An awesome walk combining urban areas and green rolling hills.
Location: Five Canyons Open Space Preserve
» Official Trail Map: Good map showing various hiking trails and their lengths. Also see text section of the map.
The route goes through a variety of terrain including green rolling hills, cow pastures, paved roads, grassy picnic areas and trails close to residential complexes. About one-third of the route is shaded, most trails are in the open. So avoid summer days. For best experience, plan your trip in Marcy — April time frame when hills are lush green and spring flowers would be blooming.
To Five Canyons Pkwy (3.2 miles): From Five Canyons Parkway parking lot, follow Diamond View Trail (0.6 miles), starting at the entrance into the parking lot. Continue along Sandstone Trail (0.2 miles) → right on Deer Canyon Trail (0.6 miles) → right on Shadey Canyon Trail (0.4 miles) → left on Chabot to Garin Regional Trail (1.4 miles) to Five Canyons Parkway.
To Five Canyons Park (2.4 miles): Follow Shady Canyon Trail (0.4 miles) to Boulder Canyon Rd → cross the road and continue along Shady Canyon Trail (0.3 miles) → left on Deer Canyon Trail (0.9 miles) → right on Sandstone Trail (0.2 miles) → continue along Diamond View Trail (0.6 miles) to reach Five Canyons Park.
Location: Along Five Canyons Parkway, Castro Valley, CA 94552 (0.2 miles south of intersection with Peacock Hill Drive) . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.
Google Maps:
Parking Fees: None (last visited: May 2012)
Capacity: Dozens of cars may be parked here.
Latitude: 37.678497 Longitude: -122.031122
Varied terrain in Garin and Five Canyonsxsa
Full photo album — 27 May 2012
Full photo album — 27 May 2012