and get rewarded with a beautiful view. It's really an enjoyable hike with greenery and beautiful nature.

I come to Dublin Hills Regional Park at both the Donlan and Marten Canyon staging areas to run…read morehills, specifically while training for Spartan races. I enjoy the trails and the various paths to challenge my pace and footing. The Donlan side has more cow patties than Marten Canyon side, but you really can't go wrong on either side for a nice hike or run. I've visited often and will continue to.

This is a very nice area with nice views, and a bunch of different paths to choose from. There…read morearen't many trees for shade, so plan accordingly. Overall it is a great area to walk and explore. Enjoy!

If you happen to be looking for FitBit steps in the Tri-Valley area, here's a relatively manageable…read moreoption to consider. I came here only because the road up to the Mt. Diablo summit was closed for renovation and well, I had time to walk and not the space. I rolled down 680 and discovered this area somewhat hidden among the upscale homes of San Ramon. There are just five miles of trails, but your thighs will get a decent workout from the hillside climbs on the Grey Fox Trail. I walked the length of the Red Hawk Trail on the ridgetop where I took in Mt. Diablo in the distance on one side and fancy tract homes and easily agitated barking dogs on the other. I hit the end when I saw a wooden cross on the hill (photo: https://bit.ly/3t6Dh9i). There was no explanation for its haunting appearance, so I just headed back and turned onto the woodsy and bug-ridden Stream View Trail just to get more variety in my walk. The loose gravel made it more challenging to scale than I expected, but it was over with pretty quickly. But damn, I fell short of my step goal. I think my watch was laughing at me. I hate when that happens. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

"Small Park good for hikers of all abilities."…read more This is one of the smallest Open Space Preserves in the entire East Bay Park system. Even I could not manage to get lost here. There's just a few main trails, and usually you can pick up a trail map at the entrance. Today, all the maps were gone for some reason. I don't believe there is any water or restroom facilities in the entire park, so keep that in mind. Easy, free parking on Morgan drive right next to the trailhead. Today, there were a surprisingly large number of hikers. I didn't notice the park was closed until I exited. For some reason they have closed it down because of the virus emergency. Seems odd, since the county is encouraging outside activity. So overall, a decent park. It's nice to have this small park in our community.

HEMME CREEK TRAIL REVIEW: First time on this trail and it's easily one of my top 10 trails in the…read moreBay Area. You can park at the Ringtail Cat Staging Area, where there's about 8-10 parking spots. This trail is a loop that takes you literally through a stream. It's lush and woodsy, and there's a pretty steep elevation before you get a breather through a meadowy field of trees and grass. It wasn't crowded, so we took our time and enjoyed the Zen-ness of our hike. From the parking area, there's about a 1/4 mile path before you reach a metal gate where the loop begins. If you go right, you'll start with the Shred Wizard Creek part of the loop. If you go left, you'll start with the Ringtail Cat part of the loop. It's about 3 miles with a 720 foot elevation. There aren't many markers, so I recommend using AllTrails to keep you on track. We started with the creek, and it was so fun. The trail zig zags over the stream at least 25 times. There was one part of the trail where you had to walk in the stream, but it's so shallow we didn't get our socks wet at all. It can be a bit muddy. This was our favorite part of the hike. It's so green and lush. Once the creek part is done, there's a pretty steep climb to get to the Ringtail Cat part of the loop. This part is also very nice as you walk through grassy fields and trees. There's less shade here. There's still more hills and valleys along this part. Overall, this was so much fun, the scenery was beautiful, and you get quite a workout.

Went Sunday afternoon to get some exercise and fresh air…read more Paved Rocky Ridge Trail - AllTrails rate it as moderate and steep. Definitely steep, pass by some grazing cows, minimal shade which was fine on cloudy day but I can imagine this to be quite hot in summer. Great view on top of Mt Diablo and SF Bay. Free entry/parking. Pit toilets at parking lot.

My wife had an appointment nearby, so I decided to take our dog to this park while we waited. It…read moreturned out to be a great place to spend a few hours! The park is clean, spacious, and has something for everyone. There are basketball courts, plenty of shady grassy areas to relax, picnic benches, BBQ grills, hiking trails, and a playground with a soft surface that's perfect for kids. Our dog enjoyed walking around and exploring all the open space. It was peaceful, well-maintained, and a great spot to unwind. I'll definitely keep this park in mind the next time we're in the area!

Every time I come here, I see more I like…read more Today, I started my running at independence park, ran over to this parking lot and went for a beautiful 5 mile run. Don't forget to say hi to the riendly volunteer at the main entrance to the park

STAR JASMINE, MONARCH RIDGE LOOP TRAIL REVIEW: I found this short, easy trail on All Trails. There…read morewere no signs anywhere, so if it weren't for the navigation on the All Trails app, I wouldn't have known this existed. It's a 2.2 mile, easy walk/hike behind some homes and loops you back to Red Willow Park. The walk is fine, but there's nothing interesting to view, and you can hear the cars nearby so you don't get that out-in-nature feel. The park itself looks nice. There's a little playground with a slide and some swings. There were a few picnic tables with a bbq grill. Looks very clean, and there was no one around on a Saturday morning. We only passed by the park, so this rating is strictly for the trail.

Red Willow Park is a sweet little park at the end of a cul de sac that could be easily missed!…read moreThere a few parking spots and the park is fully loaded with a playground, picnic benches, and bathrooms. I came here to participate in one of the San Ramon hiking challenges, unfortunately there aren't clearly marked signs for the trail, so you kinda just have to follow the trail. The SR hiking challenge has it as a 2.24 mile hike starting at red willow park and then descending with hidden crest loop. Apparently hidden crest loop was really hidden since I couldn't find it! Haha. There were different trails in different directions, but without clear markings and the higher grass like trees it didn't feel like a good idea. You can find the short trail and back right after passing the bathrooms. You start with a steep incline at first, but nothing too major. Once you get to the highest part of the incline, remember to turn around and take in that beautiful view! Along the way you'll see flowers and wildlife such as unique birds. Spring is the perfect time since everything is so green and in full bloom. A word of caution, stay in the middle of the path since getting too close to the outside with high trees, you may find some other wildlife! I did run into a couple of tiny garden snakes when I wasn't on the middle of the path, but they were harmless and merely trying to get away into the bushes. The mantra I kept repeating was that they are more afraid of you then you are of them! Regardless, stay on the path! Definitely a park that should be explored if you're ever in the area!

$10 to enter with your car in this gen of a regional park. Parking is easy , trails of plenty ,…read morecamping also available if you like coyotes and the Willy wild. I am good day time. Anyways rock city - w o w. Just go. End of.

Rock City Park is truly a hidden gem in the Bay Area! My kids had a blast exploring the trails,…read moreclimbing on the rocks, and checking out all the little caves and interesting rock formations. It's a great place for families to spend a few hours outdoors and let the kids have an adventure. Make sure to go to Sentinel Rock and climb to the top! It's not a far hike, and the views are definitely worth it. The scenery throughout the park is beautiful, with plenty of fun areas to explore. Highly recommend visiting, especially with kids who love climbing and being outdoors!

Perfect, relaxing, fun, members for 14 years. Come join us and will see why we love this place.read more

Sequoians is an inclusive body-positive space for all ages, genders, and body types (including…read morepost-surgery or modified bodies)! It's an overall pretty chill space with a clubhouse, bocce ball, hiking, and pool/hot tub. It's member-only, and the community is tight-knit and welcoming. We have been members for the last year, and my girls (9,7,5) love going. They are treated with incredible love and respect by all the members and there are currently several families with kids, ranging from 5-14 years old. Yes, it's naked. Yes, you will see naked people. Yes, you will be naked! Kids under 18 do not have to be naked if they don't want to, but adults are expected to be clothes-free most of the time. Let me tell you why Sequoians is walking the walk on inclusivity, and why it isn't creepy. 1) Creepiness is gross and bad for all ages; sexualizing kids is wrong, full stop. 2) Creepiness is bad for business! Getting accused of improper activities is bad for business! Sequoians, and nudists in general, have a vested interest in keeping their spaces safe for everyone. 3) Inclusivity is more fun! More people can be included and feel safe, and that feels good. Therefore: Sequoians makes a big deal of vetting potential members, and everyone is educated about body positivity and etiquette. You see consent engagements in real life, in terms of playing with the kids, hanging out in shared spaces, keeping spaces clean, and working together for the benefit of everyone. Everytime we do out there, my kids say "ohhhhh we love it here!" and I do too. If you are interested in learning more, please read the website. And come visit!

Cute, small park with nice trees overhanging into the play structure. Lots of grass and bridges…read moreleading into the play area, more for exploring than playing on the playground itself, though my kids enjoyed it. Parking is easy to find and the overall vibe is perfect for relaxing and bringing a picnic.

Great little park. Somewhat recently renovated and pretty clean. Small play structure and a short…read more(about mile long) paved hiking. I was very surprised by how quiet it was, considering the park sits near very busy area. Wouldn't go every day there, but a nice get a way for once in a while and kids loved it!