If you happen to be looking for FitBit steps in the Tri-Valley area, here's a relatively manageable option 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 read more

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"Small Park good for hikers of all abilities." 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. read more

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Hills on hills I was up to my "gills" Feelin' that burn A fantastic workout, earned! Hit the trailhead and almost instantly was greeted by this monster of a hill, the pics do it zero justice - that sucker continued to climb... and climb! She was a killa, indeed! Beautiful hike with lots of wildlife observed to include an almost nail-biting epic flight of survival in which a falcon soared across the skies relentlessly at this raven who continued to "CAW" and "CAW" until I'm sure the poor child of God's little beak was raw, if that's possible - totally heard it even with my headphones blasting, so I took the buds out & looked around to see the craziest chase ever! I got fully sucked in and was rooting for that raven - almost felt like witnessing the Roadrunner & Coyote, except in the air... long story longer, that baby ended up doin' a Steph Curry and juked the hell outta that pesky falcon. So, of course, being the total animal lovin nutjob I am, I caught myself involuntarily jumping up and down and cheering in victory for that crow! Semi glad no humans were around to witness that moment. OK - back to the review: Features: LOTS of hills! There are many areas that are flat after the inclines to catch your breath & recover. I opted to take in an extra little loop which wasn't so little and ended up adding in about 1.5 more miles. Didn't see too many folks out, which was a HELL YEAHHH in my book, since I like to feel like I'm off in my own little happy world, albeit sweaty & dusty, so this was another plus for me. Nature observed: Lizard wizards, butterflies, many Woodpeckers pecking away, ravens, blue birds, wild turkeys & buzzards. Didn't see many mosquitos, so that was a plus. It's springtime, so a pair of doves tried to get all Discovery Channel on me... gotta love nature, right? Not so bueno: I tend to be a hiker who prefers to go to the less-traveled paths, however, the added loop trails my app pointed me to were almost unrecognizable and overgrown with grass. Of course, I ended up figuring it out. Also, one area the app lead me towards to continue back to the main loop had a "no trespassing" gate there. I contemplated turning around, however that would've been a long trek back up another big hill, so I jumped it. Bad Jeanie. Oh well. Kinda cool tidbit: Hiked to the very end of the trail up top towards a residential area of very beautiful homes and followed my app to the area the extra loop was & stumbled upon a HUGE iron cross that graced the very top of a hill - I hopped yet another "private property" gate simply because I felt so gravitated towards the structure and wanted to take a few moments to meditate & appreciate the unexpected treasure. (Do what I say, not as I do, okay kiddos???) The sprawling green hills behind it made it quite a find & the silence in addition to the welcomed cool breeze up top made it a bit of a haven of sorts for me and I took the opportunity to enjoy a couple snacks whilst there. Protip: Strongly suggest downloading the Alltrails free app (you can upgrade of course, if you wanna pay for the extra's) - because it is VERY easy to get caught up and walk off course since many of these trails are overgrown in grass. No biggie, semi happy I did, because that only meant extra steps and extra burn! My only gripe about this area was one part of the trail called Stream View Trail was gorgeous as I began my descent into the wilderness - but - the grasses around were way tall - 3-4 feet or taller in areas which is a bit scary when you know rattlesnakes are quite common in these areas, but not only that, the area was literally riddled in what appeared to be poison ivy. It completely jutted out across the path in areas which caused this chick to turn her trailhappy ass around right back up to the main trail. This is the only reason I didn't give 5 stars - so hopefully the park will take care of that area soon since again, I prefer the road less traveled, yet without an itchy case of the heebie jeebies! No thanks. Sun factor: On the way up, not a whole ton of shade is available, only sporadically, so if you're venturing out in the summer, hit the trailhead at early o'clock. The route back, however, with the extra loop I took offered quite a bit of shade as various trees hugged the path on either end and was quite lovely. Poop factor: I saw another review mentioning cow patties - happy to say I only saw a few - so no need to play hopscotch over the flops. Thank goodness. Definitely got in most bang for buck with my added terrain I covered - except there was no buck spent, unless you count my calories! Recommend this beautiful trail especially during Springtime when it's so lush and green! Happy to have discovered this gem & I'll be back like Arnold! read more

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Great hike that my husband and I did at the end of Nov. We took the trail that went uphill and went to the right. If you go to the left, you dead end to a private area of cows. We got to the end of the trail which empties you into a residential area. Another hiker said that you could wind your way up another hill but we weren't that adventurous. Dogs are welcome and when we returned to the starting point there is a boot scraper which was helpful after our muddy hike. read more

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Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve is a lovely park in the rolling hills behind the San Ramon residential areas. Its fully open during COVID. The terrain is quite steep. For novice hikers, I would not recommend the main trail. Instead go for the Steam View Trail which runs along a creek and, thus, is much less hilly. Pro-tip: If you are looking for a loop from the parking lot, take the Grey Fox Trail to the Redtail Hawk Trail, to the Steam View Trail. This will bring you back to your vehicle in about 1 hour, 15 minutes. The spring is a great time to go flower spotting along this trail. On the EB Parks website, there is a "Wildflower Guide" for the park. I strongly recommend having it handy on your phone because you will come across some beauties. read more

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One word: POOP! Found this local hiking trail on Yelp and was so excited to do a short hike with the family. It's located off Bollinger Canyon Road and Morgan Street (west side of highway 680). The entrance is about a mile or so south on Morgan. The brochure holder for the trail maps was full - good sign, right? Well-maintained? Well..there was a pile of dog poop right at the main entrance. Hmm... we walked/hiked only about .25miles in before we said forget it! It was crazy how much crap was on and along the trail. Unfortunately, even with the plastic bags provided at the entrance, some dog owners who use this park don't care and are inconsiderate. Let me repeat. There was so much crap everywhere! Fresh crap and old crap. I can understand the occasional cow pies and horse manure we encountered since it is their pasture. There was also a very very steep incline at the beginning of the trail- almost 45 degree slope. Be careful if you bring small children. The scenery was nice and we observed several woodpeckers pecking at a tree. I'm not returning to this place and would not recommend it unless you don't mind playing "frogger" with piles of crap. read more

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Now that it's actually light out after work and the hills are a glorious, glorious green from all our recent rain, Bishop Ranch made for a great post-workday hike. I've seen these same hills from my office building and didn't realize it was part of the East Bay Regional Park system. Easy access to the trail head if you take San Ramon Valley Blvd South, then make a right on Morgan Drive. You'll see signs for the park just past a residential development and there is plenty of parking along the road. There are trail maps right at the entrance, that include both Bishop Ranch and Las Trampas. This particular preserve is on the small side and not too hard to navigate. There is a loop that will take you from the entrance to the beginning of Stream View Trail, going straight up hill for a short while, that connects with Grey Fox Trail, Red Tail Hawk and then back on to Stream View to get back down to where you parked. Because of the lateness of the hour (we arrived close to 6 PM. and weren't quite sure how long the whole loop would take us), we did part of the Stream View Trail and Grey Fox, with back tracking. Most of the trail is quite open and unshaded, making it perfect for this time of year, but highly advisable to stay away from during the summer. However, part of the Stream View trail had a meandering, more narrow trail that had some shade. There were some fallen trees along that path, but completely manageable to get around. This is a great park to visit when you only have a short time to hike and/or are with more novice hikers. It seems perfect for an early evening nature walk and if I lived nearby, I'd use this area for regular walks versus a paved path. We didn't run across any cows, but plenty of signs in the park that they are around, at least part of the time. We've already got plans to come back in another week or two and make this a regular spot during the nicer weather to get fresh air and some extra steps after work. read more

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We love coming here. It's been a safe haven for us and the kids look forward to our weekly hikes here. read more

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The main entrance of Bishop Ranch is on Morgan Drive. Off-street parking is easy. There is actually another trailhead in a cul-de-sac at Paddlock Drive. I've entered the park from both sides and at different times of day, and it's never crowded here. By no means is it a big piece of land. The trails give you less than 5 miles out and back. However, as this open space is nestled in the residential area. I think it's great that within a few steps and you're amid nature. More preserved lands the better in my book. read more

Steep hill, lovely views, lots of cows. Unfortunately we visited the day after a rain and the trail was almost completely mud. I slipped twice during a 30 minute mud hike, and picked 5 ticks off the dog after getting to the car. It is a very beautiful walk but I would not go again as it doesn't fit my needs. Lots of cows means putting the leash on the dog repeatedly, and with a large strange animal around dogs may slip voice control easily. Also, ticks!!! ): I would recommend here to anyone looking for a moderately challenging hike with a lovely view and a close look at all sorts of nature. Stay out of the grass and do a tick check before you get in the car. read more

Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve - Hiking Near Me

So you work at Bishop Ranch, or one of the other office towers in San Ramon. You want to get some exercise. What do you do? Most people go to the Iron Horse Trail. That's a good choice. And here's another choice: Drive a few minutes to a trailhead a few blocks from San Ramon Valley Blvd, and you come to Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve. The preserve does not knock you out with anything unusual, and it's on the small side. Hence the three-star rating. But it does have several trails to walk, hike, climb, jog, bike, run your dog, ride your horse, whatever you feel like doing. Within a few hundred feet, the main fire road has a steep hill that gets the heart pumping. So it's a short distance to get a clear view from Danville to Dublin. Most of the preserve has no shade on the fire road, so if you come here in the summer, be warned. The stream trail is nice and shady, although the stream is likely to be dry in the summer. My guess is that it's called "Preserve" rather than "Park" because EB Parks preserved this land from even more two-story houses being erected in this area! Fine with us outdoors lovers, more outdoors to enjoy. read more

My friend and I were looking for a trail not too far from where we lived and we stumbled on this place! It was hard to find at first, but we were glad that we decided to keep driving down the street where we eventually saw the park sign. We expected cow turds (since we read previous reviews), but we were pleasantly surprised to find out there wasn't any! The weather was nearly perfect, and we both had a good time. There was some steep hills throughout the trail, but we made it! We will definitely feel sore tomorrow! read more

Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve - Beginning of the trail - Hiking Near Me

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I went on my first hike at Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve on a weekend morning. I never would have known there was a trail there if my hiking friends hadn't suggested it. BRRP is nestled in a residential area with street parking by the trail head. The location is easy to get to right off of Bollinger Canyon Rd. exit off the freeway. The hike itself was a strenuous up and back hike approximately 3.32 miles round trip. The trail was incredibly steep. The initial ascent was the steepest and you get up to high elevation quickly. I would not suggest this hike if it were muddy from the rain. Also, there are no trees along the trail so it probably wouldn't be a pleasant hike during very sunny or hot days. This is a great hike if you only have an hour to spend in the outdoors and you don't need to go out to the boondocks. It's not scenic but you will see the rolling green (for now) hills. It's a work out for sure trekking up the hills. Decent neighborhood trail. There are few people on the trail so you can enjoy the quietness and solitude. Note that there is no restroom or water available at the trail head. read more

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I love this place for how close it is to my home. Who would have thought such beauty and awesome little trails would be so close to suburbia. What I love most is the terrain to the giant climb you do when you first start off to the valley trails leading to more secluded smaller river trails below. So many different kinds of terrain for such a local spot. Dogs welcome and never busy. Love this place for quick 2 miler+ hikes. In the Spring, all the fields of wildflowers are out and even some gangs of turkeys were gobbling their way talking to my kids on our last hike. read more

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When someone else mentioned how "steep" the trails at Bishop Ranch Preserve CAN be they weren't kidding. lol When I first came down across this bend right before the gate I thought, "Okay, I can hike up with my kid in her jogging stroller, but oh man. lol I didn't expect the very first hill to be so "steep." I was expecting the steepness to be something similar to Pleasanton Ridge. My other half had a brilliant idea of letting her kid walk while I pushed the stroller up. I'm so glad we all didn't turn around because Bishop Ranch Reserve ended up being so beautiful with a nice view. We got to see a family of cows grazing. They were very curious of my kids and I as we were walking by. I was so happy to see these cows being able to roam free. I'm NOT an activist, but I wish cows in farms roamed free like these cow's here. These cow's here looked so healthy, but more importantly they looked happy!! - Parking was available on a residential street (parallel) - Bishop Ranch Preserve didn't have physical trail map available so we stayed and hiked on the main trail. - Some areas were solid ground while others were still muddy/wet from the recent rain. - No restroom or picnic tables Overall, enjoyed our hike today. Other hikers here were very kind and friendly. read more

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We hiked on steam view trail-red tail hawk trail-grey fox trail as a part of a wonderful free program Trails Challenge 2020 with East Bay Parks. There were great views. The trail was suitable for 5 and 9 year old boys. It was mainly empty, it was great for social distancing at the times of the COVID19. read more

As someone else said...POOP. I mean literally you can't enjoy the beautiful scenery bc every step you take you're trying to avoid cowpies. I get that they are up there and grazing and I respect the animals and don't approach never mind touch them but there's seriously poop everywhere. So bad that the right hand turn you're supposed to take to follow the red tail trail looks like it's just a big ole patch of poop. It would definitely be more enjoyable if you don't care about bringing some turds home with you. read more

Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve - Mr Cow was nice enough to move after about 5 minutes of us standing way back to let us pass. - Hiking Near Me

My daughter lectured me about wasp galls or wasp eggs that developed in galls which are the oak trees' allergic reaction to wasps. Learned something new today, we try learning everyday. read more

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Good little local trail for San Ramon peeps. Lots of uphill to work yo bootie. The only think I'd like to see are little signs. Fear of getting lost is ridiculous and unnecessary but real! Love this little spot! read more

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The trail is nice on a cooler day or evening since it doesn't provide much shade. The kids enjoyed seeing the grazing cows roaming around. It does have very steep areas. If it had more shady areas I would love going here more often during the summer. The views are lovely. read more

My husband and I came to San Ramon for a wedding, and had the morning/afternoon free so we checked out things nearby to do. Just like the other reviews said, there was plenty of poop on some parts of the trail. I would say though the majority of the hike was not poopy. The beginning was not, (like some reviews said) so we thought someone had cleaned it up. About 15 minutes into the hike, we saw a bunch. Yes, it was like playing frogger, hopping around to avoid the poop. It was a Saturday morning, and gorgeous weather, but we only saw ONE person on the trail the entire three hours we were there. ONE! What a nice quiet hike with gorgeous views, and nice scenery on a Saturday! It was almost like we had our own private hike. There was one very steep hill that was a bit of a challenge to get down without slipping, but we did it! Fun hike! read more

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Came here on a geocaching hike with the family. Great views and some steep hills. On a hot day it's nice to take the trail by the creek and then head up the hill. In case you hike with the toddler/preschool set like we do there are no bathrooms here. read more

I loved it. The first time I went some of the trails were so high with weeds and twigs, so I didn't go down them. The second time, it was all trimmed and mowed down. I really enjoyed it. Quiet and a great workout. A lot of incline to get a great burn! read more

I went hiking on this trail once with my sister, two dogs, and my little brother. I did not know about how steep and dangerous the hill was. It was not only steep but covered with rocks and dirt, making it very slippery. My little brother was grabbing onto one of my arm and I was holding the leash with the other while gaining control of myself. It was very dangerous and I would not recommend any little kids to come here. I would come back hiking here because it was a great workout for the dogs and the scenery was pretty. It did not have dangerous wild animals like other trail and it was a good distant from my house. I would definitely recommend people to come here to work out, but remember to bring water with you. read more

I found out about this place when searching for pet friendly hiking trails for my dog. The traffic is relatively light, for the past few times I've been there, I was the only one there. I believe the reason for that could be the extremely steep hills that are a bit hard to climb. The trail had large rocks and pebbles all round making the way up and down extremely difficult and a little scary at times. (I slipped two times on my way down) Good thing is you can let your dog off leash at more secluded areas. The trail however is exposed so you'll be directly under the sun. Scenery however is beautiful if you could somehow make your way all the way up to the open land. There aren't as many animals that lives there compared to other trails but I caught glimpse of wild turkey vultures the last time. Overall the place is alright but the climb is difficult, not ideal for hot weathers because there is no shade. The view is well worth it though, a place well worth going by. read more

This is a pretty nice place to hike but can be extremely steep and scary at times, plus there's not much shade out in the open. But if you make it to the top, you will see some spectacular views of the Tri-Valley and San Ramon. Not many people are present, but watch out for a lot of horse manure, which probably doesn't get cleaned up very often. Also, there are no restroom facilities within this preserve. Wouldn't recommend this for kids because of how steep and slippery it can be at times. read more

Lame lame lame. My husband and I came here over the weekend and definitely were not impressed. Although there are some pretty good incline hills to get a good workout, the view is less than thrilling and there are cow patties EVERYWHERE. You literally have to look down the entire time to avoid stepping in a pile. It is also very dry and barren, without an ounce of shade or pretty trees to walk through. We will not be returning. read more

This place is very nice to et away and go hiking, the hills are pretty steep but makes the walk very nice as you are able to see over most of the tri-valley. I go often and am never disappointed. read more

This is a moderate, short hike. It has great views and tons of cows. I advise not touching the cows as I was charged by one of them! I wasn't even aware cows are aggressive. Luckily when I removed my hand off the cow the other cow backed away from me. Other than this experience this hike is a good workout without being too difficult! read more

This place is great. Love the hiking trails and it's great for the kids to run around. Love walking around during the summer.

We trekked the creek trail, which was dappled with streaming sunlight. Beautiful canopy of oaks, yellow willow, buckeye and other California natives. Lovely trail and the kids felt like explorers finding new land. We had a respite from the busy city life as the trees envelop you in their separate world. Warning, the creek trail is surrounded by poison oak, looking leafy, beautiful and beckoning with their itchy oils. Bring the technu or slather it on afterwards. People were friendly and chatty. The preserve was excellent. read more

this park is great. Beautiful views, nice, steep workout. Look out for the cows, they can sometimes be agressive.

Took my dog on this hike and it was a good experience. I had heard it was an easy hike so I wasn't entirely prepared for how steep some of the hills were, but it really wasn't too bad. My dog did drink all of the water I brought though, and was pretty tired at the end. I will have to remember to bring more next time! But I did enjoy the views an the length of the loop I took (about 2 miles). It was nice to be able to do a full loop without it taking up 2 and a half hours of my day. Will probably be doing this one again. Oh and my dog was off leash the whole time with no problems. read more