Featured hike
Mile:
0.0: Start at the edge of the parking lot on a paved path, Arroyo del Valle Trail.
0.1: Sycamore Trail departs to the left, just before the toilets. Continue straight.
0.2: Magpie Nature Loop Trail begins on the left. Continue straight. 0.2: A few steps before Arroyo del Valle Trail crosses Arroyo del Valle on a bridge, the other end of Magpie Nature Loop Trail feeds in from the left. Continue straight.
0.2: Junction near the park boundary. Continue to the left on Arroyo del Valle Trail.
0.5: A wide dirt trail approaches and then runs parallel to the paved trail -- this is an optional route.
0.6: A path to the left leads to a partly hollowed-out sycamore. Continue straight.
0.7: Two quick junctions, with a dirt trail crossing the paved trail and a straight alley lined with walnut trees off to the right. Continue straight at both junctions, remaining on Arroyo del Valle Trail.
1.2: Junction with a wide dirt trail veering right (Kingfisher Crossing). Turn right, and after a few feet, turn left onto a trail marked "no bikes."
1.5: Path bisects almond grove and ends at a T junction. Turn right onto Winery Loop.
2.0: Junction with Kingfisher Crossing. Continue straight on Winery Loop.
2.3: Junction with the fire road which climbs to the park's view point, on the left. Walnut Trail heads right. Continue straight on Winery Loop.
2.5: Junction with trail doubling back to the right. Continue straight.
2.7: Junction with path that fords Arroyo del Valle on the way back to the trailhead. Continue straight/right.
2.9: Junction. Walk straight a few steps, then hook up with the paved trail once more, and turn left, retracing your steps back to the trailhead.
3.2: Back at the parking lot.
Getting there:
• From Interstate 680 in Alameda County, exit CA 84 east (exit 21b -- from southbound 680 you must exit, cross under the freeway, get back on the the freeway, and then exit again). Drive about 6.5 miles east on CA 84, then turn right onto Holmes. Drive just 0.2 mile, and shortly after the road turns sharply left (becoming Wetmore), turn right into the park.
• From Interstate 580, exit Portola (exit 52a). Drive south on Portola about 0.5 mile, then turn right onto North L Street. Continue south (North L becomes South L, then Arroyo Road), altogether about 2.2 miles, then turn right onto Wetmore. Drive about 0.7 mile, then turn left into the park.
GPS Coordinates* for Trailhead:
Latitude
Longitude
(* based on Google Earth data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)
Read about this hike in more detail and view photos at http://www.bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/sycamore.html
© 2019 Jane Huber/Bay Area Hiker