Gloria Terrace to Lagoons and Alhambra Creek Loop
The hike is a 7.75 mile loop. With a total elevation gain of 1316 feet. This trail includes single track trails that are not marked on normal Briones maps. You begin at the Gloria Terrace entrance along the Blue Oak Trail. At the one mile mark, Blue Oak bears off to the right, but you want to go straight and take a short cut to Spengler Trail known colloquially as the gully trail. You then turn left follow seveal switch backs up to where Spengler connects to Table Top trail, here you turn right as if you were going to Table Top. You will round one bend by an old cement ditch on your left and right after this bend just before the steep part of the road there is a small single track trail to your right. Take this right. This trail runs along the ridge to the Lagoons. About .35 miles you will come to a cross trail also a single track. If you go left up the hill you will climb almost straight up to Briones Peak. If you go right the trail winds down to either Diablo View or the water tank by Spengler Trail. Continue straight, and after a half mile or so you will go through another small green gate. After a .7 miles (beyond the cross trail) the trail exits the forest (a small bench is just to the left) you will come to Maricich Lagoons. Go right on Spengler Trail which quickly drops down to where it T's at Alhambra Creek Trail. Turn left and take Alhambra Creek Trail to the Alhambra Creek Staging Area. From there exit out to Reliez Valley Road and follow the road back to Gloria Terrace entrance.
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