Hike to Little Yosemite in the Sunol
4 miles
- Out-and-Back Trail
Added by Ed Francisco
Little Yosemite in Sunol is a scenic hike offering breathtaking oak lined canyon views and dramatic waterfalls. It's a short 2 miles upstream from the visitors center and is open 8am to dusk all year long. There are camping options available as well.
Please note this is a fragile ecosystem and watershed. There is NO swimming allowed in Alameda Creek and trespassing is prohibited on Water Department lands that are not accessible to the public. You can learn more about the restrictions and the area at ebparks.org.
After entering the kiosk you’ll be able to pick up a brochure with a map at the trail head. A wooden bridge leads over Alameda Creek and to the right you’ll find Canyon View Trail, which will take you to the falls. The trail narrows after the McCorkle Trail junction and you’ll notice a steep drop off to the right where you can enjoy epic views of the oak canyon. After the canyon, the trail evens out and you’ll hear the falls from Little Yosemite. Here you’ll be able climb the boulders along the gorge with cascading waterfalls. If you’d like to take a direct trail back to the entrance, there’s a wide fire road along the creek.
A permit is required to camp overnight. Gates are locked at night so campers must arrive before dusk. Guided horse rides are also available through Western Trail Riding Services.
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Overall rating:
Stay Beautiful
Definitely bring lots of water as it's mostly uncovered. The hike is gorgeous with its sweeping hillside. Speaking of which there's a quarry close enough to see and hear that's taken down a hill face. Unfortunate it's right on the border of the national park. The creek/falls itself are accessible by car and that means visitors that aren't accustomed to leave-no-trace ethics. 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. This is devastating to the environment. Other than that, this trail is lovely and may need to be closed to give it some time to recover human interference.
4.0
Great On A Summer Day
I'm sure there would be more water in the winter but we went in August and had a great time! Love that the park is dog friendly. We enjoyed the views on the canyon trail and found it to be a nice easy hike. The best part was definitely getting to the falls and climbing the boulders! Great fun quick trip!
4.0
June 22, 2016
The actual hike was cool; nothing but hills and dry grass during the summer but finding Little Yosemite was super nice! Water felt great after the hike b/c the sun was beaming. Definitely a chill spot. Climbed on the boulders all around and found more small, chill areas!
3.0
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