Ohlone hike to Rose Peak

Did this hike as an overnight as I didn’t think I could do 20 miles in one day.

Started at 7AM from the West Del Valle parking lot.  Saw a couple ground of hikers on the way up but they all but once I took the right at the Restricted Area keep out sign on the Rocky Ridge Trail I did not see another person until Rose Peak.

I will note that from the ascent from the valley just past that sign to the Springboard trail is somewhat overgrown single track.  I have my clothes treated with permethrin and I still have to remove 5 ticks from the my pants.  I could saw more on grass that I avoided.  Oddly enough I did not see a single tick on my descent the next day.  Maybe I was just the first hiker on Saturday and they were hungry.  I would still recommend tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants.  Permethrin treating your clothes ain’t a bad idea either.

Aside from the bit of single track mentioned above the rest of the trail is fireroad or OHV type road.  There’s a small single track to Rose peak where I did run into a hiking club coming from the Sunol side of the park. From the peak your can see Mountain View in one direction along with the Hangers at NASA AMES, and Livermore in the other direction.

The scenery is alright, I’m not the biggest fan of Oak Savanna but that might be because I hate ticks.  The loop I did on Greenside road to Stewarts campground and then to get back to the main trail was probably the prettiest portion of the hike.  Lots of rock formations and some coyotes which did keep me up a bit at night. Stewarts campground is very nice except for that fact that there isn’t a level section in it.  And their food locker was pad locked but I brought a bear hang kit.  Maggies half acre wasn’t bad either as I stopped there to grab some more water.

It was a good trip, not sure I would do it again from that direction unless I’m training for another hike, pretty brutal hills.  I would be interested in trying it from the Sunol side.