On a clear day one can have a spectacular panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay Area from south San Jose up the peninsula to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Tamalpais, San Rafael Bridge spanning the Bay, on down to Coyote Hills Regional Park laying in the Bay wetlands with the Dumbarton Bridge crossing back across the Bay again. To the north one can see Mount Diablo, the San Ramon Valley and the Hamilton Range. To the east, one can gaze down into the Sunol Regional Wilderness area and back to Mt. Hamilton with its Lick Observatory to the south. And if the day is particularly clear, one can even catch a glimpse of the peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains raising on the California Nevada boarder. From the top of Mission Peak’s 2,517 and the back of one’s favorite trail horse, a person truly has the feeling that one can see forever…..

From the face of Mission Peak Regional Preserve, 
it seems one can see forever... 

Located in Fremont, the Mission Peak Regional Preserve has nearly 3,000 acres with trails for equestrians, hikers and some designated bicycle trails. Plus on some days, hang gliders whisk around the peak and on south to land in Ed Levin Park. And from the top of the Peak, one can even look down on hang gliders as they soar off to the south since the jump off point is lower than the peak.

Mission Peak itself dominates the San Francisco Bay Area. From any point around the Bay Area it rises for all to see. It is a landmark that dominates the whole region and is found in reference books of the San Juan Bautista expedition and log books from sailors and ship masters in the early 1900’s as they entered the Bay waters. Yet with all its beauty and grand vistas, few use it possibly because it is a challenging ride for both horse and rider!

Looking to the north of Mission Peak one can still see the massive
slide area that moved thousands of yards of dirt down hill.

Although Mission Peak Regional Preserve has vistas that are breath taking, wildlife ranging from field mice to deer, coyote, mountain lion, bob cats, wild pigs and in the spring massive displays of wildflowers, its trails REQUIRE well conditioned horses. Raising from roughly 250 feet at the Staging Area, trails are up over the entire 7 miles to Mission Peak’s 2,517 feet. And if one wants to travel further south along the Bay Area Ridge Trail, one will pass Mt. Allison which rises higher to 2,658 feet and Monument Peak on the Santa Clara-Alameda County lines at 2,594 feet. Plus riding times should be planned for spring and fall months such as October and November (before the rains begin) because summer heat can easily hit the 100 degree mark and even higher.

For those with horses that are not in top condition, one can ride the lower part of the Preserve along the Peak Meadow Trail. This trail used to be part of the main ‘road’ that went from the Stanford Hotel over Mission Peak to Livermore. Here one will ride through the meadow where the Ohlone Indians used to live. And if one will dismount and walk along the south edge of the Agua Caliente Creek, a few grinding stones can still be found where acorns were harvested and ground into meal.

Scouting along Agua Caliente Creek's south side, one could find
some of the grinding stones used by the Ohlone Indians years ago.

If planning a day trip and ride to Mission Peak Regional Preserve – DO NOT plan for a weekend unless one plans to enter the Standford Staging Area EARLY!! Very early!!!! Ideally the best days to use the Staging area are Monday through Thursday.

Even though horsemen were the driving force in preventing the loss of over 250 acres of the most accessible lands of the Mission Peak Regional to the development of a private golf course, when the Stanford Staging Area was repaved and re-striped the trailer parking spaces were eliminated. Now when one uses the parking lot – take four spaces. Spaces are drive through and narrow. If one wants to unload and tie to the side of the trailer or even remove tack from a dressing room, four spaces are required.

When I drive in, I park in the middle over the dividing line and put out my red cones to prevent others from squeezing between another car and trailer. (And I have had people park so close to my trailer that horses could not be reloaded or even tack put in tack compartment.) Or one can park along the edge of the curb around the staging area but again be sure to put cones or something out so a vehicle does not park so close you can’t open trailer doors for loading. (With my Miley, I had a person drive his car up onto the ramp about two feet because “it was the only place I could park”.) Manners in the staging area at Stanford are often left outside the gate!!

For alternate parking, when driving up hill on Stanford Avenue and just past the Weibel Winery stone building is Vineyard. Turn left onto Vineyard. It has parking on both sides. I have gone down Vineyard, turned around and parked on the west side simply because there is a vacant field there so I can tie to that side of trailer and have room to saddle horses. Then ride up Stanford and into the Staging Area, distance of about one block.

There is NO parking fee or park entrance fee at the Stanford Staging Area.

To get to the Stanford Staging Area in Fremont, take 680 towards San Jose and exit at the Mission Blvd./Warm Springs Exit. Go north on Mission Blvd. (or towards Mission Peak). There is a stop light and a sign that says “Mission Peak Regional Preserve” and arrow pointing up Stanford Avenue. If taking 880, exit at the Warm Springs/Mission Blvd./680 exit and continue east going under 680 and continue on Mission Blvd.