Hiking Pleasanton – Pleasanton Sports Park

After the non-stop feasting I enjoyed during the holidays (I don’t want to see another piece of pumpkin pie EVER), I decided to visit one of my favorite places to hike in Pleasanton… the Pleasanton Sports Park. It’s a huge park with a great walking trail, baseball, soccer and football fields, a volleyball court, two tot lots, benches for sitting and enjoying the view, picnic areas, and even a skate park.

The 2.15 mile walking loop circles the park and is entirely flat, so it’s great for beginners, families with small children or anyone who is looking for a nice stroll without having to deal with hills. If you like to let your dog off leash, this is a great place to go (shhhh, don’t tell the city I said that). Actually, you are not “allowed” to have your dog off leash but if you go there during the day on weekdays, there aren’t too many people around and there are wide open fields for you and your dog to run. Please be sure to clean up after you dog. The wide open fields are also great for any other activity you like that requires space (Frisbee anyone?).

There are almost always other people in the park. The variety of people, from older folks out for a walk, to young children playing on the tot lots, and everything in between makes it a fun place to go. There’s a fairly good chance you’ll run into someone you know if you live in Pleasanton.

The park can be VERY BUSY when there are sporting activities going on, which is week nights once school is out and on weekends, March through November. It is kind of fun to see all of the kids playing little league, soccer, and youth football during these times, but if you’re looking for a quiet walk, avoid those times. Otherwise, during the day on weekdays, the park is very quiet and a very nice place to walk and enjoy the open air. The park is closed to sporting activities November through February but but is otherwise open.

There are a couple of places in the park where a sidewalk cuts across the park, which can shorten your walk if you don’t want to go the full 2.15 miles.

The park can be accessed from several places but the main entrance is off Parkside Drive, which is off Hopyard Road, between Valley Ave. and W. Las Positas. There is plenty of parking in the park. You can get a map of the park here.

The Sports Park is another jewel in Pleasanton’s cap. We are very fortunate to have so many great parks and open spaces within the city.