Sunol Hiking Trails

• Eagle View Trail
• Little Yosemite
• Flag Hill Trail

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Waterfall Dreamland

Taking advantage of the spring rainy season in the Bay Area, we swing back down to the Morgan Hill to visit the secretly nestled Uvas Canyon County Park. Here, the waters of Swanson’s creek undulate over a steep rocky bed to create numerous waterfalls ending with one last plunge merging into Uvas Creek.

Uvas Canyon has been closed for most of the year due to road damage from last year’s deluge of rain. Luckily, right after the recent “atmospheric river” passed through the Bay Area dumping 5 inches of rain, Uvas Canyon County Park is now open.

Most of the falls are accessible through the easy to hike waterfalls loop trail. This guide makes a larger loop through the Contour trail with a spur to see the Triple Falls.

Secret tip: Don’t miss the Lower Falls where Swanson’s creek meets Uvas Creek. Starting at the Black Oak Group area, take the Swanson’s Creek Trail along the Swanson’s creek, towards the toll entrace direction. Round trip is about 3/4 miles with some elevation change.

Uvas Canyon Essential Info

Distance: 5 mi
Time: 3hr
Net Elevation: 2100 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Hours: 8am – sunset
Parking Fee: $6 per vehicle, reservations required on weekends and holidays
Pets: Dogs ok on leash
Website: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/pages/uvascanyon.aspx
Address: 8515 Croy Rd Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Phone: (408) 779-9232

Getting There

Uvas Canyon is located in Morgan Hill, about 20 miles south of San Jose, and just over an hours drive from the East Bay, depending on which part you’re in.

From the East Bay, take 680S to 101S.

After about 12mi, exit Bailey Rd.  Follow Bailey Rd for about 3 miles all the way to a T intersection and make a left turn onto McKean Rd.

Follow McKean for 6 miles and turn right onto Croy Rd.

Croy road will eventually lead into a collection of properties at Sveadal. Continue onwards until you reach the park entrance and toll kiosk.

The Trail

Checkpoint: Start

The trail conveniently starts out from the parking lot and bathrooms where you can stretch out after a long car ride.

Pickup a Waterfall Loop trail guide which describes various flora along the trail designated by numbered signs.

When you’re ready, proceed further up, past the Black Oak picnic area, to the first waterfall.

Checkpoint: Granuja Falls

Cross the bridge across the creek and continue onto the Waterfalls Loop trail. After only 1/3 mile, you’ll come across the lower portion of Blackrock falls.

Checkpoint: Blackrock Falls

Walk about 20 ft further to find the spur to reach the upper portions of Black Rock falls.

Return to the main trail from Blackrock falls and continue up the Waterfalls trail a short distance along the creek. You’ll pass by Myrtle Flats to a Y junction. Take the right hand side to Basin Falls.

Checkpoint: Basin Falls

Go back down to the Y junction and then take the left side to visit Upper Falls.

Checkpoint: Upper Falls

After absorbing the grandeur of Upper Falls, continue along Contour Trail climbing towards the top of the falls. The trail begins to steepen at this point so if you want to take it easy, you can also call it a day by returning to the Waterfall Loop trail.

The Contour trail follows Swanson Creek upwards. Here, Swanson Creek demonstrates its adroitness down the steep, rocky grade, forming rivulets and dancing down the many diversions in its way.

The contour trail departs from the creek and winds its way under the canopy of trees.

Bending around the hillside, you’ll reach a bent douglas fir tree.

Checkpoint: Bent Tree

The tree marks approximately the half way point between the Upper Falls and Triple Falls.

Continue along the trail until you hit the Alec Canyon trail and turn right. The trail will reach a clearing with a bench to sit and gaze from Manzanita Point.

Checkpoint: Manzanita Point

Continue down the Contour trail until you hit a signed Y intersection. The right side will take you to Triple Falls.

Checkpoint: Triple Falls

At the time of this writing, the last 100ft of the trail suffered from severe erosion and, while passable, required delicate footwork to reach the base of the falls.

From here, return along the same route. When you hit the intersection with the Contour Trail, remain on the Alec Canyon Trail to return back to the entrance.

Bonus: Lower Falls

Once you return to the parking lot, you can take enter the Black Oak Group Area and begin the Swanson Creek trail. It takes you through a wonderful shaded trail that ends up at the intersection of the Uvas and Swanson Creek.

Here, Swanson Creek makes its final waterfall into a small pool that merges with Uvas creek.

Other Waterfall Hikes

Love hiking next to the constant rustle of flowing water and churning waterfalls? Try Berry Creek falls and the Golden cascades in Big Basin. Or Alamere Falls in Point Reyes.

Wildflowers and Flora

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Essential Info on Alamere Falls

Distance: 8 miles in and out
Time: 4 hours
Elevation gain: 2100 feet
Difficulty: Easy hike but some rock climbing necessary to get to the beach to view the lower falls.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm

Dogs and bikes not allowed.

Parking can get crowded at the Palomarin Trailhead. Arrive early to beat the crowd!

Getting There – Palomarin Trailhead

Note: As of this writing, parts of Highway 1 are closed and a detour route along the Panoramic Highway is the primary way of getting to areas along Highway 1 north of Stinson beach.

Alamere falls is reached via the Palomarin Trailhead located in the Bolinas region of Point Reyes National Seashore.

To get there from the East Bay, take 680N to 24E. Then take 580W and cross the Richmond Bridge.

Exit Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Stay in the left hand lanes to merge onto 101S.

From 101S, exit 1N.  Take 1N and then veer right to take the Panoramic Highway (towards Muir Woods). The Panoramic highway will twist and turn for about 9 miles where it hits Highway 1 just shy of Stinson Beach.

Proceed along highway 1N for about 5 miles and turn left at Fairfax Rd towards Bolinas. You’ll then make another left at Olema Bolinas Rd.

Continue on Olema Bolinas Rd for about a mile (you need to make a left to stay on the same road), and then turn right at Mesa Rd. Mesa Rd will bring you to the Palomarin Trailhead. Note that the last couple miles consist of a dirt road that is mired in pot holes. You’ll be better of leaving the Ferrari home for this trip.

The Alamere Falls Trail

Note: The trail described here is the popular route that is not officially recommended by the National Park Service due to the need to scramble down the seaside cliff. The official route via Wildcat Camp adds a few more miles (depending on route to the camp), requires timing with the tide during the winter/spring seasons, and misses out on the upper falls (unless you scramble up the cliff in which case you might as well take the unofficial route).

Checkpoint: Start

The trail begins at the Palomarin Trailhead parking lot which has bathrooms but no potable water. Take the Coast Trail on the north end of the parking lot.

A grove of Eucalyptus trees will immediately greet you at the beginning of your journey.

Checkpoint: Coastal Views

After emerging from the trees, the field of view will open up across the Pacific Ocean. The trail will skirt the tops of cliffs which offer views of the coast. On a clear day, the Farallons will be visible in the distance.

Through the chaparral, deer forage and are largely unfazed by passing hikers.

Veering from the coast, the trail will turn inland.

Evident along the beaches and throughout the National Seashore, Point Reyes is a geologic treasure trove. As the famous San Andreas fault helps tear the peninsula from the mainland, upward thrusts of land expose sedimentary layers built up over eons.

Checkpoint: Bass Lake

Along the west side of the trail, Bass Lake will come into view. A popular spot for swimming, it once used to have a mounted rope swing to aid in plunge takers. Alas, the tree has fallen and the rope swing is no more.

Checkpoint: Pelican Lake

Checkpoint: Alamere Falls Fork

Kindly hikers sometimes mark the turn off with rocks and branches. Note that this is the unofficial route to Alamere Falls which involves scrambling over a rocky cliff. Ignoring the turnoff and proceeding down the official trail will bring you to Wildcat camp from which you can also hike down the beach to the falls; however, you’ll miss the upper falls which are above the cliff face.

After a short section navigating through shrubs and brush, the ocean will come into a view.

Checkpoint: Falls

After descending through a deeply eroded channel, you’ll hear the gushing waters of Alamere creek and the upper falls.

This is a popular spot to take a lunch break and gaze at the mesmerizing waters as they disappear over the cliff edge.

Wildcat Beach and the Lower Falls

Now comes the tough part. The cliff edge is composed of a loose rocky shale which makes it extremely unstable!

Luckily, a few generations of daring hikers have shorn a narrow path down the cliff. At times, a rope is available to help stabilize your ascent/descent.

Celebrate your success with the amazing views of Alamere Falls!

Return along the same route. On the way back, stop and smell the flowers!

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Note that the Big Basin brochure labels this hike as strenuous. While it’s certainly long and has a couple of narrow spots, it’s not too bad and would rank as easier than Mission Peak.

Note: The iPhone GPS seems to have had some issues recording. Ignore those 0ft elevation dips on the gps track ? 

Essential Info on Big Basin Waterfalls

Length: 10mi
Elevation Gain: ~2400ft
Difficulty: Moderate (due to length, some incline)
Time: 6hrs
Fees: $10 (Day Use), $35 (Camping)
Day Use Hours: 6am-sunset
Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=540
Map

Getting There

Despite being in the vicinity of San Jose, it still takes about 1hr from Saratoga Ave due to the narrow windy roads. From the East Bay, plan for about 2 hrs.

The simplest way to get there from the East Bay is to take 680S till it passes 101 and becomes 280N. Exit Saratoga Ave and proceed southwest (turn left if coming from 280N) towards Saratoga. From here, over a span of 15mi you’ll pass a variety of landmarks including the Westgate shopping center, West Valley College, downtown Saratoga, the Mountain Winery and the Hakone Gardens.

You’ll hit a four way stop at Saratoga Gap and another at the Highway 9/236 split. Go straight through both of these. The road will eventually narrow on Highway 236 (Big Basin Way) as you approach the state park. You’ll eventually pass through the visitor center on the left and the parking lot on the right.

The Trail

On some friendly advise from the visitor’s center, we did this popular hike clockwise. We went first to Skyline trail, to the Berry Creek Falls trail, and then returned on the Sunset trail

Checkpoint: Visitor’s Center

The visitor’s center is where you’ll park, pay the day use fee, and get a trail map. There’s also no bathrooms along the trail so it’s generally a good pitstop after a long drive.

From here, find the Skyline trailhead just behind the main parking.

Checkpoint: Detours

During our hike, we encountered a detour in the Skyline trail, likely due to trail damage from the previous season. The detour is short, proceeding up Middle Ridge Road, making a left onto the Sunset trail, and then taking the Skyline connector to get back onto the Skyline trail. Note that the connector trail is the starting point of the loop; you’ll come back to this point from the other direction along the Sunset trail.

From here, enjoy the serene walk along Kelly Creek.

Checkpoint: Logjam (Timm’s Creek Trail)

Timm’s Creek Trail was closed as we passed by, likely due to more prior season storm damage. Remnants of last year’s massive rains can be seen along the creek in the huge pile up of downed trees.

Proceed along Skyline trail to the junction with Berry Creek Falls Trail.

Checkpoint: Berry Creek Falls

Just after the Skyline trail junction, you’ll come upon the craggy cliff of Berry Creek Falls. There’s a large seating area situated with a great viewing angle that’s a great place for lunch or a lingering snack.

The trail continues up to the top of the falls and along West Berry Creek to Silver Falls.

Checkpoint: Silver Falls

Silver Falls, though smaller than the Berry Creek Falls, is no less majestic.

Moving up the trail, you’ll walk by a narrow section past the top of Silver Falls before arriving at the lower Golden Cascade.

Golden Cascades

The Golden cascades are a series of steep descents where waters of West Berry Creek rush over golden colored shale rock. Because we’re doing the hike clockwise, we encounter the cascades in the reverse order.

The third cascade is a mini waterfall which drops about 10 feet into a pool of water.

The second cascade, forms a stair-step type pattern for water to trickle down.

And the first cascade is a relatively smooth one, allowing a glistening sheet of water to pass.

Return Hike

The return trip will take you on a quick ascent above the redwood tree lines with surrounding knobcone pines, and slick sandstone ground.

While on the return trip, take your time to enjoy the various flora and fauna of Big Basin!

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Length:19mi (to Rose Peak)
Time: 10hrs (to Rose Peak)
Difficulty: Hard (Elevation and Length)
Cost: $2 for a 1yr permit (available at the Sunol Regional Wilderness entry gate, comes with a map)

Facilities: Visitors Center and vault toilets.
Hours: 8AM-5PM (winter) 8AM-7PM (and later depending on month)
Dogs: $2 fee.
Parking: $5 per vehicle
More Info: East Bay Parks Website
The site says there’s no drinking water, but they often serve water out of drinking jugs near the visitor’s center.

Seasonal Note: Like many East Bay parks, Sunol Wilderness can be extremely hot and exposed during the summer.  The longer hikes are best avoided during this time of year. Spring is the best time, offering wild flowers, flowing creeks, and milder temperatures.

Getting There

Access the park via 680. From the South bay, take 680N to Calaveras/84-W off ramp and make a right onto Calaveras Road.

From the northern bay areas, take 680S to the Calaveras Road/84 Dumbarton Bridge exit. Make a left onto Calaveras Road. Note that the preceding exit is labeled “Sunol” and is not the correct exit.

Stay on Calaveras Road for 4.3 mi. Along the way, you’ll come across a couple of plant nurseries, a construction aggregates facility,and a water treatment plant along the southern side of the road. The road is also popular with bicyclists.

At approximately 4.3 mi, make a left onto Geary Road. At the time of this writing, Calaveras Road is closed beyond Geary road making this turn really hard to miss.

Geary Road will eventually lead to an entrance gate and ranger booth that will provide a park map in exchange for the vehicle entry fee.

The Trail

Note: Bring plenty of drinking water or a filter. There are water spigots at camp spots along the way but they only provide untreated water.

The Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a 29.1 mile trail that runs from Mission Peak in Fremont to Del Valle Lake in Livermore. From Sunol, a popular goal is Rose Peak which is the highest peak in Alameda county at 3817 ft (Mission Peak is only a paltry 2516 ft). An alternate day trip on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a 12.3 mi. hike that starts from Del Valle Lake to see the Murieta Falls in the spring time.

Unless you’re planning to camp, this trail is strictly an in-out trail. Hike as far out as you desire, taking time to return into consideration.

Start this hike from the horse corral parking area near the visitor’s center where there’s a sign-in sheet for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail located at the information panel. Take the bridge across Alameda Creek and make a right onto the Canyon View trail. Veer left and ascend onto the McCorkle Trail. Follow this trail for about 2.5 mi where you’ll hit the Sunol Backpacking Camp Area.

From here the Ohlone Wilderness trail will bring you up and down through an isolated back country and magnificent landscape.

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