Mission Peak
| Mission Peak | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,520 ft (768 m) NAVD 88 |
| Coordinates | 37°30′45″N 121°52′50″W / 37.5124365°N 121.8805126°WCoordinates: 37°30′45″N 121°52′50″W / 37.5124365°N 121.8805126°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Alameda County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | California Coast Range |
| Topo map | USGS Niles |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Peak Trail or Hidden Valley Trail |
Mission Peak Regional Preserve is a public park east of Fremont, California, operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. It is the northern summit on a ridge that includes Mount Allison and Monument Peak. Mission Peak has symbolic importance, and is depicted on the logo of the City of Fremont.
This park borders and overlooks Silicon Valley, and is popular with local hikers, bicyclists, sightseers from the Bay Area, and tourists from beyond for its vista and strenuous climb. The "Mission Peeker" marker pole at the summit is the most famous and geo-tagged landmark in the City of Fremont: a stream of sightseers takes photographs alongside the landmark. The Stanford Avenue entrance receives up to two thousand visitors per day on weekends. Visitor numbers surged after 2010, and it is the most popular attraction in Fremont.
A full six-mile (10 km) round-trip ascent on a popular trail takes two to five hours for walkers, one to one-and-a-half hours for bicyclists and runners. Difficulty with the midday sun, such as dehydration, is not uncommon. Guidelines recommend carrying two liters of water per person, extra water for dogs, and sun protection. Signs prohibit off-trail shortcuts which can cause erosion, and some shortcuts have barbed wire fencing to reduce trespassing.
Three trails climb the mountain's northern and western faces. The Hidden Valley Trail which draws the lion's share of visitors and the Peak Meadow Trail both ascend the western face from Stanford Avenue. They have an elevation change of 2,100 ft (640 m), with panoramic views of the Bay Area but are sun exposed with little shade. The Stanford Avenue entrance has water and restrooms. No food, water bottles or supplies are sold at the park. The Park District is directing visitors to the Peak Trail which starts at Ohlone College. This has an elevation change of 2,100 ft (640 m), and is 10% longer than the Hidden Valley Trail. The Peak Trail (Ohlone College) entrance has restrooms but no water.
Paid (though free on Sunday) parking at Ohlone College is not congested, nor are the miles-long pedestrian trails inside the park proper. Most access the park from one of two nearby freeways, 680 and 880. A BART station scheduled for completion in 2016 is under construction nearby at Warm Springs as part of the Silicon Valley BART extension, and AC Transit buses offer service to Ohlone College and the intersection of Mission Blvd. and Stanford Avenue from Fremont BART.
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