As summer approaches the weather calls for hiking and rolling on the trails while soaking up the bright sunshine. As we have a wheelchair-accessible person in our family we always try to go for short and accessible hikes as a family activity. This time we thought of attempting the hidden valley trail of  Mission Peak regional reserve. We knew we might cover about a mile but wanted to check out to what extent it is wheelchair accessible.

Mission Peak is one of the finest hikes in the Bay Area. It is a very beautiful country hike through the hidden valley trail in the midst of the city with a stunning view of the whole Bay Area from the top. The view changes depending on the time of the year. In spring you can enjoy the lush green surrounding whereas in fall you can enjoy the beautiful fall colors from the top. The rolling pastures with grazing cows, wild turkeys, and ground squirrels look very nice. You can also visit during sunset for a magnificent view.

The hike to the top is around 3 miles. There are two staging areas from where you can start the hike/roll—Stanford Ave and Ohlone College. Stanford Avenue is the main one and there is a parking lot there which gets full very early in the morning. There are a couple of Handicapped Parking Spots in this parking area.

The hike begins through a swinging gate on the Hidden Valley Trail. This trail is broad and comfortable at this point for wheelchair users to roll. There are six benches along the route to the peak, giving you a chance to rest and enjoy the view along the way. For the first 0.3 miles, the trail is flat and is relatively easy for a wheelchair to roll. After crossing the cattle gate it starts to ascent but it is still doable for a wheelchair user with a little push. The first bench is at 0.75 miles and has a view of the beautiful San Francisco Bay. Wheelchair users can either stop at this point or they can try to get up to the 1.5-mile mark slowly with some help. At this point, you have reached the third bench. This is a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the view. From this point, wheelchair users can take the loop and start their descent to Stanford Ave. The downslope is fairly easy but need to be very careful with the speed as the wheelchair might topple.

Hikers who plan to summit the peak may continue. There is a restroom at 2.6 miles and then to reach the peak It’s a steep gravel incline. The summit has beautiful 360 degrees views 

♿️ Wheelchair Accessibility ♿️

  • There is wheelchair-accessible parking in the parking lot
  • Make sure to use the accessible bathroom before you start
  • There are dirt and gravel on the road for which you need to be careful
  • You can also use a powered wheelchair if you are only interested in experiencing the view
  • Carry more than 2 gallons of water to stay hydrated
  • Cross the cattle gate very carefully as it has a lot of space in between. Better to go backward on a wheelchair so that the larger wheels are used to negotiate