Brushy Peak Regional Preserve

My go to spot. Whenever I’m short on time, and need to get a quick mountain bike fix, brushy peak is there. A quick 7ish mile loop with about 1300 foot elevation gain, the ride can usually be finished in less than 40
minutes. A good mix of fire roads and semi technical singletrack, this is a great option for those that live nearby.

Love this trail, though not big on the noise from the gun range.

Okay, okay, it was on my bucket list, I wanted to go to the top some time. So, one day off in October, with my daughter in school and the hunny taking a nap, I took the long drive to the other side of Livermore and went to the top of Brushy Peak. Unfortunately for my wife, I came back down and went home.
This walk in the park is not easy. But it’s not very hard, either. Parts of it are a little steep, most is not. It’s much easier than Fremont’s Mission Peak. But the views are not drop-​dead gorgeous, or even slightly impressive like on Mission Peak. The only real shade is on the long stretch at the top. And this country can get very hot. Thankfully, there is water available at the parking lot, so load up the water bottle; you and Fido will need it.
The actual peak is in a Resource Protection Area. EBRPD gives the definition on the sign: «KEEP OUT». The trail to the top is a small footpath not on the map but easy to find once you’re there. It’s the steepest part of the trip, probably 500 feet to the barb wire fence with the KEEP OUT sign. If you squeeze through to reach the top, then leave only footprints, take only photos, and don’t disturb the deer or trees.
Brushy Peak is good for: A strong cardiovascular workout. A look at what the Bay Area was like before all the suburban development after World War II. A picnic with your date when you get to the oak forest at the top (hint to Denise L). An undeveloped wonderland to let your dog run and you hang onto the leash. It’s a convenient jaunt close to 580, and if you don’t get there, Mission Peak is better anyway.

Moderate-​sized regional park with a variety of trails located at the end of Laughlin Rd, close to the 580 freeway. The park is easy to get to, bike/​pedestrian/​horse/​LEASHED dog-​friendly, and best of all, it’s FREE! The fact that there is no admission fee is huge for us, as we have multiple dogs and hate having to pay doggy admission fees at the other parks. This has definitely become our go-​to, weekend destination spot with our fur-​kids.
They have a clean restroom, ample parking in their gravel lots, and never seem crowded. I’ve never seen a ranger here, but there is a residential home right within the entrance of the park, so I’m assuming an on-​site ranger lives there for maintenance & emergency. The park is an open-​grazing land for cattle and offers easy to moderate level hikes through rolling hills. It’s an excellent place for walks, hikes, rides, and work-​outs although they don’t have any picnic areas, benches, or playgrounds, so they may not be very family-​friendly. In addition, the only available trash bins are located by the entrance, so dog parents will have to carry their poo bags during their hikes.
Also, a word of caution — the trails offer little to NO shade so plan your hikes & make sure everyone (especially dogs) stays hydrated & don’t over-​heat! The trails are also full of foxtails, so be advised dog-​parents! Also keep your eyes peeled for the occasional snake.
***NOTE: They also have a secret, second entrance on Laughlin Rd, right next to a small farm/​cemetery, right about where the residential community ends. Go in through the gate onto the dirt path, which will eventually take you to another gate into the park. Parking is not available, so only use this passageway if you’re on foot/​bike/​horseback.

Great trails for running, biking, or hiking. I’ve done all three here! All skill levels can do this loop. Lots of wildlife to see along the way. Fun exercise!

Great trails with great views, gotta love this place. Plenty of parking. Grab a map at the trailhead and pick your route. There are 4 different loops to try and the topographical maps help you decide which one to take. Some are easy enough that we took Cub Scouts and others are better suited for older kids and adults.

2 things I love. Running and being outdoors. And for both of these Brushy Peak is a great place to come.
There are two trails you can take — one directly to the top of the 1,700-foot peak or one slightly longer that goes around it which is a lot less steep. I enjoy my incline Run’s so my favorite is to go directly to the top but on those day’s where I have a less enthusiastic Husband in tow I’m happy to take either. Both are great for Running or Hiking depending on your fitness level and are not too long. If you take the route all the way around it’s 4.4miles with the option to add roughly another 2.
The views are quite impressive, you can see a lot of Livermore. The trail is also Dog friendly but they MUST be kept on a leash. Please don’t be that person that let’s your Dog run free scaring people and pooping all over the place. Not cool.
*TIP* There is almost no shade so remember to wear Sunscreen and keep hydrated.

I come here often due to the fact that it’s right by my house. Most trails have a decent elevation change, so get ready for some leg burners! Overall a nice place to visit.
PROS:
–Virtual ghost town on week days. I might run into 1 or 2 people during my run
–Dog friendly
CONS:
–Literally butts up to the Vasco Road Landfill
–Not a very large park

Like the easy trails here, close to freeway and easy to access. No parking fees! I prefer higher in the mountains for hiking, but to change it up I like this place. Pretty easy for a all fitness levels.

A great place to run some trails. Easy to get to right off of 580 @ Greenville.

Cool place to take the dog and kids. Scenic view. Some wildlife, but a fun hike nonetheless.

It was a beautiful hike during Spring when the hills are green and the weather is cool. Most of the trail is exposed so sunscreen, hat, and water are a good idea. Great for early morning or late afternoon hike to avoid the heat. I would rate the trail as moderate.
Love the history of the peak (the peak is Indian sacred ground) and it makes the hike a lot more interesting and enjoyable. Didn’t see too many people on trail. Saw about 4 hikers and 1 biker. Took the West Side trail and Brushy Peak loop and it returned us to parking lot.
A great nearby hiking spot if you are from the Central or Tri-​Valley area.

Pretty long hike and loop at Brushy Peak, but it was well worth it in the end. At least you won’t need to backtrack, as either direction takes you back to the parking lot. There’s not a whole lot of shade, so even during the fall/​winter months, you should still wear a hat or have sunscreen on. When you get to the top of the hills, you’ll see the Brushy Peak’s summit, although it is not accessible. In addition, there are absolutely wonderful views of the Tri-​Valley! Typically, this hike will take about 60 minutes to complete.

Quickly becoming our new fave place to hike. I love that its a loop and you don’t have to back track. It took us a good 80 mins to hike the loop. Pups loved it. Lots of parking, easy to get to.

A good quick little hike. If you don’t want to make the trek to Mission Peak and Dell Valle is getting old, this is a fun hike to get your nature/​excercise fix.
Shade is very scarce so wear sunscreen and bring a hat. The trail doesn’t exactly go to the top of Brushy peak, but instead circumnavigates the peak, and you walk all the way around it. Clean trail, easy footing, probably about 60 – 70 mintes round trip depending on your fitness level.

Hot, dry and windy, but a good place to go to get away from crowds and there are some interesting birds to see.

Loved this park. Miles of rolling green hills that felt like tele-​tubby land with the shadows of dusk playing in them. The hills are gradual but long. so you can make it as hard or as easy as you want. There were only 2 cars in the staging area (very easy to find) & I didn’t see anyone else on the trails.
Except for the cows, of course. At one point one actually chased me, one lowered his head in chrarge postiion, and one refused to move off the path until I was close enough to sit on him. Totally harmless and kind of cute in a schoolyard bully sort of way. If you act aloof they quickly lose interest and seem only concerned with their part of the hill.
I’ll definently be back. With a kite.

Great views and hikes. You can go around, straight up, find a rock to eat on, take your dogs, or just take a light hike. It’s very quiet. We love to take our dogs up there on the weekends. Just bring plenty of water

I enjoyed my trip to Brushy Peak in Livermore. It was cool to be able to see some of the ancient ponds in the reserve and think about what it looks like when/​if the currently dry streambeds are full. There isn’t a whole lot to see in this park. However, it was neat to see a badger up close and to also traverse the sometimes steep rocky areas keeping one eye looking forward and another looking out for rattle and gopher snakes.
It was great to see so many families and dogs taking advantage of the park. While I will go back to try out different trails, I’ll probably try out the other East Bay parks first.

I’m not a hiker. Yet I had a fabulous time (hiking!) at Brushy Peak the other day.
There are two sides to this 1,700-foot-tall peak: the public-​access side operated by the East Bay Regional Park District (more the south side) and the other side owned by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. I have not been to the EBParks side, but went on a guided ranger tour of the LARPD side. This side of Brushy Peak is accessible only by guided tour. But it’s so worth it to sign up for a hike and go out of your way to do it.
Perhaps I never liked hiking before because I went with friends who only care about going fast and not taking time to look around. Seriously, what’s the point then? Going with two rangers was a totally different story. They know all about the history of the park as well as the natural rock formations, identifying wildflowers, etc. It was really cool. And once again, let me say I had some trepidation before going … being that it was uphill and I’m out of shape.
You do get tired along the way, but it was a fairly gradual uphill, you don’t make a straight line for the top. Some of the coolest stuff was much further down the hill anyway. It’s kind of neat because it’s in the Altamont, so you can hear the motors (are there motors?) in the windmills. I went on a perfect spring day.
Don’t try to find your own way out here, though, at least to the LARPD side because it is closed except for guided tours because of the sensitive nature of the site. If you’d rather check it out on your own, head for the EB Parks side.
This may have just changed my mind about hiking. Maybe.