Ohlone Wilderness Trail

Understand

The trail's name originates with the Ohlone tribe, who inhabited the East Bay prior to colonization and frequented the mountains of the area. One of their primary food sources was ground acorns, which are abundant in the ranges south of the Tri-Valley. Many of the local rocks are still pockmarked with holes which the Ohlone used to grind the acorns into edible starch. The parks that follow the route of the Ohlone Wilderness Trail came into existence as a result of the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD), an organization that purchased shorelines, former ranches, and wilderness throughout the East Bay and repurposed the acquired areas with hiking trails. Many of the tracts owned or used by EBRPD were contiguous, enabling the creation of long-distance hiking trails. The crown jewel of its park system is the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, which crosses through the most rugged and remote terrain of the region, making it arguably the most challenging hike in the entire park system. This trail is about 29 mi (47 km) in length, excluding the trails that connect to it along the way and each end of the trail. It begins at the southern end of Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore, California, and ends near Mission Peak at Fremont. Most of the trail goes through Ohlone Regional Wilderness. The trail is a difficult one, with several high ridges resulting in steep climbs and then speedy descents in elevation on the other side of the ridge. The trail's lowest elevation is at the Fremont end of the trail, which is only a few hundred feet above sea level; the trail's highest elevation is almost 4,000 ft (1,200 m) at Mount Rose. The trail is also extremely remote and there is no sign of the civilized world along a lot of the trail. If you want to feel like you've escaped the civilized world but you're not interested in traveling to the South Pole, Guadalupe Island, Franz Josef Land, or the moon, this is a good trail to hike.

Prepare

The requirement for permits was removed in late 2025, so they are no longer needed. The trail is open to hikers and those on horseback, but bikes are strictly prohibited. You must stay on the marked trail at all times, particularly when passing through leased areas. If you are traveling with dogs, please note they are only permitted for day visits and cannot stay overnight. Alcohol and campfires are not allowed anywhere on the trail.

Eat There are no stores or restaurants along the route, so you must carry all necessary food for 1–2 nights of camping. You will also need to bring your own cooking equipment, though open campfires are prohibited.

Drink While hand-pump spigots are available along the trail, the water is not drinkable. You must carry your own supplies to purify or boil the water before use.

Sleep You must carry a tent as there are no indoor accommodations. Specific campsites must be reserved at least two workdays in advance through the East Bay Parks District by calling ☏ +1-888-327-2757 (option 2) between 9AM and 4PM, Monday through Friday. It is recommended to check the closure list before calling as lines can be busy. The fee is $8 plus $5 per adult, per night. Ensure your sleeping bag is rated for the conditions: winter nights at high elevations can drop to 20 °F (−7 °C), while summer nights stay around 50 °F (10 °C).

Climate The climate of the Ohlone Regional Wilderness Trail is similar to that of the cities directly north (Pleasanton and Livermore), but will probably be several degrees colder at the highest elevations along the trail. Summer is probably the most difficult time for hiking due to the region's high temperatures during that season. During a cooler day in June, July, August, or September, temperatures could reach a high of 75–85 °F (24–29 °C), depending on the elevation of that section of the trail. During a heat wave (which come about once a year), temperatures could definitely pass 100 °F (38 °C) at lower elevations of the park and even pass 110 °F (43 °C) during extreme weather conditions. Rain, especially heavy rain, is extremely unlikely during summer months. During winter, rain is more common but still not likely.

Get in

Both ends of the trail have parking options; you could start the trail at the Mission Peak staging area, at one of the Del Valle staging areas, or at Sunol Wilderness. This itinerary will begin at the southern Del Valle staging area. To reach the southern staging area of Del Valle, drive along Livermore Avenue southeast out of Livermore. This road becomes Tesla Road. After a few miles, you should reach the junction with Mines Road. Turn right and continue straight along this road; it will become Del Valle Road and lead into the southern section of Del Valle Regional Park. There are a couple parking areas at the southern end of Del Valle. You may want to use the two car one direction hiking technique to avoid having to walk the trail in both directions or take a taxi. The Fremont trailhead is in principle walkable from Warm Springs BART station (about 2 miles / 3 km).

Walk

This itinerary assumes that you will walk about 6–10 miles (9.7–16.1 km) per day. This may not seem like a lot, but you have to remember that the Ohlone Trail is a difficult trail and you will have a lot to carry with you for camping. The route can be found on the EBRPD website, which includes a pdf file with a map of the entire route. Drive to Del Valle Regional Park. There is a 1 campground near the southern staging area, but you have to reserve a campsite there first.

Begin the journey along the Ohlone Regional Wilderness Trail to Stewart's Camp. This means walking along the short Vallecitos Trail to the beginning of the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, where you sign in. Then, continuing along the Ohlone Trail, you hike to an elevation of about 2,400 ft (730 m) at the first ridgetop and then come down a few hundred feet to 2 William's Gulch before climbing to an elevation of 3,500 ft (1,100 m) and then turning right on Greenside Road to Stewart's Camp. The total distance from the beginning of the Vallecitos Trail is to Steward's Camp is 6.6 mi (10.6 km). If you have the time for an extra hike, you should definitely go an extra half-mile west (one mile round trip) from Stewart's Camp to see the beautiful 3 Murietta Falls. Although not much water flows from the falls, the rock face which the water trickles down is quite dramatic. For the second night, sleep at 4 Stewart's Camp.

Next, you have a journey of more than 10 mi (16 km) to the Sunol Backpack Camp on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. This part of the hike is probably the farthest from people or any civilization because the few hikers that were willing to hike all the way to Murietta Falls do not go past that point. During day three hiking, the elevations on the Ohlone Trail reach their highest, peaking at an elevation of 3,817 ft (1,163 m) at 5 Rose Peak. After Rose Peak, however, the Ohlone Trail steadily descends to the backpack camp, which is at an elevation of about 1,200 ft (370 m). However, the region near the camp has some of the most beautiful views along the whole Ohlone Trail, with high mountains and canyons, including views south toward 1 Little Yosemite. For the third night, you can sleep at 6 Sunol B

Stay safe

The remoteness of the Ohlone Trail makes safety extremely important. However, the sign-in system for the trail is designed to possibly save lives of hikers.

Sign-in forms The following guidance is from before the permit requirement was abolished; please update it if you have up-to-date information about sign-in requirements. Whenever you enter a section of the Ohlone Trail that is permit required, you will reach a sign-in location. There are a few of these along the trail at various points. Whatever you do, one of the most important things to while hiking the Ohlone Trail is to fill the sign-up sheets out. You will have to enter your name, when you started hiking, and where you are going. Then, if you write on the sign-in form you're going to hike three miles in