Hike to Little Yosemite in the Sunol
4 Miles
Chillin, Camping, Photography, Backpacking, Hiking
Beginner
Year Round
Out-and-Back
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.
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations.
Nearby Lodging
Reviews
Overall rating:
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!
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!
Crowded Winter hike
Little Yosemite is pretty underwhelming, and there were hundreds of people all trying to take nature selfies. You can't swim in the stream either, which is sad. However, there are a decent number of less crowded trails in the area with some decent elevation gain. Spend the day exploring the terrain instead of staying in the valley and you will be rewarded with green panoramas of the east bay hills.
