Author: Sharon Bone

Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail, Top Four RT Routes

Learn more about the Ridge Trail’s work to complete the Carquinez Strait Scenic Loop Trail. 

Top 4 Ridge Trail Routes in Vallejo, Benicia, Crockett Hills, and Mount Wanda

1. Vallejo Benicia Waterfront Trail
From: Benicia State Recreation Area
To: Benicia Point at F Street and Carquinez Bridge Overlook Trail
Mileage: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 350 feet
Why we love it: A family-friendly trail for all ages and abilities through historic Vallejo and Benicia.
Description: Take a trip through Mexican and early California history on two routes that follow the Carquinez Strait waterfront through the thriving towns of Benicia and Vallejo. Enjoy brisk breezes and occasional fog as you watch the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers funnel into San Francisco Bay. This route travels mostly level trails, including sidewalks, paved and unpaved trails, and foot paths.
Resources:
Download Vallejo Benicia Waterfront Map
Learn more about activities in Benicia
Restaurants in Benicia on or near the Ridge Trail

2. Contra Costa: Crockett Hills Regional Park
From: Crockett Ranch Staging Area
To: Highway 4 (no outlet to Highway 4)
Mileage: 5 miles one way
Difficulty: Moderate
Total Elevation Gain: 1,250 feet
Why we love it: An incredible multi-use trail that provides the 360 degree views that make the Ridge Trail unique.
Description: Climb to high grasslands for East Bay views from Carquinez Strait west to Mt. Tamalpais and north to Hood Mountain and Bald Mountain on 3 miles of new, improved singletrack Ridge Trail. Great views and quiet wooded canyon.
Resources:
Download Crockett Hills Regional Park Map
Learn more about Crockett Hills Regional Park
Restaurants near Crockett Hills Regional Park

3. Contra Costa: Martinez City Streets to Mount Wanda
From: Franklin Canyon Road and Alhambra Avenue
To: Mount Wanda
Mileage: 4.1 miles one way, 2.8 miles to John Muir National Historic Site
Difficulty: Difficult, Moderate if only hiking to John Muir National Historic Site
Total Elevation Gain: 800 feet
Why we love it: Take a hike or bike ride starting in an urban area and end surrounded by wildlife high above the city.
Description: The Hulet Hornbeck Trail leads you through the Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline which comprises 1,415 acres of bluffs and provides a gateway to the river delta region along the northern edge of Contra Costa county. Stop along the trail between the Regional Shoreline and Mt Wanda on the north side of Highway 4 at the John Muir National Historic Site where the writer worked, wrote and raised his family. The ascent to Mount Wanda is a short, but unrelentingly upward trip, with an elevation gain of 460 feet which leads you to vast views of Carquinez Strait and surrounding hills from a hilltop often visited by John Muir and his daughters.
Resources:
Download Martinez City Streets to Mount Wanda Map
Learn more about activities and recreation in Martinez
Restaurants in Martinez and near Mount Wanda

4. Bridge to Bridge Bike Loop
Suggested Start: Benicia Point area, 1st street and East B Street
Suggested Direction: Clockwise
Mileage: 24 miles
Difficulty: Hard
Total Elevation Gain: 1500’
Why we love it:  Experience the Carquinez Strait by riding over it twice! Great views and diversity of terrain for strong riders.
Description: Explore both sides of the Carquinez Strait on this mix of road and pathways connecting both bridges and shorelines for a full 360 degree experience. We suggest starting at Benicia Point area and fueling up at One House Bakery or Java Point Cafe. Your adventure should go clockwise from there to cross the Benicia – Martinez Bridge. While on the bridge, enjoy the views of Suisun Bay to the East and the rest of your route along the strait to the West. Roll through industrial and historic Martinez before winding along the Carquinez Scenic Drive with great views throughout. Take a break at The Warehouse Cafe in Port Costa before continuing through the diverse rolling grassland and forest. Make your final crossing over the strait along the Carquinez Bridge as you feel the breeze blowing in from the bay. Complete your journey through Benicia State Recreation area and look for wildlife in the scenic marshlands. Top off the end of your adventure in Benicia with great eateries like Lucca’s Bar & Grill or Bella Siena.

Resources:
Download Bridge to Bridge Bike Loop Map
Outer Spatial Mobile Map: Coming Soon

Food and Drink:
Lucca’s Bar & Grill
Bella Siena
One House Bakery
Java Point Cafe
The Warehouse Cafe
The Dead Fish Restaurant 

BART to Trails in San José

Take BART to the new Berryessa station to get on the Ridge Trail

Imagine getting off a BART train in an urban center and immediately stepping onto a trail that leads to sweeping views on the ridgelines overlooking San José. Well, this is now a reality with the opening of the Berryessa BART station in North San José on June 13, 2020.

“San José is a leader in the integration of trails in the urban environment. The new Berryessa Station offers a regional gateway for residents to travel through our dense urban city to reach Alum Rock Park and the wild, natural California open spaces it offers.” – Yves Zsutty, City of San José Trail Manager, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services

Alongside the BART opening, the Ridge Trail will be hosting a Virtual Dedication of .7 miles of new trail.  This will close a critical trail gap from the urban Penitencia Creek Trail–through rugged Alum Rock Park to the serpentine landscape of Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve–connecting an additional 2,300 acres of protected open space.

The Valley Transportation Authority recognizes “the importance of providing BARTable transit to trails experiences and improving county-wide mobility and enhancing safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.” With an estimated daily ridership of 12,000 and nearly 30,000 residents within a ½ mile radius, this project has the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of people each year, connecting the public to the outstanding network of trails, parks, and open space in Santa Clara County.

“I am thrilled with the opening of the Ridge Trail connection located at the new Berryessa BART station,” says Mayor Sam Liccardo. “I’d like to thank the City of San Jose’s Trail Program and the Bay Area Ridge Trail for their work on this project, which will allow people from all over the Bay Area to access San Jose’s beautiful trails and parks.”

Explore this part of the Ridge Trail and you’ll first reach the 163-acre Penitencia Creek Gardens featuring a nature center and picnic grounds. After a very small gap, the Ridge Trail continues through historic Alum Rock Park, nestled in a steep canyon in the foothills of the Diablo Range – a natural beauty great for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding and picnicking. The Sierra Vista preserve in the Eastern foothills of Santa Clara County offers sweeping views of the Valley and the opportunity to stroll through diverse landscapes including oak woodlands, rolling grassland, and chaparral communities.

With funding from the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority’s Urban Open Space Program, Rails to Trails, and Ridge Trail donors (thank you!), we’ve worked with the Valley Transportation Authority and the City of San José’s Trail Program to create:

  • Wayfinding signs around the station, leading people to local parks (and beyond to the ridge) via the Ridge Trail
  • Interpretive panels that include an overview map and highlight the benefits of trails and transportation
  • Hosted trail outings (offered in Spanish and English) to introduce people to the Ridge Trail

More info:

Ridge Trail & SF Slow Street Combos

Eileen’s Ridge Trail & SF “Slow Street” Combination Picks

Several counties in the Bay Area have started “Slow Street” programs where they are closing streets to thru-traffic. Some of these streets intersect with the Ridge Trail for wonderful combination itineraries that are especially good for social-distancing. Please pick an itinerary that is closest to your home and follow your county’s guidelines. Be sure to download maps before you go!

Eileen Morris is the Ridge Trail’s Development Director and shares her favorite Ridge Trail and “Slow Street” combinations in San Francisco. Enjoy!

1. The Presidio Loop
Why I love it:  In the middle of a busy city, it’s great to find a place where you can experience charm, seclusion, natural wonders, and historic and cultural variety. I love the stunning views. The interpretive panels throughout the Presidio provide interesting information about local natural and cultural history. I love learning about my city!

How: Hike or bike
County: San Francisco
When Open: Saturdays in May 10am-4pm
Description: Wooded, great views, art installations
Parking and driving: If starting at Arguello, there is street parking outside the gate. If you’d like to park in the Presidio, you can enter through the Arguello gate and park near the promenade. Parking in Presidio is by paid kiosk.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Mileage: 4 to 5 miles, with many ways to make shorter or longer.
Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 to 400 feet

Suggested route:
Start in the Presidio near the Arguello gate and begin on the Ridge Trail just south of the Presidio Golf Course Clubhouse parking lot entrance. (Note: you can cross the road, before starting this itinerary for a quick peek of the view at Inspiration Point.) Once on Ridge Trail, walk past Andy Goldsworthy’s Spire until you come to Washington Blvd. Take a left onto Washington. Follow Washington (the road changes names a couple times) until you hit Park Blvd. Complete the “Presidio Loop.” If not on bike, you also have the option of short-cutting part of Washington Blvd. to see the National Cemetery Overlook.

Eileen’s Fave Food Picks:
* Ariscault Bakery on Park Presidio arguably has the best croissants in the Bay Area. Soooo buttery. Soooo Flaky.  Due to Covid, they have limited hours so be sure to check their answering machine first (415) 750-9460. As of today (5/20/20) they are open Friday-Sunday 8am-3pm.
* If you are going through the Inner Sunset on your way home, grab a New York-style pizza at Pasquale’s. I grew up on the east coast and don’t take the term NY-Style lightly.

Ridge Trail Presidio Map
Presidio’s Slow Street Loop Info
Presidio Trail Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

2. Twin Peaks
Why I love it: The top has stunning views and it’s in my backyard. Also, I love knowing that the Ridge Trail will eventually connect Twin Peaks to Mount Sutro, Golden Gate Park and the Presidio with the Ridge Trail’s project to re-route the trail into our iconic green spaces.

County: San Francisco
Description: Exposed, iconic city views. Lots of stairs, if desired. (Can also be avoided if stairs are not your thing.)
Parking and driving: Street Parking
South of Twin Peaks street parking:
Option 1: From Portola Drive turn north onto Glenview Drive. Park in the Portola Drive cul-de-sac or go further up Glenview or Sunview drives.
Option 2: From Portola turn on to Twin Peaks Blvd. Take a left on Panorama Drive and park in this neighborhood. If you would like to shorten your hike, you can park at the end of Midcrest Way. There is a trail entrance at the end of the road.
North of Twin Peaks street parking:
Option 1: Burnett Ave. or surrounding neighborhood streets.
Option 2. Clarendon Ave.
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
How: Hike or Bike
Mileage: 2 miles or less round trip from either side.
Elevation gain: Approximately 300 feet

Suggested route:
Start at either end of Twin Peaks Blvd. Hike or bike or skate to the peak. The top has just been repaved!

Eileen’s Fave Food Picks:
South Side:
* Molly Stones at “Tower Records” on Portola has made-to-order deli sandwiches and other prepared and fine foods.
* Tower Burger: Has yummy Niman Ranch burgers, veggie burgers, and fish and chips.
North Side:
* The pickings are slim on the north side for grab-and-go food. If you are starting near the Castro, Dinosaurs on Market and 16th has amazing banh mi. It’s worth going out of your way. My Fave? Shaking Beef!

Ridge Trail Map
SFMTA Slow Streets Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

 

In Loving Memory: Phil Arnold

The Ridge Trail family and the entire Bay Area parks and recreation community mourn the loss of open space advocate and former Ridge Trail Council Board Chair Phil Arnold. Phil, 74, died in San Francisco on Sept 6 after a yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Monique Zmuda; brother, Steve Arnold, sister-in-law Carol, and nieces Kristina and Melia; son Daniel Arnold, daughter-in-law Ashley and grandson Sage; son Paul Zmuda and daughter-in-law Ashley; daughter Adrienne Bechelli and son-in-law Brett; his daughter Misha Arnold; niece Nicole Tibbetts; and former wife Stephanie Kelvin Prieto.

Phil loved the outdoors, and he loved San Francisco. An avid hiker, swimmer, sailor and runner, he dedicated much of his professional and personal life to advocacy for parks, open space and recreational opportunities in San Francisco and beyond. He spent more than 33 years working for the City and County of San Francisco, including 11 with the Recreation and Park Department. At age 41, he became director of RPD’s Open Space Program, where one of his priorities was the acquisition of hilltops so that views of San Francisco could be preserved for the public.

Phil served on the San Francisco Parks Alliance Board of Directors and as a Commissioner of the San Francisco Housing Authority. He was a member of the Ridge Trail Council Board of Directors from 2005-2019, and was the Chair from 2016-2018. During that time he led our efforts to complete the Ridge Trail in San Francisco and reroute it to green spaces—work that continues today thanks to the momentum he built. He also established a living trust benefiting the Ridge Trail that will provide much need funds to work toward the vision he shared with us. We are honored to list him as a member of the Ridge Trail Legacy Circle.

Phil was deeply loved and respected for his dedication to parks and recreation. Perhaps the greatest testament to that esteem is the Phil Arnold Trail in Golden Gate Park, named in his honor and dedicated on February 22, 2019. The trail meanders through a grove of mature coast live oak trees in the northeast corner of Golden Gate Park, providing the type of peaceful respite from urban life that Phil was so intent on ensuring for fellow San Franciscans.

“Phil was a talented, dedicated and effective champion of parks and natural spaces who encouraged us to find the silver lining in every cloud. The Ridge Trail Council is so fortunate to have had him as our leader, advocate, mentor and friend. His legacy lives on in the trails and parks he helped create and in the people and relationships he nurtured,” says Ridge Trail Executive Director Janet McBride. “We are all going to miss him.”

To continue his legacy, donations may be sent in his name to the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council or the San Francisco Parks Alliance.

For Ridge Trail Legacy Circle information, contact Eileen Morris at 415-561-2595, extension 203, or eileenmorris@ridgetrail.org.

The Last Big Save – Coyote Valley

The Last Big Save
Nearly a thousand acres of the valley oak savanna, wetlands, and agricultural land that once dominated Silicon Valley will be protected.
by 

Photo: Derek Neumann
Originally published in Bay Nature. For complete article and more great stories, visit: baynature.org

Andrea Mackenzie stands on a dirt turnout, amid a landscape of golden hillsides and gnarled valley oaks. “We’re only ten minutes from San José and yet you feel as if you’re miles away from civilization,” she says. As general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Mackenzie has worked for the better part of a decade to protect large swaths of the imperiled 7,500-acre Coyote Valley, sandwiched uneasily between the sprawl of San José and the rapidly growing community of Morgan Hill. She mentions the valley in the same breath as the Marin Headlands and the Presidio, iconic landscapes saved from development by concerned citizens and responsive leaders. In Mackenzie’s estimation, Coyote Valley is the last major parcel of open space available for protection in the Bay Area, a slice of a vanishing California that are on the brink of receiving the protections that she and others in the environmental community say are long overdue.

For decades developers viewed Coyote Valley as Silicon Valley’s next frontier, a blank slate upon which tech giants such as IBM and Cisco would construct sprawling campuses of glass and steel. (One famous bit of local lore tells of Apple CEO Steve Jobs touring the valley by helicopter, looking for a bucolic setting to build Apple’s headquarters.) More recently, as tech firms including Apple and Cisco have bolstered their presence in and around the urban cores of San Francisco, Oakland, and San José, business leaders have re-envisioned the valley as a hub for online retailers, a shipping mecca of winding arterioles and fortress-like warehouses and distribution centers.

Though South Bay developers and business boosters continue to tout the valley as an important region for growth, the economic benefits of the valley’s environmental resources have come to the fore. Massive flooding in San José in 2017, which displaced roughly 14,000 residents and caused an estimated $100 million in damage, highlighted the need to restore the valley’s once-extensive wetlands for downstream flood control. In addition, valley aquifers buffer groundwater supplies for roughly 2 million residents of Santa Clara County, particularly in drought years. Ecologically speaking, Coyote Valley not only provides critical habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species, including the threatened California red-legged frog and bay checkerspot butterfly; it also supplies a key linkage between wildlife habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. For hikers, Coyote Valley is a connection between vast open-space parks to the east and west and a southern link in the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which, when complete, will make a 550-mile circumnavigation of the Bay Area.

Earlier this year, California state assemblyman Ash Kalra authored AB 948, which declared Coyote Valley a landscape of “statewide significance” and presented a framework for conservation. San José mayor Sam Liccardo, who has made reducing sprawl and increasing density in downtown San José pillars of his administration, has become an outspoken supporter of conservation in Coyote Valley, touting it as a critical component of San José’s push to curb sprawl and brace for a warming climate. “San José is one of the first cities in the U.S. to invest in natural infrastructure in preparation for climate extremes,” said Liccardo in a press release. “This is a visionary, smart growth approach that will make our communities more vibrant, productive and resilient to climate change in the future.” With last year’s passage of Measure T, a $650 million infrastructure bill that allocated $50 million for open space acquisition in Coyote Valley, San José and Santa Clara County are poised to take possession of roughly 937 acres of wetlands, agricultural land and valley oak savanna.

map of Coyote ValleyCOYOTE VALLEY PURCHASE | (Courtesy of Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority)

And yet the ecosystems of Coyote Valley are a mere fragment of what they once were. Major highways bisect the valley. High-tension power lines crisscross the surrounding hillsides. Farms and McMansions squat on vast acreages, further fragmenting remaining swaths of natural habitat. Water engineering projects have altered the natural course of the valley’s streams and the functioning of its wetlands. To make matters more complicated, much of the valley is still zoned for commercial use, meaning that groups such as the Peninsula Open Space Trust and Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority have been forced to pay premium rates for individual pieces of land—parcels that must be somehow stitched together in the years ahead into a cohesive whole.

All of which is to say that preserving the natural attributes of Coyote Valley will require an ecological reimagining as bold and unwavering as the commercial dreams that sought to transform the region for decades. Can it be done—and is it worth the cost?

Click here for the full Bay Nature story.

David Calkins: Giving through Required Minimum Distribution

Former Director of US EPA Air Programs
Chooses IRA Gift to Support Ridge Trail

As a lifelong hiker and member of the Ridge Trail since 1989, Dave Calkins has fond memories of hiking with his children as they were growing up.  “My daughter Miranda and I did Ridge to Bridge when she was in high school as a father-daughter activity, and I’ve hiked portions of the John Muir Trail with both my daughter and son Matthew,” Calkins shared noting, “And now Miranda takes her kids out on the Ridge Trail.”

Calkins, who graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Environmental Policy & Planning from USC, was a charter member of the EPA, joining the agency when it was created in 1970.  Over his long career, Calkins directed air quality programs for the Southwest regional office of EPA and, as a consultant to the World Bank and World Health Organization, worked with several countries as they established their first air pollution protection programs.

A longtime resident of Orinda, now retired, Calkins enjoys organizing regular hikes for Bay Area members of the EPA retiree’s association, a group Calkins helped start.  “We organize and offer hikes every six weeks or so to 175 members here in the Bay Area.  The logistics are challenging, but people love these hikes.  Both Bob Siegal and Harry Englebright have helped me organize hikes on the Ridge Trail for EPA retirees,” Calkins explained.  Through hikes like these Calkins hopes to introduce people to the Ridge Trail and, particularly, to sections of the Trail on the Peninsula, in the East Bay and Marin County.

Only recently learning about the option of making an IRA gift to the Ridge Trail, Calkins said, “They’ve made it easier in the past few years to make gifts from your IRA that count toward your RMD.  The process was simple and straightforward.  Reducing taxable income was helpful, but it was much more about helping out.  I’m planning to use IRA gifts again and to leave a percentage of my living trust to the Ridge Trail.”

Reflecting on his decision to support the Ridge Trail with an IRA gift for the first time, Calkins is frank, “It’s very difficult to see federal proposals put forward to cut regulations and policies that protect the environment, like reducing federal standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.  Climate change is real!  So it’s really more important than ever to support environmental causes however you can.  I hope more people recognize IRA gifts as an option.”

The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council is honored to welcome Dave Calkins as a member of its Legacy Circle.  For more information about the Ridge Trail Legacy Circle, contact Marie Sayles at (415) 561-2595 x 208 or mariesayles@ridgetrail.org.

Learn more about making a gift through your IRA here.

San Francisco’s hidden oases: Mount Sutro & Twin Peaks

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and step into a fantastic San Francisco oasis on Mount Sutro. Take in views through the eucalyptus of Golden Gate Park, the Sunset & Richmond neighborhoods, and the Marin Headlands. Go a little further and take in the sweeping vistas of downtown and beyond from atop Twin Peaks.

Mount Sutro Clarendon Loop
Distance: 3 miles (5 miles with Twin Peaks)
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions:
Start at the Stanyan and 17th St. trailhead, hike along the Historic Trail towards Clarendon Trail. Return via the Fairy Gates Trail back to the Historic Trail and back to the Stanyan trailhead.

Extend your hike to Twin Peaks…
From the Clarendon trailhead,  cross Clarendon Ave to Dellbrook Ave. curve left onto La Avanzada St and then take a left onto Palo Alto Ave prior to the Sutro Tower gate. Take a right onto Marview Way and take the trail shortly after on the left by the Twin Peaks Reservoir up to Twin Peaks Blvd and up to Twin Peaks!

Take it all the way to Stern Grove!
5 miles not enough? Take an urban hike through city streets to reach lush and misty Stern Grove for a nice stroll around the lake and picnic at the amphitheater. During the summer check out Stern Grove’s free concerts. 

Mount Sutro to Stern Grove Map
Mount Sutro Map Insert
Grab a bite nearby
Some of our favorite nearby haunts…
Dive bar and world-cup watching on Stanyon: Kezar Pub
Live Jazz: Club Deluxe
Pub Grub: Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery
Cuban Tapas: Cha Cha Cha
Sweet Treats: Ben and Jerry’s & the Ice Cream Bar

7 Epic Ridge Trail Mountain Bikes

Check out seven of our favorite spots around the Bay for a mountain bike adventure. From the Marin Headlands to the Crockett Hills, these rides offer a chance to leave behind busy roads and take in the fresh air and scenic views along the trail.

1. Spring Lake to Trione-Annadel State Park
County: Sonoma
Description: Wooded, great views
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Mileage: 10.8 miles one-way
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,120 feet/955 feet one way
Why we love it: Single track & gradual grades, Annadel is a Mountain Bikers paradise, with multiple trails for short jaunts or all-day adventures. (MTB park).
Get Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

2. Robert Louis Stevenson State Park: Lower Oat Hill Mine Trail to Palisades
County: Napa
Description: Exposed, some shade, views
Difficulty: Advanced
Mileage: 4.5 miles one-way
Elevation gain: 1860’ one-way
Why we love it: Very technical and rocky ride, that takes you through what use to be one of the most productive ore and mercury mines in California.
Get Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

3. Marin Headlands
County: Marin
Description: Redwoods, open, coastal
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Mileage: 5.5-11
Elevation gain: 1500’
Why we love it: Mountain biking got its start here. Marin County is generally regarded as the birthplace of the sport and of the mountain bike. This ride has amazing views that make it worth the challenge.
Marin Headlands Map and trail descriptions

4. Sanborn County Park, John Nicholas Trail
County: Santa Clara
Description: Wooded
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Mileage: 8.5-17
Elevation gain: 1400’
Why we love it: Single track, with sweeping views of the South bay.
Get Map

5. Lake Chabot
County: Alameda
Description: Fire road, wooded, exposed
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mileage: 8.5-17
Elevation gain: 1200’
Why we love it: Gradual grades with great views of the lake and east bay hills, with the  Lake Chabot Marina being the perfect spot for a post-ride picnic.
Lake Chabot Map and trail descriptions

6. Crockett Hills Regional Park
County: Contra Costa
Description: Rolling grasslands, single track
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mileage: 10.8 miles round-trip only
Elevation gain: 1,250 feet/1,000 feet one-way
Why we love it: Great trails through the woods and over the hills with awesome views of the Carquinez Strait. (MTB park)
Get Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

7. Bolinas Ridge and Samuel P. Taylor State Park
County: Marin
Description: Fireroad with paved section and singletrack
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mileage: 11.1 – 12.8
Elevation gain: 490 feet/1800 feet one-way
Why we love it: Epic views of the ocean and surrounding peaks.
Get Map
OuterSpatial Mobile Map

7 New Miles coming to the East Bay

 

7 New Miles of Ridge Trail from Garin Regional Park to Niles Canyon Road!

The longest continuous stretch for hikers in the East Bay is extending from 45 to over 50 miles from Kennedy Grove in El Sobrante to Niles Canyon Road in Fremont.

The planned Ridge Trail between Garin Regional Park and Niles Canyon Road is expected to be completed in 2021! Five new miles of trail will be constructed resulting in the dedication of 7 new multi-use Ridge Trail miles located along the scenic ridge above Union City and Fremont.

The East Bay Regional Park District worked for almost 20 years to assemble the land rights for this planned Ridge Trail section from Garin Regional Park to Niles Canyon Road with the first transaction occurring in 1996. Three additional real estate transactions needed to complete the trail corridor and were finalized in 2000, 2002 and 2014.

Now East Bay Regional Park District is finalizing environmental permits for an at-grade railroad crossing on the Niles Canyon Railway and several stream crossings. Construction for the upland portion of the trail will begin in the upcoming months and that section of the trail is planned to open in 2021.

The project cost is estimated at $900,000. The Ridge Trail is providing a $200,000 partner grant courtesy of the Coastal Conservancy.

In addition to extending the longest continuous stretch in the East Bay, this new trail will put pressure to complete the next section—Niles Canyon Road to Vargas Plateau. When this 2.5-mile gap is complete, this section will be close to 60 miles!

Ridge Trail Day 2017 Success

Success! The 10th annual Ridge Trail Day rallied over 500 trail volunteers in 14 sites around the Bay. You helped build, repair, and improve trail for everyone.

With the support of our volunteers we were able to prepare the trails for winter, and spread our vision of a 550+ mile loop around the Bay. Here are some accomplishments across all nine Bay Area counties from Ridge Trail Day 2017:

  • Removed fire debris so that we may begin rebuilding trail affected by the North Bay fires
  • Dug out drainage to prepare trails for winter storms and prevent erosion
  • Planted trees to protect the soil
  • Repaired 59 feet of fencing to keep people on trails and off sensitive flora and fauna
  • Removed more than 12 truckloads invasive species so that native plants can regrow
    Installed a bench so generations can enjoy the iconic 360 degree Ridge Trail views

Please view our photo gallery to see highlights of the day’s activities. We will be adding more photos from our many partners in the days to come.

Thank you!