Ed Levin to Mission Peak: 11.8 Mi Difficult Hike

WAIVER: For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile):
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/

CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.

Level: Difficult
Ascent: 2923 ft
Distance: 11.7 miles
Time: 6 hours
Official Trail use: No Dogs.

Parking fee: $6

Shade: Don't forget your sunhat for your own personal shade. Shade does not matter if you have your sunhat. I never leave home without it.

Facilities There are water and a toilet near the trail head, which is on the east side of the parking area.

PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO GO BEFORE YOU ARRIVE SO WE CAN START ON TIME.

Recommended Maps:

Ed Levin:

http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Documents/EdLevinGuideMap.pdf

Mission Peak:

http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Mission+Peak+map.pdf

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

• Please use the Google Maps link above to familiarize yourself with the trip and explore various route options from your home. Zoom in all the way.

• The GPS locations below and the map link above are accurate enough to find us by looking around with your eyes when you get there.

(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:

37°27'27.6"N 121°51'47.9"W

(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:

37.457660,-121.863312

Nearest Street Address:

901 Monument Peak Rd, Milpitas, CA 95035

The Google Waze app will route around "restricted access" roads, unlike the Google Maps app, using the same map data as Google Maps. Therefore, Waze is recommended over the Google Maps app for your phone.

If you have the Waze app installed on your phone, click this URL:

http://waze.to/?ll=37.457660,-121.863312&navigate=yes (http://waze.to/?ll=48.149491,17.108636&navigate=yes)

Just click it. It will open Waze and start navigating to the trail head.

• As always, it is good practice to confirm the night before that any app you use takes you to where you expect by comparing the destination with what is posted above on your PC/Mac.

• Most street addresses provided are approximate, and may be up to a couple of miles from the hike location. Use GPS coordinates when driving, if possible.

Parking:

Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking, and walk to the trail head.

Carpooling: We will use this link for carpooling:

https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/8jrmfq

Please sign up here.

CARPOOLING MANNERS:

Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.

Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.

Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.

Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".

Thank you for understanding.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Explore the high ground on the border of Alameda and Santa Clara counties via this aerobic route, which uses the Tularcitos, Agua Caliente, and Monument Peak trails, and you will be rewarded with great views and the chance to spot aerial hunters such as hawks, falcons , and even golden eagles. Open grasslands dominate here, but you also cross wooded canyons holding Calera and Scott creeks.

FACILITIES/ TRAILHEAD:

There are picnic tables, restrooms, and water beside the parking area. There is a phone beside a locked gate about 0.3 mile back on Downing Road. The trailhead is at the end of Downing Road, about 100 yards northeast of the parking area.

HIKING DIRECTIONS:

You climb east 0.2 miles to a junction on the Tularcitos Trail, a dirt road closed to bicycles and dogs.

Turing left, to enter Agua Caliente trail for 0.5 miles for a junction with Launch Site Road. Straight for 0.7 miles for a junction with Monument Peak trail on the right. Turn right, and head to Monument Peak Road.

Continue straight for about 300 ft, for a junction with Monument Peak Road. Cross the road staying on Monument Peak trail for 1.5 miles to arrive at junction with a trial on your right. Stay to the left on Monument Peak trail for 0.9 miles to arrive at a four way junction with Weller road. Cross Weller road and pass a junction on your left after 0.5 miles.

After another 0.5 miles cross other end of Weller road as it loop around. After 0.2 miles pass a trail on your left.

After 0.4 miles, enter Eagle Loop trail turning to the left for 0.2 miles for a junction with a short 300 ft connector trail to Horses Heaven trail.

Stay to the right on Horses Heaven trail to reach the Mission Peak Summit in 0.3 miles.

Now retrace your steps back to the starting point.

PLEASE READ THE EVENT DESCRIPTION ABOVE BEFORE POSTING A MESSAGE.