If you have a dog, please take them on this hike! Dog’s get to walk off leash under voice control and you get some amazing views! The hubs and I needed to cut our east bay hike short so we only got to do 2.5 miles of this beautiful place and can’t wait to go back!
After you enjoy the views on the drive up, start off at the Sibley Staging Area and head up the overlook trail. We noticed a sign we don’t often see, dogs off leash under voice control, as soon as we were on the trail. And then we started to see some of the happiest mutts around. They were all well behaved and just cruising along with their humans following behind them. It was a great sight to see!
The trail itself was nice and shaded and well maintained but not super interesting during the winter. We want to go back in spring to see all the wildflowers. I think this year might be a good season with all the rain we’ve been having. We followed the Skyline Trail down a bit and through openings in the trees were greeted with the rest of the open green rolling hills of the east bay! Pause here and enjoy the sound of the stream below and the views ahead of you.
At the bottom of the trail there’s a creek with lush ground cover all around. It would be good to do this part of the hike during hotter months since it is mostly shaded. We started heading uphill toward the Huckleberry Staging area enjoying all the trees and ferns growing along the trail.
Just past the Huckleberry Staging Area (less parking than the Sibley Staging Area) you climb up a small hill and are greeted with some of the most amazing views of the city. You can see the Bay Bridge AND the Golden Gate Bridge from here. We were in such awe of these great views (on a clear day of course) that we didn’t notice what was behind us until we started to head down off the hill. Um, we could see Mt Diablo in all her glory and the rolling green hills. When you get to this spot on the hike don’t forget to look around!! We were amazed at the views we had and no one around us. Can only imagine what this would be like at sunset!
From here you are walking on a path just off Skyline Blvd to get back to the Sibley Staging Area, walk carefully as the road is winds around the hills. There are several more miles of hiking we would like to explore at this park. Cannot wait for spring to get here so we can check it out!
Details:
Free parking, flushing toilets, dogs off leash on trails, 2.55 miles 500 ft elevation gain, great on a hot or cold day but go for the views.