Rockville Hills Regional Park might be one of the best-kept secrets in the Solano area. In fact, even after living around here for 8 months, I only recently discovered it.
About:
Rockville Hills Regional Park is a 633-acre park in the city of Fairfield, Solano County, California. It’s known for its volcanic rocks, thin topsoil, and blue oak trees.
- It’s open year-round from sunrise to sunset. It does cost $3 to enter the park.
- Dogs are permitted but must remain on a leash.
History:
In the 1960s, the park was originally planned to be a golf course. They decided to make it into a regional park instead. Then in In 2012, 200 oak and manzanita trees were removed at the park to prevent fires. In 2015 Rockville Hills Regional Park was even reported to be one of the best mountain biking spots in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What can you do at Rockville Hills Regional Park?
There are 5 main trails in Rockville Hills Regional Park. They range from 2.4 to 6.6 miles, and some of the steepest trails have 500 feet of elevation gain per mile. You can see a full trail map here. There is a mix of rocky and technical terrain as well as some paved paths. It has something for everyone, but I would definitely wear sturdy hiking or trail shoe. I found the Saucony Peregrine ST to be a great fit for me.
You can hike, mountain bike, run, and there are even designated camping spots. Rockville Hills Regional Park is also home to cows, birds, deer, fox, waterfowl, hawks, or bobcats. I saw plenty of birds but nothing else.
My experience at Rockville Hills Regional Park:
I’ve been a couple of times to explore most of the park. You can get about 8-10 miles with some overlap.
I started on the Lower Tilley Trail near the parking lot. It’s fairly rocky initially, and I wondered if it would be like this the entire time. Around .4 from the parking lot, there is a giant rock formation, and I spent some time figuring out where the trial went. Finally, I made it up on the main path and found my way to the Quarry Trail, Rock Garden, and Arch Trail. I was pleasantly surprised with all of the views of the Napa-Solano area, you can see for miles. The main path is mostly paved and climbs almost 500 feet. It’s never too steep or unmanageable, but you do get elevation.
From there, I’ve found the Cave trail, the “unknown trail,” Lake Trail, and many more offshoots. Each of the offshoots get back to technical, singletrack, and rocky terrain. None of them are more than a mile long. The easiest, by far, is the main trail. But, the most scenic trails are the offshoots at the top. If you plan to go, I suggest making time for at least 4 miles so you can see some of the views towards the top. My favorite was towards the lake, where I could see parts of Napa.
Rockville Hills Regional Park Conclusion:
This park is definitely worth your while. While it is technical, it’s beautiful, and you’ll find views across the entire valley. It was fairly quiet as well. I can see why Rockville Hills Regional Park is a well-hidden secret in the area. If you’re looking for miles of smooth, well-groomed trails, this probably isn’t the best fit for you. If you’re looking for a mixture of technical and smooth with plenty of views, it’s a great option.
You can see more hiking and trail running here.
Questions for you:
What is your favorite local park?
Have you been to Rockville Hills Regional Park?