Iron Horse Regional Trail (Dublin/Pleasanton)

The 32-mile paved trail follows the old Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way from 1891, connecting Dublin and Pleasanton to BART stations, schools, and business centers. Popular with commuters on bikes during weekdays and packed with families, joggers, and dog walkers on weekends—the flat, accessible surface works for strollers and wheelchairs too.

Expect heavy foot traffic through residential neighborhoods and parks, with plenty of street crossings that require attention. Dogs must stay leashed, and parking fills up quickly at popular access points near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. The urban setting means limited shade, so summer mornings or evenings beat the midday heat.