Poppies, goldfields, and lupines are peaking across the East Bay right now, and the Sharma family has been road-testing trails with two kids in tow. Here’s where to go before the hills turn brown.
1. Sunol Wilderness — Canyon View to Little Yosemite. 1895 Geary Rd, Sunol. About 20 minutes up I-680 (exit Calaveras). The 4.4-mile round trip with 488 ft of climb drops you into the Alameda Creek gorge with seasonal waterfalls.
If you have little legs, do one thing — take the flatter 2.1-mile Camp Ohlone Road instead, which is stroller-friendly on the lower fire-road section. $5 weekend parking. EBRPD runs free naturalist-led wildflower hikes on weekends through early May, and the Visitor Center lends out wildflower ID kits. Per EBRPD itself: “If you have time to get out to just one spectacular Spring flower show, Sunol is the place to be.”
2. Mission Peak (Ohlone College route). 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont. The Stanford Ave lot has only 43 spots and the surrounding streets are permit-only on weekends through 2033 — park at Ohlone College instead (900+ spaces, open 6am–10pm).
The Ohlone route is ~8 miles out-and-back with 2,000 ft of climb. Green hills and poppies now, brutal sun by June.
3. Coyote Hills Regional Park. 8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont. When you only have two hours on a Saturday, this is your answer. The Bayview Trail is flat, stroller- and dog-friendly, and the hillside verbena and poppies peak in April.
$5 parking, card only…