Sunol Regional Wilderness: Little Yosemite
This hike is fit for families and it is perfect if you want to explore waterfalls that are only a stone’s throw away from where you live in the Bay Area. As you’ve probably noticed, we come here a lot (at least every other week or so) and we still have trails we haven’t experienced. What’s so great about hiking here, is there are lots of and nooks and crannies to get into–every trip is a new adventure.
Little Yosemite is known for its waterfalls and rock scrambling and it’s easy to get to. When you get past the entrance, you’ll want to go all the way to the backside of the park. The gate will be near a bridge.
Going the scenic route brings plenty of stream side fun and exploring
You’ll come up on a little resting area with a pond of water that Gus usually loves to swim and play catch in. Continue hiking on the trail left of the streams. It’s also very shaded and where one of our favorite landmarks “T-rex rapids” is. Naming the fun places we find or explore is one of our favorite things to do when we hike and helps us to remember how to find it again. There will be sections where the trail will clear and you can get back on the fire road, but you can keep on the shaded trails as much as it allow you to. Once you get to the bench resting area, you can head back on the fire road which will lead you to Little Yosemite. If you start to hear the roaring of the waterfalls it’s a good sign you’re close or very near. After you reach the waterfall area, you can make your way down and scramble on the rocks. If you do this, you’ll get to see some secluded waterfall and stream areas. This is a great place to get a snack and explore with the kids.
Roaring waterfalls at Little Yosemite
The hike is about 2 miles round trip depending on how much exploring, rock scrambling, and climbing you do. Bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen as it can get hot here. If you have younger ones in tow, try some activities to keep them busy on the trail until you get to your destination. (Big kids will love to take part, too!) Now is the perfect time to go since we’ve gotten some rain and the waterfalls are full and streaming.
Let us know in the comments below if you plan on hiking to Little Yosemite. If you have done this hike before, what was your favorite part?
