Note, as mentioned previously, Tioga Road is closed in winter (usually some time in November until May or June depending on seasonal snowfall. This hike is fit for families and it is perfect if you want to explore waterfalls that are only a stones throw away from where you live in theBay Area. Ground squirrels, yellow-billed magpies and red-tailed hawks share this wilderness with raccoons, skunks and black-tailed deer. Tunnel View is one of the first views of the Yosemite Valley that most people see as they enter the park from the southern entrance. From the ridge your viewpoints will include Mount Diablo and the San Francisco Bay. Are you visiting other national parks in California? Littles will particularly love the poop exhibit. Plenty off off road trails to escape the crowds. It's much nicer following the unofficial trails along Alameda Creek. We left it on the trail near Mirror Lake and hiked out, then got back on later. Start early so that you get to park. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Alternatively, there is a shuttle bus which drops off here. Great hike on a cooler day. Youll also pass by some cows and calves grazing peacefully. As options within the park are limited, be aware that lunch time crowds are heavy. Yosemite is very intent on keeping the bears away from human food and medicines so they insist that any and every item with a scent is kept in the bear locker. Overflow options include one lot across the street and another by the Visitor Center. However, if you are pressed for time/money you can complete the free page in the Yosemite newsletter. Little Yosemite is a hidden gem located in the Sierra National Forest. See Trail Mileage for a description of selected hikes. Gorgeous in an overcast late afternoon into the evening. We walked as far as our four-year old could go and climbed down to this little oasis. Technically, the closest airport is in Fresno, known as the Fresno-Yosemite Airport (FAT). The rocks are big and can be tricky to navigate. The trail narrows after the McCorkle Trail junction and youll notice a steep drop off to the right where you can enjoy epic views of the oak canyon. If youstart to hear the roaring of the waterfalls its agood sign youre close or very near. Our kids enjoyed running around in what used to be a lake spotting small water snakes swimming in the small pools. Were visiting in May with our toddler and really want to rent bikes but having a hard time knowing if you bike is the activity or just the mode of transportation. We opted for the tent cabins. If you plan to visit with kiddos, go a little before lunch/dinner times. I brought a garbage bag and carried out about 15 water bottles, trash, 6 pieces of clothing, a baby towel and a soccer ball out of the creek only within a hundred foot span. The Mist Trail is a beautiful hike with great views throughout. - Some cow poop on the side of the trail in certain parts Bike rentals are not cheap, but it is worth it. In recent years, the late summer also brings with it the chance of smoky skies due to wildfires. We recommend visiting in the shoulder seasons if possible as the weather is moderate and crowds are less. We booked tent cabins 4.5 months in advance without too much trouble. We saw deers, cows and a coyote! also lots of people ignoring the do not swim/wade signs plus some graffiti on the rocks, both of which are so aggravating to me. They were pretty fun. Note that full-on swimming is NOT allowed in Alameda Creek in the Little Yosemite area. A permit is required to camp overnight. This fine dining restaurant is part of the 4 star hotel in Yosemite Valley. No water at Little Yosemite, but cant really expect that in July. Hope everyone has a fun time on the trail! Please note this is a fragile ecosystem and watershed. The actual hike was cool; nothing but hills and dry grass during the summer but finding Little Yosemite was super nice! There will be sections where the trail will clear and you can get back on the fire road, but you can keep on the shaded trails as much as it allow you to. This pass is good for 7 consecutive days to enter and exit the park as needed. ), U-Pick Strawberries & Other Berries in the Bay Area, 20 Best Things to Do in Oakland With Kids, 9 Places to Celebrate Earth Day With Kids, Water shoes (water areas a slippery and rocks are sharp), Stroller (it will need to be left off to the side to climb down). Other than that, this trail is lovely and may need to be closed to give it some time to recover human interference. 510Families.com is the best website for parents in Alameda, Berkeley, and Oakland to find kid-friendly activities every day. Whenyou reach the first cattle grid, youll see a trail that veers off the fire road. The water was nice and cold to our hot and tired feet. View allnaturalist-led programs. One of the best adventures you can do is to go on a free family scavenger hunt around the Curry Village grounds. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 31 min to complete. No fee today. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Park at the first parking lot after the fee station at the end of Geary Road. Open throughout the trail, too sunny weather might not be perfect for this trail. Turned back at the first small rocky falls. Experience this 2.1-mile out-and-back trail near Sunol, California. There are a few parking lots near the trailhead. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Mirror Lake is one of our favorite walks in Yosemite. Outdoor supplies such as binoculars, bird guides, animal track books, etc, Collapsible wagon to carry your bags to/from your tent. It is slow moving and relatively shallow water to splash around in at the end of a day. 7: 8am-5pmMar. Even within Curry Village there are several options. Or was the bike ride the activity for the day? Little Yosemite is a gorge in the Sunol-Ohlone Wilderness in the East Bay hills. There was parking & restrooms. It was quite informative for the adults and gave us a good overview of the valley. During the first half the trail is fairly narrow at times, so be sure to go the direction AllTrails recommends and dont do it counter-clockwise. Spending time in the great outdoors is the best thing to do in Yosemite with kids. Check out The Loft at Degnans which offers Mexican, Asian rice bowls and artisan pizzas. Whether you have little ones who cant manage long hikes or teens ready for a challenge, there is something for everyone here. This helps with cost and variety as well. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We loved Yosemite! It could pull a little one along easily. Follow the main road/trail then go down towards the water. Great fun quick trip! Couple of fallen trees blocking the path that needs circumventing. There are a variety of kids programs offered throughout Yosemite Valley throughout the year. We did the anticlockwise direction instead of the recommended clockwise direction to avoid the steep ascent. A bike with a child trailer is $60 per day. Buses: $25/per bus.Dogs: $2 per dog. Not closed. Little in common with actual Yosemite other than lack of cell coverage. There are a multitude of places to wander around near here and begin exploring Yosemite. Got a little confused on trail. Pretty easy to avoid the mud. Reservations are not required if you have a campground or hotel reservation or backpacking permit. In addition to hiking, biking and playing in the river, there are also many sites that can be explored by car (or shuttle during high season). Not to worry - well be back again soon. Add another 1 hour to reach Yosemite Valley. Check here for details on how to try to nab a spot. The hike is short and easy up to the base of the falls. Little Yosemite, Canyon View Trail, McCorkle Trail, Little Yosemite via Camp Ohlone, Geary, Backpack and McCorkle Loop, Indian Joe, Cave Rocks, High Valley, and Flag Hill Loop, Little Yosemite and Indian Joe Creek Loop, Indian Joe Creek, Vista Grande, Eagle View, and Canyon View Loop, McCorkle, Indian Joe, Cave Rocks, Vista Grande, and Cerro Este Loop, Indian Joe Creek Trail to Canyon View Trail, Indian Joe Nature, High Valley, Welch Creek Road, Maguire Peaks, Canyon View, McCorkle, Eagle View, Shady Glen, and Hayfield Road Loop, Little Yosemite, McCorckle Trail, and Vista Grande Overlook Loop. Without kids though . A lot of different trails you can choose. Do venture off the trail to explore the creek. Date: 03/27 You will see people playing in the rivers all along the park. After entering the kiosk youll be able to pick up a brochure with a map at the trail head. From the trailhead, it takes an easy walk of only 0.9 of a mile to reach it, a 1.8-mile round trip. An Ohlone Wilderness Permit is required for each person age 12 years or older. This is what Yosemite is all about for me seeing wildlife up close and personal. In an ideal world, if you can at least spend a week you will have time to visit most areas of the park, visit nature centers and take in a few ranger presentations too. Please do not short cut trails in steep areas or slide in the grass on hillsides or banks. Such a beautiful hike! Your trip sounded great. The trail is called Camp Ohlone Road and theres not a lot of shade so bring water and hats! If yo North Rim Trail to Eagle Rock is an out-and-back trail that takes you past scenic surroundings located near San Jose, California. The Mist Trail to Vernal Falls is not a hike most small kids can do, but our determined toddler managed it just fine! It might come with electricity including a power outlet to plug your phone into. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 49 min to complete. A few small things I don't give a full 5 stars which have everything to do with people and nothing to do with the place: LY is amazing but with it being small it can quickly feel crowded and I couldn't imagine what it's like on a weekend. Alameda Grove picnic area is available for reservation. This is also the closest you can get to Half Dome without actually hiking it. Just beware of poison oak. As the description says- this is definitely a late fall/winter hike. There were two parking areas and lots of spots Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Something for everyone here. I completed it anti clockwise. The trail was more of a road which cut thru the hills. Hiked this place multiple times and it never fails to amaze me. After a long bike ride and hike up to Mirror lake, we were not quite rewarded with the fantastic swimming hole we had hoped, but that is all dependent on the years rain. Once you get to the bench resting area, you can head back on the fire road which will lead you to Little Yosemite. Good climb first 0.5mi clockwise. Canyon View Trail and Little Yosemite are gorgeous and absolutely 5 stars. Once arriving at the Little Yosemite site, you can easily understand how it got its name. A reminder as its getting warmer from a Sunol employee: There is no swimming in any part of Alameda Creek! What are your favorite things to do? For those arriving by car, there are multiple entrances into the park.For travelers heading into Yosemite Valley from Northern California, the two main entrances are on the western side of the park along either Highway 120 at Big Oak Flat or Highway 140 (El Portal Road) at the Arch Rock Flat entrance. Give us a call at 1-888-YOSEMITE ( 1-888-967-3648) to learn about our rentals and to make your Yosemite reservations today. We were there for a day last September. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; The paved path offers a flat walk from the shuttle stop. Click to enlarge. Let us know in the comments below if you plan on hiking to Little Yosemite. The only issue encountered is on the way back, we couldn't find the last leg back to the starting pt (near the 2nd last waypt "beautiful trees etc" and took a left wide downhill path which turned out to be the connector to the other leg of the loop. There are several waterfalls and some dry out on hot days. Saw couple of rattlesnakes close to the trail. All rights reserved. No one wanted a night time bear visit to the tent! Take I-680 south and exit at Calaveras Road/Highway 84 just south of the Sunol exit. From this hike, you will get greatviews of Half Dome reflected in the Merced River. If you need something a bit nicer than what is available in the village, head over to one of the hotels. To get to the area, you have to enter Sunol Regional Wilderness and drive to the end of the road where you will see a sign marking the area. It is open mainly for breakfast and lunch, but if you stop in before 6pm you can also grab an early dinner. - Not too much water this time but you can see many little trickles in different part of rocks Not that scenic, at least on this trail. Ill definitely consult this list. It is a little toasty in the tent cabins until around midnight when it cools down significantly. We didnt walk far, so this walk can easily be handled by most people. 03 | BRIDALVEIL FALLS (.5 mile round trip), 04 | LOWER YOSEMITE FALLS (1 mile round trip), 05 | MIST TRAIL TO VERNAL FALLS (~ 3+ Miles), 06 | SENTINEL MEADOW LOOP & COOKS MEADOW (2.25 miles), Pulling a kid (or two) behind you in a trailer makes the ride a little more difficult, but does not take away the fun and freedom you have of exploring off the roads and away from the, If Traveling with A Group, Make Reservations Together. Turn left onto Calaveras Road and proceed to Geary Road . Children under 8 will need help climbing and getting down to the water. Park at the Stanford Avenue entrance gate. Youre entire post sounds like exactly how my family would love to explore Yosemite. Bay Area plants found along this trail are rare in rest of park. The trail is beautiful and perfect for kids of all ages. There is a shuttle service that connects the key sites in the Valley (reopened as of December 2021), as parking is quite limited at many points of interest. At the Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve, park by the visitor's center for a short hike to Little Yosemite waterfall, and stop by the Old Green Barn Visitor's Center to see Native American artifacts. (Permit(s) will be mailed within 3-5 business days). I've done this hike 4 times already :). Oak woodland and grassland communities; fossiliferous sandstone outcrops. The hike to Little Yosemite Area starts at the end of Geary Road. This would be amazing for older children though. Alameda Creek, Alameda County's largest stream, harbors an inviting creekside community of alder, willow and sycamore. I cant remember at this point if we had locks, but I feel like we didnt and it was fine. Parking permit required on Welch Creek Road (Sat., Sun., & Holidays, $5.00 fee; Mon-Fri, no fee). Keep this in mind while packing and separate all of these things into their own bag for ease of packing up the bear locker every day. Gentle uphill on a wide gravel road with some occasional nice views of the golden hills. You may purchase your permit in one of the following ways: By Phone: call the Reservations Department at. As always, quality and prices arent quite what you might be used to outside of the park, but this is nature after all! One of those places that youd love to see without the crowds right? Check your Yosemite map for directions on how to reach the beach. It is open to the public through a lease agreement with the San Francisco Water Department, which owns the property. Parking was easy and free on this Nov 3 Thursday morning. Love that the park is dog friendly. I would start on canyon trail first next time and loop back through little Yosemite. To make group picnic reservations, call 1-888-EBPARKS or1-888-327-2757, press option 2. During the summer season, there are often great family friendly shows held at the Curry Village Amphitheater. Depending on how much you have already done or are planning for the day, you can continue hiking to the top of Lower Falls which is 2 miles in/out. Separate arrangements may be made for overnight camping at Del Valle Regional Park (outside the Ohlone Wilderness and at the north end of the Ohlone Trail) by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or1-888-327-2757, press option 2. Starting at the Arroyo Road Staging Area, take the East Shore Trail east, heading towards a steep ridge line. Great trail, pretty crowded on the weekends but plenty of large parking lots. Yosemite National Park is a wonderful destination to visit year round. Not really impressed with this trail. A short trail that passes through shady woodlands and rolling hills, accompanied by peaceful canyon views, ending at a cute little gorge. Grassland, oak woodland. Definitely bring lots of water as it's mostly uncovered. East Bay Regional Park District Police say they've arrested the. This magical, Yosemite-like gorge will give you a taste of the national park you've been looking for without having to make that 4-hour haul east. For a regional park, it has a lot going for it. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Nice markings. If you are on a tighter budget, there are also plenty of campgrounds where you can pitch your own tent, as well as Housekeeping Camp where your tent is pitched, but you do everything else just as you would on a regular camping trip. Little Yosemite is located in Sunol Regional Wilderness Park in Sunol, CA Little Yosemite is a scenic gorge on Alameda Creek about two miles upstream from park This hike from the Foothills Staging Area is an excellent introduction to the park: long enough to get your heart rate up, but not nearly as arduous as some hikes in the n Lake Elizabeth is located in central Fremont. There is NOswimming allowed in Alameda Creek and trespassing is prohibited on Water Department lands that are not accessible to the public. Tenaya Lake is a beautiful place to go for a day of exploration. Parking: There is ample parking. Very nice hike. The permit covers foot and equestrian use of the trail only. I would recommend it for kids 6 and up. Starting pouring rain after we made it to little Yosemite. That said, it is also common for there to be little snow even in February, making a winter trip quite pleasant. The small nature center is fun to explore before a ranger guided walk or to cool down later in the day. The hike is about 2 miles round trip depending on how muchexploring, rock scrambling, and climbing you do. Fill up before you get inside the park, even if you have half a tank. Snow can start as early as October or November in parts of Yosemite and remain into well into the spring. This includes sunscreen, lotion, toothpaste, shampoo, all foods, coolers, water bottles, and in some cases even your childs car seat. Bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen as it can get hot here. Flowers blooming everywhere. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Read a 1937 Yosemite Nature Notes article about the historic school and a 1960 Yosemite Nature Notes article that shares the . Were thrilled to feature guest writer, Mishi B, owner and author of Hey Carter! 5: 8am-7pmApr. The Sunol naturalist staff provides additional opportunities to enjoy the park by leading nature hikes and coordinating special events. Very buggy. Spring brings wildflowers, including California poppies, mustard, goldfields and lupines, which carpet vast areas in yellow, orange and blue. Great loop. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; Impatient visitors will quickly see how this trail earned its name as it . Explore this 4.6-mile loop trail near Sunol, California. There has been ongoing construction on a nearby dam, which can be seen a bit during the hike. Very little shade on canyon trail so take note of time and temperature. Cross Camp Ohlone Road and step down into Little Yosemite. This is a protected watershed with endangered species of frogs. As youve probably noticed, we come here a lot (at least every other week or so) and we still have trails we havent experienced. The views of the water reflecting the surrounding area are just beautiful. Note: Tioga Pass is closed in the winter. Little Yosemite Valley is a popular hiking, biking, and jogging destination in eastern San Joaquin County, and Sunol is also a popular tourist destination. I would definitely go during the May to Sept time period. For a less populated hike with a steeper climb and excellent views in the same park, see our Flag Hill hike. Rolling hills, wildflowers, gushing streams of water, freshness all around, .. just beautiful . In the shoulder season there is a night prowl walk that sounds so amazing for kids to explore the animals who come out after dark. Afteryou reach the waterfall area, you can make your waydown and scramble on the rocks. Today, camping, picnicking, hiking and back-packing attract thousands of park visitors a year. If you do this, youll get to see some secluded waterfall and stream areas. Visitors should bring drinking water because there is no drinking water in the park. During our visit, the program started at 2 pm which was sometimes difficult to make our way back to camp in the middle of the day. There are shuttles from Fresno to Yosemite, taking about 1.5 hours to the Southern Entrance at Wawona. With acknowledgment that the region we celebrate is the unceded territory of native peoples, our mission is to share activities for East Bay families. It connects to MIssion Peak park and to del Valle (may need a permit). Busy but plenty of parking. I remember going to Yosemite when I was 12 and I had a blast! About same distance. Stayed just outside the park in Mariposa. (Have you seen Free Solo? Visit the Sunol Visitor Center for information about these programs. There are two options for earning your badge a free version and a paid version. The actual trail starts about 0.3 miles from the first entry gate. Even when the water level is low, its find to explore the boulders of the creek bed. A travel obsessed mom and a nature obsessed son exploring at home in Southern California as well as throughout the world looking for adventure, nature and a little luxury too! Heavy rain. Start your hike by crossing the footbridge at Canyon View Trailhead. Fees are per vehicle.