Description

Geography:

The Sunol Wilderness is located near Pleasanton, CA, on the southeastern side of San Francisco Bay. Under the East Bay Regional Park District's multi-use land management policy, cattle continue to gaze in the 6,859-acre wilderness.

Recreation:

Activities in the Sunol Wilderness include hiking, horseback riding, walking, camping, and picnicking. Indian Joe Cave Rocks provides sport and challenge to rock climbers. Naturalists lead walks, hikes, trail rides, camping trips, and backpacking adventures, and other outings. Visit the Old Green Barn Visitor Center for information about these programs and the self-guided Indian Joe Nature Trail. The Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a popular hiking destination; permits are available at the park entrance. Birding is superb along Alameda Creek, with acorn woodpecker, black phoebe, titmouse, turkey vulture, and golden eagle commonly sighted. As many as 20 to 40 bird species are often seen in a single morning. In spring, wildflowers abound, carpet vast areas in yellow, orange, and blue. A wildflower identification kit may be checked out at the Visitor Center.

Facilities:

Overnight tent camping sites at Sunol Wilderness are available by reservation. High Valley Group Camp is a hike-in camp, located a steep, one-mile walk from the Visitor Center. Camp Ohlone is a seven-mile hike from the park entrance. School Camp is adjacent to the Visitor Center and may be reserved through the Sunol Park office. Group areas are available November through May. The camps and the park itself are subject to closure or fire restriction during fire season, which is June through October in Northern California. Campers are also welcome to camp at Del Valle Regional Park, outside the Ohlone Wilderness, at the east end of the Ohlone Trail. Take advantage of the beautiful Little Yosemite, a scenic gorge on Alameda Creek, about two miles upstream from the Visitor Center. It is open to the public through a lease agreement with the San Francisco Water Department, which owns the property. Picnic sites and barbecue pits are provided along Alameda Creek. Visitors should bring drinking water, because there is none available in the park.

Nearby Attractions:

The Sunol Wilderness is near many Northern California attractions, including the Amador Valley wine country. The cities of Oakland and Berkeley are about one hour away, and a longer drive takes visitors to either San Francisco or the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Cross a bridge, and you'll be on the San Francisco Peninsula, near Stanford University.