3 hours on the lime ridge South loop…read more Amazing short hike on lime ridge. Trail was dry and clear. Views are amazing. You'll get a lot more out of this hike if you read up on the geology. This open space is absolutely covered with earthquake faults. Find a interactive geology map and vou'll be able to track your footsteps over the faults. Watch out for bikes because thev are speeding around. But bike riders were ultra friendly. A bit startled by gunshots toward the end of the hike, but I'm assuming, based on the lack of law enforcement. there is a shooting range somewhere nearby. For this hike there are tons of parking places around the Gulf Club.

"Just okay." I have…read morehiked many of the Lime Ridge trails around Treat boulevard. The trails are usually well-marked, and well maintained. There is little if any trash on any of the trails. Thanks to the park rangers and making its team for doing a great job. Most of the trail are on plain, unpaved dirt roads. They're okay, but there are better options. I like Shell Ridge better. Keep in mind there are no facilities in the park. At least, I have never come across any. On the other hand, everything is free. So overall, a good asset to our community.

I love me some Lime Ridge. Why it's taken me so long to review this beautiful open space is beyond…read moreme. But I'll tell ya that I hold this place near and dear to my heart. This is one of my local faves. The hiking trails seem to the endless. In late winter and early spring, the hills are so amazingly green that it looks fake. I've hiked here during all seasons, day and night. It's always beautiful here, even in the dead of hawt ass summer. I just LOVE dem hills! The hillsides cannot be touched at Lime Ridge. My favorite trail to hike here is the California Riding and Hiking Trail. I usually start at the intersection of the Ygnacio Canal and Contra Costa Canal Trail near Citrus Ave. This trail starts off with a long and steep hill. Many runners train on this hill to increase their endurance. I love it because it challenges me. I'll usually start here and loop around through a couple of other trails. What's nice is that you can go on for miles or just get a short quick hike in. There's so much versatility. The best time to come is during the spring. The spring greens and bright wild flowers and so abundant during this time. Plus, it won't be scorching hot like it is during the summer time. If I do decide to hike here in the summer, it's usually early in the morning or right before sunset. There's absolutely no shade on these trails, so take precautions and bring lots of water. Also, the summertime can bring bugs and those bloodsucking mosquitoes. Bug spray in the summer as well as sunscreen will keep your skin happy. Lately, the trails have been much busier because of quarantine. However, people respectfully keep their distance on the trails and many also wears masks as well. I tend to stick to the same trails which don't seem to be as busy as the ones that are located deeper into Walnut Creek. Either way, it's still worth a visit because the trails are so versatile.

Hiked Sat 3/13/21 at Lime Ridge Open Space, 47 min drive from my house in Fremont. Free parking in…read moremedium size parking lot & on the street. Across the street is Boundary Oak Golf Course where we used their bathrooms (by Taphouse) cuz none at Lime Ridge. We turned Right at Ohlone Trail gate, passing houses in Walnut Creek. Saw a nice pond with lots of water, climbed up, was on private property land, had to go under the fence to get on park land. Did Manzanita Trail, Lime Ridge Trail, went by a bench and near it is summit marker elev 1,986, Blue Oak Trail, Ohlone Trail, went under tunnel, Lone Oak Trail, Savannah Trail, saw Bayberry Pond (was Dry), went through a lower tunnel, Blue Oak Trail. Ohlone Trail & Ygnacio Canal Link if u climb up a few time and keep going you'll find a labyrinth! We saw it didn't go down to walk it, that would have been nice! Blue Oak Trail to Ohlone Trail back to car. Long day we started 9:10am finished 3:30pm.

We just went last month again and went different direction---we all LOVED it! Great parking lot…read more Water views, horses, birds, ground critters, trails thru meadows, woods, by river, by reservoir, by creek, behind peaceful subdivision w beautiful backyard gardens, tons of dragonflies when we went this time! Love seeing these pics of my kiddo growing up on the same trailhead.

The Upper San Leandro Reservoir was created in 1926 by impounding the San Leandro Creek. The dam…read moreget most of its water from the Mokelumne Aqueduct that brings water from the Sierra Nevada's. The original earthen dam was deemed seismically unsound and a new dam was build just past it in 1977. The water is distributed to local communities by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. There is an extensive public trail system that surrounds the lake, but no fishing or boating is allowed.

My first hiking experience at the Castle Rock Park. The hike overall was quite easy but we came…read moreseveral days after rain so quite muddy. This park would be good for the summer because through my hike of about 2.5miles in, it was pretty much shaded. Highly suggest to wear waterproof hiking shoes because you would be passing several small creek that might get your shoes wet. The route we took was along the side of the pond which does not allow dogs. There is another path which dogs can enter. As for parking, there are only about 10-15 parking spots by the entrance. We passed by one huge rock that looks like an alien. We were hoping to see the pond but it was covered by bushes so that was a little disappointing. If I were to go again, I will try another path.

The park is located at the foothills of Mt. Diablo. A beautiful piece of heaven. I enjoy every day…read morehiking in this park. Wish I could share with everyone.

My favorite hike in the Bay Area (so far)! The grand loop consists of the Juniper Trail, Summit…read moreTrail, North Peak Trail, Bald Ridge Trail, Meridian Ridge, and finally Deer Flat Road. 6.8 miles with a total elevation change of 1,800 feet sounds like a lot, and it is (especially if you're used to flat trails). Definitely bring water and snacks for energy. Driving to Mt. Diablo is easy enough. Entering via South Gate, there is a $10 vehicle entrance fee. Going up the mountain itself can take up to 30 min, with avoiding bikers going both up and down the roads. I managed to find one of the last spots at the massive turnaround at Juniper Campground at 11am. I definitely recommend coming early just to find a spot. There's also bathrooms at the campground. Since the "trail" is a loop you can either start on the Juniper Trail and go clockwise or start on Deer Flat Road and go the opposite way. We chose to go clockwise and ascend ~700 ft up to the peak. There's a cool info center at the top detailing the mountain's history and wildlife of the area. The rest of the hike was descending 1,800 feet down and re-ascending 1,000 feet to make it back to our car. Honestly, I don't know if one direction would be easier than the other, but if you want pics at the top you might want to start at Juniper Trail first so you're not too sweaty at the top. The weather was nice for the first half of the hike, no clouds and barely any wind. But the second half was around the other side of the mountain so winds picked up. Definitely bring layers!

I haven't been to Mt. Diablo since I was a kid, so it was a blast from the past coming back! You…read morecan drive all the way to the summit, so my friend and I decided to hike the "grand loop," which covers ~7 miles and goes around the whole mountain. We were fortunate enough to have a very clear day, and you can see for miles and miles all the way around the mountain. Views were amazing. It was an eighteen hundred foot elevation gain, so no joke, but only about 400-500 per mile for the 3.5 miles that went uphill. Definitely was steep at points but very doable, even for those who aren't in the best hiking shape. Not sure I agree with my dad, who claims the views from the summit are some of the best in the world, but it was definitely well worth a visit, and I really enjoyed getting the 360 degree view throughout the course of the hike! A few tips: set your GPS for the juniper campground to get you to the nearest parking lot. I recommend going clockwise so you can end on a high with the summit (and a downhill!). The trail is hot always the best marked, so I recommend downloading a free app such as AllTrails to make sure you don't lose your way!

In 1974, Walnut Creek residents passed a measure to protect some of its open space for future…read morerecreation. If they hadn't done that, then Sugarloaf would be filled with McMansions. Instead, this former walnut orchard is a medium-sized preserve where you can get a breather. Or really exercise and get out of breath. It's not the great adventure that Shell Ridge is, but it's good enough. It doesn't take much to see it all. It's the workout, views, and break from the normal routine that count. Trails go up to the top of the ridge, where you have a gorgeous view of I-680 traffic. Turn around, though, and you have a better view of the city and Mt. Diablo. Sugarloaf has more amenities that add value. Next to the large parking lot is a large picnic area, which works well for 50 people. Surprisingly, you can also camp here, just make a reservation with the Parks & Rec office. Amphitheater that's rarely used. Be warned that there's little shade when you get beyond the walnut trees. Water is never far away, but be prepared. Enjoy yourself.

Sugarloaf Open Space was mentioned in a prior review as being one of "Walnut Creek's best kept…read moresecrets". I can agree with that HALF-heartedly; yes, it's very secluded and it's not a well known open space. However, it doesn't offer much as far as scenic views are concerned. There are a few decent views of other trails on the hills and Mount Diablo, but other than that... the only other thing that one might call "exciting" about this trail is that you can see the 680 freeway. Not sure about you, but that's not all that exciting to me. What Sugarloaf DOES offer is a mix of great short but heart pumping trails that will work those gluties. I started off on the Ridge top trail which began with a small but steady incline. The whole trail is a mix of hills that go up and down, but it's nothing strenuous. Those hills will get you though, and soon you will feel it all throughout your legs and backside. What made it a little more challenging for me was the high heat and minimal shade along the trails. I would recommend coming in the early morning to beat the heat because it will definitely slow you down. And with minimal shade, you will be making a few more water stops than usual. There are a few benches along the way, but they are few and far between. The Ridge Top Trail is a little over a mile long and ends behind the back of a residence. You'll reach the end when you see a gate and a private residence trail. Ridge Top intersects with many other small trails, most of which will take you back down to the entrance. I wanted to continue the hike and decided to take the Bottom Spring trail. The trail will take you along side the 680 freeway and it also ends behind a residential area. Warning: only about 1/3 of this trail is actually fully paved. The rest of it consists of very uneven terrain! I would suggest wearing good shoes for ankle support if you choose to hike this trail. However, I have to add that it was really quite boring... nothing really to see except for the 680 freeway. I wouldn't recommend taking the Bottom Spring trail unless you really want to explore, but it was really annoying because I had to slow my speed to watch where I stepped. One fun observation though, were all of the dragon flies that I saw. I must have seen about 20 of them roaming around and it was really neat. I didn't see the Sugarloaf to Shell Ridge trail until after I was done hiking, but that trail is probably way more exciting that the others that I tried. Overall, it's decent and there weren't many people at all on this trail... I'm talking only TWO other people, and one guy wasn't even hiking; he was just chilling on the bench. If you like super secluded trails, then this one might be for you. I would be open to coming back to hike the Sugarloaf to Shell Ridge trail, but otherwise I think I'll choose local options before Sugarloaf.

We came here a couple weeks ago after a story time at the library, as luck would have it, 4H was…read moreonsite. The young man was so kind to my toddler, he not only explained to her what he was doing, he let her feed some of the animals. My little was over the moon and keeps telling me how she wants to go feed animals again.

A local favorite! Old Borges Ranch is a peaceful step back in time hidden right in the Northgate…read morearea. It's well-known for being a great educational spot for kids to interact with farm animals like rabbits and goats, but don't stop at the ranch fences. The spring hiking here is incredible. The hills turn a vibrant green, and the atmosphere is so serene that it's just you, the birds, and the occasional cow. The trek through the different ecosystems is beautiful, and the panoramic views at the top are worth every step. A perfect escape for anyone looking to trade the city sounds for rolling hills and fresh air.

Only for hiking. No park, no bathroom, just dirt paths…read moreThought it was somewhere my grandchildren would be able to enjoy.

This place has such an amazing view! It's a great place to go for a quick reset! If you are…read morevisiting or exploring Pleasant Hill, it's a must see! Be prepared for a short hike to get to the view, and I wouldn't go if it's raining.