{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox mountain pass | name = Mission Pass | other_name = Stockton Pass | photo = View from I-680 (2).jpg | photo_caption = Descending from Mission Pass on I-680 northbound | photo_alt = | map = USA California | map_caption = Mission Pass (Alameda County) | map_relief = | map_size = | label = Mission Pass | label_position = bottom | elevation_ft = 662 | elevation_ref = | location = [[Alameda County, California]], [[United States]] | range = [[Diablo Range]] | topo = Midway, California | coordinates = {{coord|37.5602129|N|121.9107914|W|type:pass_region:US-CA_source:228838|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = | traversed = [[Interstate 680 (California)|Interstate 680]] }} '''Mission Pass''', also known as the '''Sunol Grade'''<ref name="historic-spots">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AYMPR6xAj50C&pg=PA8 | first1=Mildred Brooke | last1=Hoover | first2=Hero Eugene | last2=Rensch | first3=Ethel Grace | last3=Rensch | first4=William N. | last4=Abeloe | first5=Douglas E. | last5=Kyle | title=Historic Spots in California | edition=5th | publisher=Stanford University Press | location=Stanford, California | date=2002 | isbn=978-0-8047-4483-6 | page=8}}</ref> and formerly as '''Stockton Pass''', is a gap in the hills of the Mount Hamilton Range in [[Alameda County, California]]. It lies to the northeast of [[Mission San José (California)|Mission San José]], in [[Fremont, California|Fremont]], and leads from there into the [[Sunol Valley]]. Its elevation is {{convert|659|ft|m}} above sea level. Today, [[Interstate 680 (California)|Interstate 680]] traverses this pass.
==History== The first Europeans to cross Mission Pass were the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] explorers [[Pedro Fages]], and Padre [[Juan Crespí]] in 1772. It was later used by Spanish soldiers in their expeditions into the [[San Joaquin Valley]]. It was part of the route of [[El Camino Viejo]] between [[Livermore Valley]] and the Mission San Jose and from the Mission to what is now [[Contra Costa County]]. It was used by later American explorers [[Jedediah Smith]] and [[John Fremont]]. During the early part of the [[California Gold Rush]] it was on the main land route to [[Stockton, California|Stockton]] and the gold fields.<ref name="historic-spots"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Landforms of Alameda County, California]] [[Category:Mountain passes of California]] [[Category:El Camino Viejo]] [[Category:History of Alameda County, California]]
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