Sunol: take a hike, ride a train, and sip some wine in the southern east bay

Sunset, May, 2007 by Joanna Corman

A QUIET GREEN OASIS edged by more green, and more quiet, Sunol Regional Wilderness is perfect for a spring leg-stretcher to reacquaint yourself with the tonic of nature. The Canyon View Trail cuts through the 6,858-acre park, passing oak-studded meadows sprinkled with rocky outcroppings and bursts of wild-flowers. Watch for golden eagles along Alameda Creek. After a hike, head to downtown Sunol a few miles away to browse in the shops, dine with the locals, and sample wines.

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GO Sunol Regional Wilderness Share the Canyon View Trail with grazing cows as you make your way toward Little Yosemite, which is aptly named for its scenic gorge, rushing waters, and towering boulders. INFO: $5 parking; access the easy 1.39-mile out-and-back trail from the visitor center off Geary Rd.; www.ebparks.org or 925/862-2601.

SIP Elliston Vineyards Stroll through the 19th-century blue sandstone mansion and its small garden, then sample Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. INFO: 11-5 Sat-Sun; free; 463 Kilkare Rd.; www.elliston.com or 925/862-2377.

EAT Sunol Coffee House and Cafe Fuel up on pancakes and sandwiches, and watch trains lumber past. INFO: $; 11882 Main St.; 925/862-2914.

Bosco's Bones & Brew Town mascot Bosco, a Labrador-rottweiler mix, beat two other (human) candidates in a 1981 campaign for mayor. Ask the bartender for the tale as you watch a pint being poured from the life-size Bosco replica on the bar. Linger for lunch or dinner; choices include sandwiches, pasta, and seafood. INFO: $$; closed Mon; 11922 Main St.; 925/862-0821.

SHOP Whistle Stop Antiques Offers 17 rambling rooms of antiques and collectibles in a converted mercantile that once housed railroad workers. INFO: Closed Mon; 11853 Main St.; 925/862-9901.

Getting there

Sunol is 1 mile west of I-680 on Niles Canyon Rd./State 84, 6 miles northeast of Fremont. The main business district is centered around Main St. and Kilkare Rd. Sunol Regional Wilderness is 4 1/2 miles southeast of I-680; exit Calaveras Rd./State 84 and head south on Calaveras Rd. to Geary Rd. The park entrance is at the end of Geary Rd.

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Hop on the train

Study the wildflower-covered hills from a seat on the Niles Canyon Railway on a one-hour round-trip through Niles Canyon. From the Sunol depot, the steam or antique diesel trains follow the original route of the transcontinental railroad to Fremont and back (10:30 a.m., 12, 1:30, and 3 p.m. every Sun in May; $10, $5 ages 3-12; 6 Kilkare Rd.; www.ncry.org or 925/ 862-9063). This month, special wine-tasting trains depart from Sunol (12, 1:30, and 3 p.m. May 6,13, and 27; $10) and offer sips of local wines.