In
brief:
5.8 mile loop up and down grassy hills at the edge of Fremont.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 5.8 mile loop hike is moderate, with about 1290 feet in
elevation change. Trailhead elevation is about 350 feet. The featured hike's
highest spot is about 1160 feet. Some of the fire roads are steep.
Exposure:
Mostly exposed, with a few pockets of shade.
Trail traffic:
Light-moderate.
Trail surfaces:
Dirt trails and fire roads.
Hiking time:
3 hours.
Season:
Spring is best.
Address:
Garin: 1320 Garin Avenue, Hayward, CA 94544/Dry Creek Pioneer: 550 May Road, Union City, CA 94587
Getting there:
From Interstate 880 in Alameda County, exit Tennyson Road (exit 26). Drive
east on Tennyson to the junction with Mission Boulevard. Turn right onto
Mission Boulevard and drive south about 1 mile to Garin Avenue (look for
brown parks sign). Turn left and follow Garin Avenue to the end of
the road, about 1 mile. Once past the entry kiosk, bear left and park in
the lot shown in the photo to the right.
GPS Coordinates* for Trailhead:
Latitude
37°37'45.75"N
Longitude 122° 1'43.89"W
(* based on Google Earth
data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)
Gas, food, and lodging:
Gas, stores, and restaurants available on Mission Boulevard. Garin has a
reservable group campsite, but neither park has individual campsites.
Trailhead details:
There is abundant parking. $5 entrance fee collected when kiosk is staffed
(mostly weekends). $2 dog fee. Maps are available from the entry kiosk
or the Visitor Center. Restrooms at Visitor Center. Pay phone near
Visitor Center. Water fountains at Visitor Center and near kite field. Two
designated handicapped parking spots, and trails are wheelchair accessible.
There are three other smaller entrances to the park(s), with very limited
street parking; Calhoun (near Cal State Hayward), Zeile Creek (off Zeile
Creek Drive), and Tamarack (at the end of Tamarack Drive). Visit the Transit
Info website to plan a trip via mass transit.
Rules:
Most trails are multi-use. A few trails are open to hikers and equestrians only, and one trail is designated hiking only.
Dogs must be leashed in parking lots, 200 feet from any trail or park entrance or as posted, in picnic areas,
developed areas such as lawns and play fields, on some trails, and where grazing animals are present. Dogs must be under voice control at
all times. Clean up after your pet; bag it, bin it. Park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Official Story:
EBRPD's Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Parks page.
EBRPD headquarters 510-562-PARK
Map Choices:
• Map from EBRPD
• Dave Baselt's Oakland Hills and Pleasanton Ridge map is an excellent guide to the trails of Garin/Dry Creek as well as surrounding parklands.
(order
from Redwood Hikes).
Garin/Dry
Creek in a nutshell -- a printable, text-only guide to the featured
hike.
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page