Sunol Regional Wilderness — Attraction in Milpitas

Sunol Regional Wilderness offers a refreshing escape from the urban sprawl, boasting a variety of trails for all experience levels.

Admission and Parking: The park charges a reasonable $5 entrance fee per car, and luckily, there's ample parking available throughout the area.

Seasonal Splendor: Spring is widely considered the prime time to visit Sunol. The verdant hills come alive with lush greenery, and vibrant wildflowers paint the landscape with color. If you're looking for a breathtaking display of nature's beauty, plan your trip during this vibrant season.

Hiking Highlights: One of the park's crown jewels is the Little Yosemite and Indian Joe Creek loop. This scenic trail takes you on a journey through open meadows, offering stunning panoramic views of the rolling green hills and a shimmering reservoir. Be prepared for mostly exposed trails with limited shade, so bring sunscreen and a hat for sun protection.

Trail Tips: The loop can be tackled in either direction. Opting for a clockwise direction provides a more gradual incline, followed by a steeper descent on the return leg. The trails are generally well-marked, but some turns can be less obvious and easy to miss. Keep a keen eye out for markers to stay on track. You might also encounter some friendly bovines along the way – grazing cattle have rights within the park, so be sure to maintain a safe distance.

Overall, Sunol Regional Wilderness is a gem for outdoor enthusiasts. With its diverse trails, stunning scenery, and accessible location, it caters to hikers, nature photographers, and anyone seeking a breath of fresh air. Just be mindful of the limited shade during the hotter months and pay close attention to trail markers to...

Sunol Regional Wilderness is a gem in the East Bay with miles and miles of scenic trails to explore. After paying the $5 parking fee, we drove all the way to the end of the road and parked in the last lot.

Once we started our hike, here’s a pro tip: after crossing the first bridge, take one of the side trails on the right that leads down to the creek. It’s a peaceful, shaded path that follows the water and is a great way to ease into the day.

From there, we continued on to the Alameda Creek Overlook—also known as Little Yosemite. This area is filled with massive boulders, clear pools, and small waterfalls. Although there are signs everywhere warning against swimming or wading, plenty of people were doing just that. It’s definitely a spot that invites you to linger and explore.

After enjoying the creek, we headed up to McCorkle Trail for a 6.5-mile loop. The hike had a great mix of terrain and scenery, with open ridges and forested sections that kept things interesting.

One heads-up: we came across a rattlesnake in a shaded area of the trail. It stayed calm, and so did we—but after that, every little rustle in the brush made us jump a bit!

All in all, Sunol is a fantastic place for a varied hike with plenty of natural beauty. Bring good shoes, water, and a sense of adventure—and keep an eye (and ear) out...

We did the canyon view trail in early August when the weather was partly cloudy, sparing us from getting sunburned. The trail offered ample tree coverage and shade, particularly during the initial third. The trail's elevation rises at the outset, levels off for a stretch, and then gradually descends towards Little Yosemite.

Upon returning, the loop took us along the rather uneventful Ohlone Rd, prompting us to veer right after a bit of walking. This diversion led us to an ascent, merging with the Canyon View Trail, which we followed before descending again via the same trail. This path sees relatively light foot traffic. To optimize our experience, we began our hike early, just before 8 am, and encountered fellow hikers only around 10 am.

It's essential to note that there's no cell reception on the trail, so be sure to download the trail map in advance and have offline access to Google Maps. As for parking, we found a spot on the left side slightly before Geary Rd transitions into a one-way loop. It's worth mentioning that the trailhead isn't very conspicuously marked; we needed to cross a small wooden bridge located behind our parking spot to locate the...