Springtime is one of the most glorious times on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. Oak trees and wildflowers make profuse and colorful displays. This April hike took us to Schlieper Rock and then Murietta Falls, on the high ridgeline which runs south of Livermore. The hike is strenuous. After a steep climb up from Del Valle Reservoir to Rocky Ridge, you drop down 500′ and then hike back up 1500′ to near the crest. Schlieper Rock is a small outcropping overlooking Williams Gulch and makes a nice picnic spot and rest after the climb.
Murietta Falls is seasonal and only has water in winter after the rains. We’d hoped to see it in full force, but even by late April it had slowed to a trickle.
Hiking recommendation: Ohlone Wilderness Trail (strenuous, permit required)
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