Hiking to Murietta Falls on the Ohlone Trail – Livermore’s Toughest Adventure
Murietta Falls
Ohlone Trail, Lake Del Valle, Livermore, CA.
12.3 mi
Length4,229ft
Elevation Gain7h 59m
Hiking Time⟷
Out & Back
We’ve hiked this trail five times just this year. I guess you could say we’ve got a love-hate relationship with Ohlone Trail. Love the views, hate the uphill grinds—especially when the breeze disappears and the sun decides to flex on you. Shade? Yes. Wind? Not where you need it most. We chose this trail as our training grounds.
We’ve been out here after big rainstorms and also during those sneaky 85-degree days where the sun cooks you like you’re the main course. Each time, we’ve pushed a little farther. For a while, we were stopping at Williams Gulch—a peaceful little creek crossing with a perfect lunch spot. From February through April, water was flowing nicely. By May, that creek was looking a bit… thirsty but still flowing.
But this last trip? We were determined. The ranger said Murietta Falls was flowing, and that was all we needed to hear. Honestly, we weren’t convinced—California has a way of turning “flowing” into “lightly weeping”—but the challenge was set. Also, we didn’t even know about the falls prior to her mention it. Waterfall?! Yesss please!
This time, we took fewer breaks (look at us go!). My legs didn’t scream nearly as loud as usual, probably thanks to the road biking I’ve been doing a few times a week. Gotta say, it’s helping.
As a photographer, I can’t help but stop and admire the little things: the lake views off in the distance, city skylines peeking between tree branches, lone flowers lit up like they’re on stage, and those endless golden hills. My buddies like to mess with me for taking so many photos. One of them even said, “I give you a hard time, but I get it—I just don’t have the eye for it like you do.” Fair enough.
When we got close to the falls, morale dipped. Knees were aching. Spirits were low. There was still one brutal ascent ahead—and we’d have to climb it again on the way back. But I rallied the crew:
“We’re here. Just one more mile. Who knows if we’ll ever come back? Let’s get it done.”
They agreed. So, up we went.
Murietta Falls was… kinda flowing? Let’s just say, if you blinked, you might’ve missed it. Maybe 60–100 feet tall, but just a thin creek trickling down the rocks. Still, we didn’t hike all that way to quit. We skipped the climb down to the bottom and instead found a shaded ledge to take in the view. Ants, mites, tiny spiders—nature’s VIP section.
The hike back? Pure survival mode. Our energy was toast. We passed the same tree where we’d seen a lone cow earlier—this time, it had like 20 friends. We took more breaks than we’d care to admit, chugged water, and mentally checked out every time we saw a steep downhill (my poor left knee was not happy). There were times we didn’t speak for 5 minutes at a time.
But nature wasn’t done showing off. In the last stretch, we saw a dead baby bird, a rattlesnake (coiled up and not in a friendly mood), and a gopher snake just minding its business. Our buddy Rey decided to lead us by swinging his hiking poles left and right. Shaun said, “What’re you blind??” We all laughed. Shaun took over on snake duty after that. Not to mention Rey was the one who almost stepped on the two snakes LOL!
By the time we got to the car, we were completely wrecked. Easily the toughest hike we’ve ever done.
Naturally, we celebrated the only way that made sense:
Taqueria Consuelo.
Burritos for all. I may or may not have added two tacos and a large horchata to my order… Don’t judge me. 😅
Later this year, we’ve got Rae Lakes on the calendar—a 5-day backpacking trip in August 2025. So yeah… I’ve got some training (and weight loss) to do.
And yes—I will be adding a sticker for Murietta Falls to my water bottle. We earned it.
💧 Williams Gulch Creek
- Best source: Usually flowing February through May after rains.
- Located around the midpoint of the hike, it’s a great spot to filter water or take a break.
- Flow slows significantly in late spring and often dries up by summer.
💧 Murietta Falls
Technically a water source, but:
- It’s a seasonal waterfall and often just a trickle (or completely dry) by late spring.
- Water is accessible in the creek at the top or at the base, which is steep and tiring.
- Best visited soon after heavy rainfall for any decent flow.