Pleasanton Ridge Loop

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Views

Expect expansive views over the Tri-Valley to Mt. Diablo with fun trails along the way.

Several drinking water spigots are available along the Ridgeline Trail. Beware of the usual hazards of summer heat, poison oak, ticks and rattlesnakes common to Bay Area parks.

Starting from the Foothill Staging Area, the Oak Tree Trail is a steady climb for a little over a mile to the junction with the Ridgeline Trail. The Ridgeline Trail is the main thoroughfare traversing Pleasanton Ridge Park in a general north-south direction. Fork left in a short distance onto the Olive Grove Connector to the Olive Grove Trail. Stay left to connect with the Thermalito Trail, which runs parallel to and west of Ridgeline Trail past some old olive orchards.

Thermalito Trail was named after an old fruit growing company, and the trail heads north below the ridge through grassland and some oak woodlands before rejoining Ridgeline Trail in a couple miles.

Continuing on Ridgeline, the trail splits with a ridgetop view bench on the right-hand trail. A turnaround at this point returning on the Ridgeline Trail would be a good beginner ride.

This ride continues north past the first junction with the Bay Leaf Trail to the Schuhart Trail connector which rejoins the Bay Leaf Trail part way down avoiding a steeper climb on part of Bay Leaf. The lower section of Bay Leaf Trail narrows to singletrack and drops steeply in a series of switchbacks and is the more challenging section of this ride. There's also quite a bit of poison oak.

Bay Leaf ends at Shady Creek Trail, which quickly joins Sinbad Creek Trail. Keep left heading south on shady Sinbad Creek Trail for 1.4 miles back to the Bay Leaf Trail Connector keeping right to climb back up to the Ridgeline Trail.

Returning on Ridgeline Trail, this ride takes a short detour on Blue Oak Knoll Trail on the shady side of the ridge. At the end of the Blue Oak Knoll Trail, turn right on Valley View Trail to quickly return to the Ridgeline Trail which takes riders back to Oak Tree Trail for the final descent to the parking area.

Former ranchlands, the area is still used for grazing cattle.