Beautiful park in Pleasanton with over 20 hiking loops/trails according to the hiking app. No shortage of inclines so you're sure to get a good workout in no matter which path you choose. There is plenty of parking and clean restrooms and the trails are marked along the way. read more

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Great hiking area in Pleasanton. There are a few staging areas and entry points. This review is for the Castleridge Trailhead along Foothill Road. Here, there are free parking spaces along street as well as a small parking lot down the road. At the trailhead, you reach the Courdet Trail and can hike up about 2-miles (1,000 ft elevation gain). It sounds strenuous but it actually isn't too bad as the incline levels out in numerous places and there is plenty of shade all along the trail. From the top of the trail, you can head back down the way you came, or connect with a handful of other trails at the top and keep going! I went on a Sunday morning around 7:30 and it wasn't too difficult finding parking. The trail also wasn't too crowded, but by the time I finished around 9:30 the crowds were picking up. Dog friendly and clean! read more

Short hike but Incline is high. Great work out! You might come across on some cows and a lit of cow dungs. read more

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park - Cows are friendly just dont spook them - Parks Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Pleasanton Ridge Encompassing 11,614 acres, Pleasanton Ridge Park is one of the largest parks within the East Bay Regional Parks system. It is west of I-680 ranging from Pleasanton to Sunol with trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding in undeveloped open space with great views from the ridgetops. There are three starting points with drinking water and restroom facilities, Castleridge Trailhead with on-street parking, Foothill and Tyler Ranch Staging Areas with parking lots. Our hiking group have hiked from all three trailhead/staging areas and trails are different at each. From Castleridge, the trails had more trees and provided shade from the sun. We saw newts on the trail during our hike. From Foothill, the trails are mostly in the open with no trees. From Tyler Ranch, there were no trees and you were always exposed to the sun. Castleridge and Foothill has an initial climb to about 1,000 ft to the ridgeline trails. From Tyler Ranch, the hike is the steepest in the Park as you reach 2,200 ft to Sunol Peak. The most challenging of the three. A nice large park in the Regional Park system with varying types of hikes based on your starting point. read more

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I try to like the hiking area, but I would say that all the surrounding hiking areas in Pleasanton are kind of boring. Sure, the hiking is great, but the scenery, not so much! Summer is the worst! read more

Embarked on a wonderful 8 mile loop hike through this park, and it was such a beautiful little jaunt. This park has a lot of versatility when it comes to the trails. Lots of inclines and steepish hills for those looking for a challenge, and some flatter paths for those who want more of a leisurely hike. It has a mix of shady trails that run through small groves and tons of exposed trails that meander through rolling hills. The viewpoints are pretty sick here too. Whether you prefer city or hillside views, you'll be able to enjoy both at this park. I hiked the Courdet-Shady Creek-Bay Leaf-Ridgeline trail loop and started on the Courdet trail at the Castleridge staging area. Parking is quite limited here. In fact, I arrived really late (around 10 am) and had to park in the nearby residential neighborhood across the street because there was no other parking. Don't be like me; get here earlier if you can. The Courdet trail starts off completely exposed and gradually inclines for the first half mile. After that, the inclines really start to pick up speed. What's nice is that this trail becomes shady as you get higher up. And the higher you get, the better the views are of the city. Once you reach the top of the Courdet trail, you'll reach a trail split where you can go off of on a few other different trails. I connected to the Shady Creek trail which runs alongside Sinbad Creek. Just like its' name, it's completely shaded. It was also super green and full of beautiful ferns. This was my favorite trail to hike in the park. From there, I connected to the Bay Leaf trail which has a mix of both shaded and exposed paths. This trail has some wonderful views of the rolling hills, and it also inclines back up the hill. And finally, I connected to the Ridgeline trail which looped me back to Courdet. The Ridgeline trail was wide, flat, and seemed to be the most popular trail while I was there. There were quite a few mountain bikers but they were courteous for the most part. I hiked this trail in late winter which was perfect because it was super green and the weather was cool. Not sure if I'd attempt this hike in the summer since many of the trails are exposed, but for a wintertime hike, it's perfect. I'd say the park was moderately trafficked, but more so on the popular trails (Ridgeline and Courdet). The Castleridge staging area seems to be easier to get to, so maybe that's why it's more popular than the other staging areas. This was an excellent day hike that had a great mix of trails and terrains. I would love to come back to explore more trails in a different staging area next time. read more

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This is a great hike a breezy comfortable October afternoon. On a blazing hot day, you might have some trouble under the direct sunlight. If you intend on following a particular route you will definitely need a GPS enabled map. This collection of trails resembles a freeway interchange. One minor mistake in merging and you will be on the other side of the park. Signs say watch out for mountain lions, but thankfully I didn't see any. I did see a deer that I would say had definitely seen people before. I'm a geology buff, and there isn't really much easy to access material written on the geology of this area. There are a few interesting outcrops of alternating beds of sandstone / mudstone and shale. There isn't a designated parking lot, but I found plenty of roadside parking. This is definitely one of those places where you do not want to leave anything visible in your car. read more

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Again, my reviews are for the parents that want to trek in strollers. We parked at the Foothill staging area and hit the Thermalito trail. This is not a paved trip so it will be bumpy and dusty. Our Target GT City Go double stroller did just fine. This would probably be a poor trail to hit if it rained a bit ago. It can get sunny and challenging during the incline but I enjoyed that. Remember to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water. There is a huge gravel parking lot so that's a plus. The pathways are actually wide so there is plenty of space to share with bikers and other folks on foot. All in all, we will return read more

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park - Parks Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Perfect for short hikes with family on weekends. Parking is easy and the trails are well marked, so I've gone often with friends and family. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the top, then you can walk along the ridge as long as you wish. I love the views of the TriValley to the NorthEast, Sunol to the south and Del Valle lake to the Southeast. On weekends, there are folks on bikes and horses, and many people walk their dogs off-leash. It's easy to lose yourself in the beautiful surroundings, so please be aware of those around you. There are many picnic tables and lots of shady spots with logs you can rest on, just watch out for rattlesnakes sunning themselves before you get too comfortable. We usually take water, a couple of energy bars and fruit in a backpack - just enough for a little energy boost. Can't wait to get back up there next weekend! read more

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Beautiful park! Really enjoyed my time here. The beginning of the hike was a bit strenuous, but evened out after about a mile or so. From the main parking lot, you have a few paths you can choose from, which ultimately take you in a circle. I did see some kids doing this hike (although, they do have more energy), so it's a family-friendly hike. On the way out, had to stop in the middle of the road for turkeys to cross (so exciting!), and passed a llama farm! Excited to come back. read more

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You can find cows on this moderate difficulty hike . There are stretches where there isn't shade but if you get a good visual or you surroundings and plan ahead, you don't need to worry by getting to shaded tree areas during the hike. one of the hike trails was surprisingly very narrow so that felt unsafe while going downhill. Also the entrance was very difficult to find, google maps navigation didn't help. but Overall a good hike with moderate shade and good parking . Was surprisingly comfortably warm at end of January up there, combined with pleasant views. read more

I stopped by Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park on my way to a paint party in San Ramon. I wanted to go hiking somewhere new that was en route to my destination, and I saw this on the map on the Yelp app. There was plenty of parking when I went there last Saturday afternoon in their lot. I had a great time hiking there with plenty of shaded and some non-shaded areas. I stayed on the main path without venturing to the other trails in fear of getting lost. I needed to make sure I left on time to make it to my paint party. Lol.. next time I would definitely explore the other side trails. While I was there I saw a couple of cows and a small tarantula! I posted the video that I had while jogging pass the cow which he or she looked at me and snapped on a branch on the ground. It was so hilarious! I didn't notice it until I watched the video afterwards. Haha.. The cow was probably thinking "Oh snap! She's saying 'hi' to me!?" Lol... I can only imagine. :D I would definitely love to come back here again for more hikes when I'm in the area. :) read more

I've been here about three times now. I was actually pleasantly surprised with how nice and strenuous this hike was! Mind you, I did no research on the intensity, I didn't look on All Trails. All I did was a google search of the closet hiking trails near me. I went in with no expectations. After living in the Contra Costa county my entire life I've come to find that really scenic, green hikes are a little farther out of the way and requires a bit of a drive. So going into this hike, I figured this area would be the same. If anything I was expecting brown grass and mostly flat lands. No. This trail starts you off on a pretty steep incline. Which I personally like. I'm not here for an easy walk, I got my boots on so I'm hoping to break a sweat. We didn't have a map, we just kept going. Until mile 3 we asked a lady where she suggests turning back. We reached a pretty high elevation and beautiful rolling hills. We ended up doing about 6 miles and roughly 900 calories burned. Hell of a way to spend a Saturday if ya ask me. We've returned to do the same trail about two more times. I expect this trail to definitely be a regular for us as it's only a 10 minute drive from our new place. Side note: only complaint is the intense mountain bikers who think they own the trail. I ran for my life when someone yelled at me to move from behind me, literally missing me about 3 inches... read more

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I hate to write a review about the Ridge because I don't want anyone to know about our hidden gem in the East Bay. I've been hiking and biking the Ridge for the past 19 years that I've been in NoCal. The hills are moderate and will tighten up those gluteal muscles! read more

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Lovely slice of nature I didn't know existed until a friend suggested we meet at the Ridge. Not much shade making it a hot hike (bring sunscreen)! We started around 6pm and the park was still flooded with families and fellow hikers despite the parking lot being half full. To avoid humans we walked down less trodden path and only ran into a few folks on our way up. During rainy months I'd bet this park is even more lovely with a carpet of green. read more

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My step app credited me with 20 flights, climbing up these grasslands through Oak groves. Beautiful display of Ca Lotus, Wild Geranium, miners Lettuce and trillium. read more

Fantastic East bay park with lovely views of the east bay hills. Open during COVID pandemic! This park allows dogs on leash. It also allows mountiam biking on certain wide trails. I'll definitely come again! read more

The boyfriend and I came here on a Sunday before noon. At the time we arrived the parking lot was almost full. We were surprised that many people were hiking. We were lucky enough to have found a parking spot. This hiking trail was a challenge for the both of us. There was lot of incline on these hills but unfortunately we didn't make it all the way to the top. We only did about a 1 hr hike. Even though it was hard for us we both enjoyed it and the view too. read more

This place is amazing!! Today was my first day hiking this trail -- the location is excellent and close to home, so I was surprised I never actually wandered around this park before. It's so beautiful! There is a lot of uphill so you are guaranteed a good quad workout lol. Happy cows do roam the trails freely, and sometimes block paths, but they are easy going animals and will eventually mooooo-ve out of the way. The area makes it easy to go off the trail as well. Closer to the top, you're greeted with a beautiful view of the tri-valley! I definitely recommend this as a good date hike or a hike to bring kids on. It's a pretty good workout but it's not too difficult to do. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Cool place to hike, deep in the 925 hills. I've only hiked the southern half thus far, so only the stretch that goes from Sunol to Castlewood. The northern part goes from Castlewood to almost Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton. The hills go straight up, then lots of north/south routes. The Ridge Trail parallels I-680, so the view of the highway and the town of Pleasanton is always in view. If you want to get away from view of hustle and bustle, you have to go more inland to the Thermalito Trail. This is where I'll gravitate towards. Cool Digs: Lots of old oak and lots of olive trees. Lots of olive trees are in groves. The main trails are wide. So you have to share with mountain bikers. Rolling hills so there is always a climb to be had. Climbs also = VIEWS Tips: If you parked on the Foothill lot, you have to be diligent on when to start descending back. There's only a couple of spots to get you back on the trail back. Look for Oak Trail. If you find yourself descending on the back Thermalito Trail, you'll end up in the town of Sunol. So now I just park in the town of Sunol and enter through the Thermalito trail. This way when I'm done, I can grab a lunch or refreshments right in town. This entrance is completely unmarked, no signs telling you where to go, so it has a secret feel to it, which I like. The climbs here start right off the bat. There is no warm up area. Climb first, descend later. You have to want this, to have a good time here. I don't think I would choose to hike here if it were over 70 degrees. Lack of shade with my body temp up from the climb, would make this brutal on direct sun days. But on dry temperate days, it is perfect. I can get a serious work out here. read more

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Nice hiking trails. There's different trails throughout park. You got to see and smell the nice mother nature and also some cow shit. You can see cows really close up, so this place is great for family hiking. Good amount of parking space. So far I have been able to find parking on 4 different times when I went. read more

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Wow! What a beautiful time (Jan 2022) of the year to go on a hike in this park! The hills are a vibrant green and the weather is perfect. It took us about 35 minutes to get here from San Jose on the weekend with no traffic. The drive there is nice and once you exit, the drive to the park is a beautiful scenic path. There parking lot is free and has plenty of parking available. Although I could see if getting full from time to time. We did not have an issue this time. The trail we did was Oak Tree Trail to Ridgeline Trail to Olive Grove Trail to Thermalito Trail back to Ridgeline Trail and out to Woodland Trail. All in all the hike was about a 6.9 mile loop. The elevation gain was 1,479 and it took us about 2.5 hours to complete. On these trails, we encountered cows, birds, few coyotes out in the distant fields. You should be careful with the cows as they are fast runner and can charge towards you. We did encounter them walking on the trails at some point and running towards a watering hole so keep an eye out and respect their space. The trails were not very populated at all and most of the time we were alone on it, especially after the 3 mile mark. There is not very much shade on this trail which is why I would say winter and early spring season is the best time to go. There were more shady parts on the second half of the loop. Also on the second half of the hike back, there is a water fountain if you need to re-hydrate and fill up your bottles. The trail is open to bicycles and we did encounter a few but you really have to be fit to maneuver the hills on a bike. read more

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Pleasanton Ridge is an awesome park for a leisurely hike. The staging area has plenty of free parking, a water fountain, restrooms, and wooden benches. Like Las Trampas in San Ramon, the Pleasanton Ridge area is characterized by lots of rolling hills, lots of green, trees, and some very nice views once you climb high enough. In addition, Pleasanton Ridge gets bonus points for me since: 1. Trails are well-maintained, wide, and has much less cow and horse manure than Las Trampas. They have cows here too, but usually far from the trails. 2. Lots of places to rest with shade along with picnic-style benches. 3. For some reason, it seems less dusty on the trails compared to Las Trampas. 4. Water fountains scattered throughout the trails. We took the main trail up to the fork. We elected to go left on the Woodland Trail, which tends to be steeper but shorter. We kept going until we hit the Ridgeline Trail near the top of the ridge, and then turned around to go back down. The Oak Tree trail was a longer, but less steep trail leading back to the parking lot. Definitely recommend coming here for a weekend hike. Watch out for mountain bikers zooming downhill on the trails and that occasional snake on the edge of the trail. read more

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One of my favorite hiking places! A beautiful park to go to especially after it rains! The rolling hills are so green and fluffy! There are so many cows along the hiking trail, there were 3 cows in the middle of the hiking trail and was literally within 3 feet of them as I was walking by! The beginning of the hike is a mildly steep incline, but flattens out/rolling hills after about 1 mile. I've been here several times, and will come again. There are also many MANY paths to take - perfect for COVID time if you're worried about bumping into a lot of people/crowds. Parking lot is very big! read more

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Pleasanton Ridge is an open space preserve that stretches the length of 680, nearly from Sunol to Pleasanton. Lots of great times to be had here. Lots of great times I've had here: The long walk to the top. Taking our Aussie up there and running around with her. Taking her portrait in the olive grove. The nice views of the Tri-Valley area. Fewer people the further north you go. Not long ago, there was only ONE entrance to the entire park, at nearly the furthest southern part of the park. I saw a few years ago that there is now an additional small trailhead on Foothill near Kilkare. When I was in the Augustin Bernal Park portion, it looked like there were other trails that came in from there, and therefore more access -- but this is not noted on the official EBRPD literature. See http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/pdf/AugustinBernalMap.pdf The reason for this update is that now there is another trailhead on Old Foothill Road near the adobe. Not long ago, I tried the small trailhead on Old Foothill. It opened up a part of Pleasanton Ridge that I only hoped existed. It does have the grassy treeless hills, but it also has deep forests, and you don't need to hike for hours to get here if you start on Old Foothill. The area from the main trailhead on Foothill Blvd is good but typical. To boldly go where few hikers have gone before, you really should go to the Old Foothill trailhead. I got close to Sinbad Creek but didn't go deep into that portion. But if it's like the portion I did go into, then I (and you) are in for a treat. Here's what I suggested three years ago, slightly modified: A backpacker's camp near the Ridgeline Trail, north of the city park. It's far enough away from civilization that the riffraff will be kept away, and it'll open up more access of the far north. More public access from the residential area east of the park and north of the city park, if that's possible. Or rename it "Pleasanton Ridge Regional *Preserve*" because it seems as if the northern portion is being preserved from even normal human contact. You're likely to see the same things at Las Trampas. But if you're on the south side of 580, or you want to hit as many East Bay Regional Parks as you can, then give Pleasanton Ridge a try. I strongly suggest going to the trailhead at Old Foothill. read more

Love the view...breathtaking. Short and long trails available. It's partial shaded depending which directions you want to explore. Steep enough for beginner hikers. There's loose stones and gravel but nothing to worry. It's situated close to home. Very convenient location for me to enjoy some peace and quiet moments. read more

I've been to this park many times. It's a long skinny Park running from north to south. There are several entrances along the way but it's still a long hike to get to the North part of the park. However just recently the East Bay Parks is opened up a new Trailhead called The Castle Ridge Trailhead. This makes it a lot easier to get to the northern portions of the park. I tried it today and it is a well-maintained well done Trail. At the trailhead there is a big restroom as well as lots of parking spaces and a drinking fountain. Well done! read more

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park - Looks like somebody lost their license plate down here! - Parks Near Me - Pleasanton, California

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Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is truly one of my favorite outdoor spaces in Tri-Valley. At the main Foothill staging area, parking is plentiful. The restroom is clean. It's wonderful that another access point into the park is now open to the public. The new Castleridge trailhead offers parking, restroom and water fountain. I like the fact that there are many connector trails with which you can customize your route and go on a different loop every time you come. The trails are well-maintained. Sometimes, I like to head down into the town of Sunol via Thermalito Trail for a lunch break. The Olive Grove was a park within a park. I enjoy walking among these trees which provide great shade and a sense of serenity. There are cows roaming on the hills at times. Just stay out of their way. The Ridgeline Trail goes parallel to Hwy 680 and makes available an expansive view of the city of Pleasanton and beyond. Many people have hiked on this trail but have you ever looked into the water trough here? There are fish in there. How they got there in the first place is a mystery to me. Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is so easy to get to and never feels crowded. It's a gem! read more

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Love it here! Great hike uphill to spectacular views of the TriValley. No shade, so in the summertime, start early. Tons of cow poops, which is not awesome, but just keep a look out for them. Water fountains and picnic tables are closed due to Covid. Bathroom/portapotties are open though and reasonably clean. read more

This place sucks. Parking lot full of teslas. Pretentious, hoity toity hikers and trail runners. Lots of cow s**t everywhere. You can hear interstate 680 all the way through the park. Don't ride a bike unless you enjoy steep fire road climbs and want a 275.00 fine for breathing in the presence of aforementioned Tesla drivers. Head over to Vargas plateau. Way cooler park. Way nicer locals. No fines for existing. Way less cow poop. read more

The hike is great and allows dogs! You start off at one parking lot- which is very easily reachable through Google Maps! It's one of the few hikes I've been to that has reception! The parking lots has ample parking so that was not an issue either. The hike has a few hills but nothing is that extreme. There's lots of dogs around and trails. We ended up walking around 5.5 miles, not quite sure which trails we hiked but it's quite easily navigable. Overall, there were some super sunny spots but also shady spots sporadically throughout. Great hike! read more

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Another great discovery courtesy of the 2017 East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge: http://www.ebparks.org/trailschallenge Pleasanton Ridge has been on my list of parks to try in the East Bay for quite some time and I finally made it here with a friend on a sunny Sunday morning. Arriving at the Foothill Staging Area around 9, the lot was filling up but not entirely full just yet. The featured hike in this year's Trails Challenge is the Woodland Trail to Oak Tree Trail, Sycamore Grove to Meadow Pond Trail and then towards the Ridgeline and Thermalito trails for a full loop back to Woodland. The guide specified 6.03 miles and 1372 feet of elevation gain. Although that doesn't sound like a huge climb, this is "net" gain meaning we went up and down quite a bit on the Ridgeline trail and some of the hills were a bit steep. It's not as challenging as some trails on Las Trampas but harder than my recent hike at Brushy Peak. Coming in March is an ideal time (provided you've let the ground dry out a bit) due to the lush green hills, wildflowers and cooler air. Most of the trails are wide open without shade so wear sunscreen and dress in layers to peel off as the day gets warmer. I really enjoyed the varied terrain this featured loop took us on. We passed bucolic ponds & meadows, docile cattle herds, Olive Tree groves and rocky hillsides in the distance. It was peaceful earlier in the day but towards the later part of the hike, the last stretch back to the lot on the Woodland Trail was quite bottlenecked. Come early and use common sense etiquette on the trails as you share them with bikers and families with small children (we saw quite a few young hikers with their parents on the easier trail sections.) The trail markers and signage are easy to follow, but my friend and I had missed the turn off for Thermalito trail when we got distracted making a wide berth around a group of cows. We ended up taking the Ridgeline trail further than we meant to and added an extra 2 miles to our total hike. That turned a planned 6 mile trek to about 8 but we still did the whole hike in 3.5 hours. Lovely park and I would definitely come back in the spring or cooler weather. 2017 East Bay Regional Parks District Trails Challenge Hike #3 Miles hike on featured hike: 8 Total Miles Hiked on Challenge: 18.08 read more

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We did the shady creek trail to ridgeline trail loop, which was about 9 miles. It was apparently a modestly used trail. We took the shady creek side to climb up, and there were few slippery slopes near the beginning of the trail on the shady creek side, but the rest was easy with a lot of shade. Overall it was a good hike and we enjoyed it. read more

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What's not to love? 1. Free parking. 2. Cow sightings close up & personal. 3. A quick getaway niche less than 30 minutes away with glimpses of 680 every now & then. 4. Rainy winter hikes give an Ireland/rom-com 'Leap Year' kind of environment. 5. There's a standalone tree that seriously looks like the one from 'The Ring'. 6. You can make your hike as difficult and as long as you'd like it to be. It's all up to you! 7. Not hard on the knees. 8. Wide trails allow for pet, bike, and run-friendly conditions. Just over 5K in acres, Pleasanton Ridge Reserve Park overlooks Pleasanton & Livermore Valley. From the Foothill Staging Area-Oak Tree Trail-Ridgeline Trail returning on Thermalito Trail-Olive Grove Trail-Oak Tree Trail-Woodland trail, you're able to tackle Pleasanton Ridge in a little over 6 miles round trip in 2.5-3 hours. The trails and posts make excursion ridiculously easy to navigate. If you prefer a switch back ascend over a gradual and lengthy incline, Woodland trail is your calling. If not, Oak Tree trail gets you to the same starting point (5) for Ridgeline trail as Woodland does. Should you want to venture out further, pass (19) towards Main Ridge, loop back on the Sunol Ridge side, and end at Pleasanton Ridge. I'd rate this park between easy & moderate. Oh yeah, watch out for cow dung－they're hard to miss but they're kind of all over the place! read more

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I've been going to Pleasanton Ridge on/off depending on weather. I recently went hiking here thinking all the rain water/mud receeded however I was very wrong!! lol When I realized how BAD the main trail was thing were too late for me to turn back around to hike back down. Instead, I kept hiking up hoping to cut across the midpoint then hike back down the other path hoping the trail there were more solid and stable. I ran into these 2 college guy's which one slipped on a muddy/wet slope as he and his friend climbed up. They asked, "How's the trail coming up from the main way?" I said, "Oh, you don't want to go down that way. lol Basically, I experienced LOTS of mud, wet and my shoes got wet." I asked them, "How was the trail coming up on this one?" Just as I expected, the trail that loop around in 3-4 were solid except I later learned there was a broken tree that fell right between the walking path. As I tried to figure out how to get around this broken tree with my daughter in her jogging stroller because hiking trail was wet, but also steep these 2 guy's (different guy's from before) and their 2 dogs showed up from behind me. As I watched the first guy walked past me with his dog I sort of felt helpless so when the 2nd guy walked past me with his dog I asked, "When you just walked through there did you feel that path felt slippery or too steep?" I said, "I've been trying to figure out how to get down because the guy's I ran into earlier forgot to mention about a broken/fallen tree here. lol The guy I spoke to mentioned the slope was both so he offered to help me and I gratefully accepted!! I still think the two friends and their dogs were meant to be there at the right time and place. The guy I spoke to had offered to push my jogging stroller down to a more solid ground while I held onto my daughter. I thanked both friend's profusely. Of course when I told my husband hours later he felt embarrassed. I know he want me to be more independent and NOT depend on strangers help, but I honestly didn't expect the ridge to be so muddy and wet. I say this is because before my actual hike with my daughter and her jogging stroller we did visit 2 days prior and we walked around which the main trail was dry and solid at the time. Between then and the second time must have rained in between. I wasn't aware how bad it was until thing were a bit too late. I've been to the ridge so many times I think this time around (just few week ago) was just pure bad timing!! I do appreciate those two strangers lending my daughter and I some help. :) My daughter and I haven't been to the Ridge since last week or so. We will wait until April to go back. I used to hike the Ridge with my son when he was younger and we would hike up to the Oak trees as we layed out our picnic blanket and ate subway sandwiches as we enjoyed the beautiful view. hehe Now he prefers to stay home and play Xbox. *shrugs* My girl and I will be back. - Plenty of parking even if it look overly crowded on weekend - Bathroom - Picnic Tables - Provides trail maps and information read more

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Awesome spot for hiking! We did the 6 mile loop..some spots are a bit of a steep incline but all worth it with the view from the top! read more

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The main trails start off with a semi-tough uphill hike. But once you get to the top, the views are amazing! This is a great place to get a good hike in with the family. A great place for photos too! If you are bringing a dog, be careful of some free range cows throughout the ridge. read more

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park - Corinna Rose Photography - Parks Near Me - Pleasanton, California

I like coming here during the morning on weekdays or afternoon - nighttime, if you come during the weekends it gets so crowded and there are too many people for the hike to be peaceful. There are several different routes that you can take here! You can either walk to the right which loops around the whole park, or you can stay on the left and walk in the more shaded hilly areas. Spring is the best time to go since the scenery and fresh air is so beautiful. If you come during the summer, the hills are dry and the scenery isn't as nice. You should wear sunscreen & a hat if you plan on coming here because there isn't that much shade. My favorite part about this park are the cows, I love the cows. The cows were really chill and kind of just mind their own business. Be careful not to get to close to a baby cow though, because if you do the mom will not be very happy with you. Warning - The restrooms here are black holes of death. The toilets are at least 15 ft. deep... so be really careful when using the restrooms or your gonna end up dropping your phone down there... read more

I come here on days when I have my son. I usually hike or run while waiting for him to get off school. The PRidge is located in Castle Creek. There is enough parking at the foot of the hill, drinking fountain, and a portalet which I try not to use. For some reason they scare me away. I always have this weird feeling it's going to swallow me up while I'm trying to do my business! :-O If you're a regular hiker, this one should be easy for you. The first mile going up is kinda steep but after you pass it, everything should be easy. I always start to run when I get halfway up. I'm trying to psyche myself that I can do it because I'm a G, BeeYotch! Please be known that there is a Mountain Lion in these hills. Whaaaattt???? Yes baby, you read it right. I had the pleasure of seeing one! It was a wonderful hiking day and this beauty just suddenly dashed across my path! I thought at first it was a cat but the hiker behind me said it's not! How can I even mistaken it for a cat when it's obviously bigger than those dogs hiking! I guess I wanted to believe that it was a cat because it scared the sheit out of me! It was the 3rd sighting of a Mountain Lion in PRidge so, there! Don't worry, I've been here a lot of times and that's the only time I have seen it. So, make sure you bring something with you when you hike here, pepper spray maybe? It only took me 1.5 going up and down. I told you it's an easy one! :) read more

Just when you think you've reached the top, there's another hill to climb. Pleasanton Ridge is located among Castlewood Country Club's golf courses and luxury homes. If you don't already live here you'll probably feel like you're wearing a potato sack. Getting to the park can be a little confusing if you don't have a map. There's a sign out on the main road indicating the park, yet you'll come to an intersection with no further direction. Hint: Make a left before the Castlewood neighborhood. Parking is one part gated, one part non-gated, all parts free. If you park in the gated section be aware that they close at 5 PM. There's also street parking. There are several trails to take yet they mostly intertwine with each other toward one solid direction. The climb is an inclined one. The higher you go, the steeper it gets. Hills will turn into dipping rolling terrain. There's almost no end in sight. If you take your bike you will have fun going down but may regret going up in the first place. If you take on the challenge you will be rewarded with a high altitude perspective. Witnessing the tiny moving traffic and the hazy vista is truly beautiful. Shade is uncommon so pack your sun tan. There are a couple of motionless pools of water that feel bacteria ridden. I spotted a couple of deer, a lot of ground squirrels, and small birds. Olive trees were common in the area as well. Lastly, be wary of big religious group praying near the parking lot. There was a group of 60+ caucasians praying in a nearby field. I had no problem with this but they blocked my car as well as others. At least this gave me the chance to interrupt a 'holy' gathering. Why didn't they just park in the street? ____ A good place to work on your "buns of steel". Some areas look witch infested or like parts of 'The Hills Have Eyes'. Stay on the main path and it won't be that scary. read more

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