Credit: Jenn Perez

Mission Peak is located in the hills of Fremont, California. You may have seen fun snapshots of people hanging off a wooden poll and each other on the edge of the world on Instagram. The GEO tag may even be "Tip Top of Mission Peak." This is the place to go for a one of a kind hiking experience!

Parking

Please plan ahead and park your car at the Ohlone College parking lot. There is very minimal parking available at the Stanford Avenue lot as this is a popular hiking spot and residents have voted on no longer allowing vehicles to park in front of their homes. Please visit ebparks.org/parks/mission for the most up to date information and video of the trail.


What you should know.

• Take a hydration pack. Check to make sure the backpack comes with the bladder or you'll have to buy one separately. They come in different sizes so make sure to choose the size that works best for you. You'll want at minimum two liters of water per person or animal. Don't forget to water your pets! If you're thirsty, then your dog will be thirsty as well. Make sure to follow instructions before and after using the hydration pack. I store mine in the back corner of the freezer so it won't mold.
• Take a hoodie sweater or jacket and a hat. The best time to start this hike is early morning when the weather is still cool. You will want to keep warm at least the first mile if not longer. As the day starts to warm, you'll start to remove layers of clothes but once you reach the peak the climate will most likely change again. It can be cloudy up there so you'll start to get cold again especially if you've been sweating. During the summer it gets very warm in Fremont and there isn't much shade so you'll want to protect yourself with a hat and wear sun block.
• Take snacks or a small lunch. Depending on your personal endurance, this will be a four to five hour hike. You will get hungry so be sure to take some protein and fruit to munch on during break time.
• Wear your activity tracker. If you own a Fitbit, Garmin, Polar, Nike+, Apple, etc watches or bracelets, charge it 100% the night before and take it with you. You'll be breaking records on Mission Peak if you haven't reached 20,000 steps yet. Now is your chance to earn those badges!
• Use the bathroom. There is a restroom at the beginning of the hike and a porter potty about 65% of the way up.
• Go with friends or join a hiking club. Most hikers go to Mission Peak with a group of people so they can help each other when needed. There are some people on their own though so offer help if you see them struggling. Also, some parents enjoy taking small children with them in wagons.
• Biking.  Some people prefer to bike up and down the hill. Watch out for cow manure!
• Update May 2, 2017 Warning: Watch out for rattlesnakes. A man was air lifted to a local hospital from the peak after having been bitten by a rattlesnake. Cell service is spotty so it took a while before he could get help. Story HERE.

My first time there I wore a picnic backpack. I also took too much stuff since I didn't know what to expect and I was exhausted by the time we were half way up.