Dog-friendly Acalanes Ridge

Acalanes Ridge

Lafayette, California 94549
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Local Phone: (925) 228-5460
E-mail: info@jmlt.org

Acalane Ridge logo

While the 23-acre Acalanes Ridge is physically small compared to other John Muir Land Trust properties, it is of exponential importance to those who live in the community and enjoy its scenery, trails and sweeping views of the region.

The land is located within the boundaries of the City of Lafayette, and encompasses a scenic ridgeline visible from Lafayette, Walnut Creek, the Highway 24 corridor and beyond.

Acalanes Ridge is accessible for day use via several trails, including the regional trail between Briones Regional Park and Mount Diablo State Park.

Hikers reaching the 781-foot summit of this sky-reaching open space will find a 360-degree panorama of the Livermore foothills, Mt. Diablo, Suisun Bay, the Carquinez Strait, Briones Regional Park, the Oakland Hills and Las Trampas Regional Park.

The property’s location adjacent to Acalanes Ridge Open Space (AROS) offers trail connectors to that recreational area’s popular trail system as well.

Acalanes Ridge dog

Dogs are welcome on the trails, but they won’t be the only animals in the area! Acalanes Ridge provides suitable habitat for a variety of wildlife including deer, fox, coyote, mountain lion, raptors and a variety of reptiles. Please keep dogs from approaching wildlife.

Getting to Acalanes Ridge:

From Martinez: Head south on I-680. Merge onto Highway 24W and take the exit for Pleasant Hill Road. Make a right on Stanley Blvd. Stanley Blvd. becomes Springbrook Road. Make a left on Bacon Way and another left on Bacon Court. Make a left on Peaceful Lane and park at the end of the road.

From I-580: Head east on Highway 24 and merge onto I-680 south. Keep left and follow the signs for Mount Diablo Blvd. Make a left on Camino Diablo. Make a right on Springbrook Road. Make a right on Bacon Way and a left on Bacon Court. Make a left on Peaceful Lane and park in the lot at the end of the road.

Help us keep these trails beautiful and dog-friendly:
• Always follow the posted rules as they may have changed
• If in off-leash area, keep your dog under voice command
• Respect and protect wildlife and habitats
• Pack in and pack out, leaving only paw prints

John Muir Land Trust West Hills Farm
John Muir Land Trust West Hills Farm
John Muir might be most famous for his conservation efforts in the Yosemite region, but he wrote and raised a family in the East Bay community near Concord and cherished the rolling landscapes. The John Muir Land Trust was created 30 years ago to protect a growing collage of ranches, farms, parks and shorelines that total more than 2,500 open-space acres in Contra Costa County, all open to the public for recreation and education. more »
Sunol Regional Wilderness. Photo Credit: @rufiosf
Sunol Regional Wilderness. Photo Credit: @rufiosf
Don’t come to Oakland or the Tri-Valley without your hiking shoes! You’ll need them, along with a leash, to explore open-space preserves more »
Dog hiking Acalanes Ridge
Axel hiking Acalanes Ridge. Photo Credit: Karen Booth, JMLT staff
Be grateful for the folks behind the John Muir Land Trust—and consider donating to the Saving Contra Costa campaign if you can. This 25-year-old organization devoted to outdoor recreation and preservation of open space manages 11 properties comprising more than 2,000 acres of classic East Bay hills, ranches, streams and shoreline saved from development and offering multi-use trails for hiking, cycling, horses and dogs.

If Daisy stays close and has a reliable recall, she’s welcome to accompany you off-leash as you take in an intoxicating dose of fresh air. Some JMLT properties are diminutive (Acalanes Ridge above Lafayette, for example, comprises just 23 acres), while the Franklin Canyon-Fernandez Ranch complex in the Martinez-Hercules areas sprawls over 1,185 acres of permanently protected open space. more »
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