Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

Shadow Cliffs, about a mile from downtown Pleasanton on Stanley Boulevard, began as a gravel quarry that Kaiser Industries donated to the Park District; it opened as a park in 1971, and the land's value helped win a federal matching grant to develop it. Today the park centers on an 80-acre lake with a swimming beach, bathhouse, and refreshment stand, plus an arroyo with a chain of smaller lakes and shady ponds where swimming and boating are not allowed. The swim area is scheduled to reopen for the 2027 season and, when it is open, stops admitting new swimmers once it reaches capacity.

Trout and catfish are planted weekly in season, and anglers also catch bluegill and black bass; fishing requires both a state license and a daily District permit. Boats up to 17 feet with electric motors only may launch after a mandatory invasive-mussel inspection, and the marina building in the third parking lot rents watercraft and sells bait and snacks. Waterbirds gather in the quieter back lakes, and an interpretive pavilion completed in 2022, with a relief map of the park, marks the start of the Levee and Arroyo trails.

Solar carports installed in 2017 shade the parking lots and generate enough power to offset nearly all of the Park District's electricity use. The level, paved Lake Trail, an accessible fishing pier, and free beach wheelchairs make the park easy to visit for people with limited mobility. Alcohol is not allowed, and LAVTA WHEELS route 10 stops at the park daily.