Hiking in Pleasanton - Marilyn Murphy Kane Trail/Bernal Community Park

With this post, I kick off a series on the best hikes in Pleasanton. In addition to all our wonderful neighborhoods, Pleasanton has a wide variety of parks and hiking trails to satisfy everyone, from a leisurely evening stroll with the dog to a strenuous hike up the Pleasanton Ridge. I will cover our community parks, arroyos, Pleasanton Ridge and other community trails.

The newest hiking trail in Pleasanton is the Marilyn Murphy Kane Trail (MMCT), which is part of a trail that circles the entirety of the Bernal property, bordered by Bernal Ave. to the north and east, Arroyo de la Laguna to the west and Castlewood Country Club to the south. The trail meanders amongst oak trees, along arroyos and through the Bernal Community Park, providing opportunities for scenic reflections, striking views of the Pleasanton Ridge, and family fun.

While there are a number of places to connect with the trail, the MMCT begins at 3200 West Lagoon Rd., on the south side of Bernal Ave. From the parking lot, the trail, which is approximately 1.8 miles long, heads south along the east side of Arroyo de la Laguna. Along the way, there are three vista points with benches where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful views of the arroyo and Pleasanton Ridge, or watch the squirrels and birds play in the oak trees.

After about a mile, the trail turns east, just north of Castlewood County Club. From there you can cross over to the Bernal Trail (with great views of the Castlewood CC golf course) or continue on the MMCT to the Bernal Community Park entrance. At the Community Park, you will find a playground for tots and two lighted baseball fields, another great place to sit and enjoy the views of the ridge and surrounding park. Continuing on under the 680 Freeway brings you to Valley Ave. and the end of the Marilyn Murphy Kane Trail.

You can turn around and head back anywhere you like along the trail, walk into or through the Walnut Hills neighborhood, or continue on the Bernal Trail to Bernal Ave. If you continue on to Bernal Ave., you will see Pleasanton Middle School and Phoebe Hearst Elementary School on your right. Once you reach Bernal Ave., follow it west, back to West Lagoon Rd. and the parking lot. I suggest you cross over to the north side of Bernal once you reach Valley Ave., because there is no sidewalk or trail west of Valley on Bernal. Be careful of the traffic on Bernal Ave. The entire loop covers nearly 4 miles.

It’s exciting to think of how magnificent the Bernal Community Park will be once all the amenities are completed. Currently, there is only the MMC Trail, a tot playground and two baseball fields, and already it is one of the best hikes in Pleasanton.

The multi-use MMCT is 12 feet wide, 10 feet of asphalt and 2 feet of crushed gravel path. The rest of the loop is on asphalt, dirt, or cement. The entire hike is flat, which is perfect for anyone wanting a relaxing scenic hike or enjoyable family outing with small children. For those wanting a more strenuous hike, head out to the Augustin Bernal Park on Pleasanton Ridge, which will be the next hike covered in this series.

For a map of the MMCT, visit the Pleasanton Weekly

The City of Pleasanton publishes a map of trails in town, although it does not yet include the MMCT, Pleasanton Regional Park or any of the trails within our many community parks (the community parks are shown).