State: California
Location: Pleasanton
Length, Round Trip: 9 miles
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Surface: Fire Roads
Best Season: Year-round
Difficulty: Easy
Cobblestone Creek
Trail Information
The Pleasanton Ridge Trail is a multi-use trail, following along the ridgeline to the west of Interstate 680.
The Pleasanton Ridge Trail is fairly well used and there are quite a few hikers, horseback riders and other bicycle riders on the trail, especially the during the 2 mile climb up the ridge. Once you are up on the ridge, there are fewer other trail users and miles of rolling hills with great views of Pleasanton and the area surrounding the ridge line. You get a great workout riding here and on the downhills you can easily reach speeds exceeding 30 MPH. Watch for other trail users as collisions at these speeds are no fun.
The Pleasanton Ridge Trail is primarily a fireroad with a steep uphill to get to you onto the ridge. Once on the ridge, it rolls uphill for 3-4 miles with multiple trail branches that diverge and converge again. the ridge portion of the ride ends at a locked gate midway along the ridge but you can descend into the canyon by taking a left before the gate. At the bottom of the canyon, you cross a creek and then loop back down the canyon. The ride back up can be a killer if you are tired. The spring is the best time of year to ride with wildflowers out and while the weather is still cool. Fall and winter are also good time to ride here but summer heat can be killer. There is very little singletrack but nice bumpy roads and the ride back down the ridge has some exciting downhills. The ride has multiple options for exploration but as long as you remember the general lay of the land (the ridge runs north south), it is hard to get lost for too long.
Directions
From Interstate 580:
Take the Pleasanton-Sunol Blvd. Exit. Go west and take the next available right onto Castlewood. Follow Castlewood to next left onto to Foothill Road. Follow Foothill for approximately 3 miles to the Pleasanton Ridge parking area on the right.
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