Valley View Loop at Sycamore Grove Park

I made a return trip to Sycamore Grove Park in Livermore, exploring more deeply into the park for this loop, just under 5 miles. It was nice to see a more rugged side of the park.

Detail of the Sycamore Grove Park map

When you park at the Wetmore entrance, you can pick up one of the free maps. One of the "suggested adventures" (the strenuous option) formed the basis of my hike.

I added a loop on the very attractive single-track path that starts off as the Magpie Nature Loop, then I crossed the creek and took Olivina to pick up the recommended route, which takes the Valley View Loop in a clockwise direction.

I liked the majority of this hike a lot. The only part of the hike that I didn't really enjoy was the western side of the Wagon Road Loop, which crossed by some ugly development and underneath electrical high wires. I really liked the single-track path of the Magpie/Creek Trail that paralleled the Arroyo del Valle and the entire portion of the Valley View Loop. Both of these sections of the hike were really, really beautiful.

The LARPD recommended doing the Valley View Loop in a clockwise direction, and I concur.

The slope isn't too steep in either direction, but the climb up the hill was so well graded on the eastern slope, and it was nice to have the stunning views of the further mountains as you descended. After my hike, I drove to the Arroyo Rd. staging area just to see where it was, and I saw a bobcat crossing the road! I got a couple of pictures of it after it climbed a tree, which you can see right at the end of the gallery.