Beautiful trail that follows the shoreline of Bay Farm Island…read more Fabulous views of San Francisco. Normally great weather if it's hot inland. I believe it's about six miles if you do the complete trail. We normally park in Veterans Ct, just across the Bay Farm Island bridge.

Great wide walking/ bike path with occasional benches. If…read moreyou love airplanes (I do) this is a fantastic spot as the takeoffs from OAK go right overhead!!

Located less than 5 minutes from 580 off of the 150th and you're in a world away. Hike, fish, bike,…read morehave a picnic or host a large party/bbq on one of several reservable areas. $5.00 plus 2 for each dog---kind of an honor system but for less than 100 you can get an EBRP year round pass that allows you to visit a lot more parks as many times as you want. Easy decision. M-F seniors get 1/2 off on boat rentals and from there you can finds the fish...if you know what you're doing ;). Anthony Chabot was a man who was instrumental in the California gold rush in the lower Sierras. He helped develop and mastered the hydraulic mining techniques required to reduce mountains to piles of rock to be sifted for gold. After those operations were shut down over environmental concerns, he brought his craft here to help make this reservoir. Amazing really. Nice spot to decompress and get right. Some areas around the lake show clear signs that hydraulic action was used. Birds, frogs, squirrels, butterflies, deer and more.

Chabot Park is not Lake Chabot Regional Park, but it does lead to there with the trails…read more The entrance to this Park is a little dicey to get to, if you're not familiar with this area of the San Leandro/East Oakland border area, it's hard to explain how to get here. And I have a feeling the residents of this area would like to keep it that way, so I'll honor their unwritten code, lol!! The Park itself is very much like your in the woods, lots of trees and fallen trees. They do have restrooms and disc golf here, which seems to be pretty popular, someone always seem to be playing it. Lots of free parking also. But the best thing about this park is the trail that can lead you to Lake Chabot. It starts off all uphill for at least 1/2 mile, then you start downhill and can determine which way around the lake you want to go. If you stay on the paved trail, to the right, you'll cross a bridge which is the Chabot Dam and it's a faster route, although hilly, to Lake Chabot Regional Park. If you choose the dirt trail, to the left, you won't necessarily stay next to the lake the whole way, there's signs to keep you on track. Either way, it's a great walk or run, watch and listen for the bike riders, sometimes they are really speeding coming off those hills. And if you're going to walk all the way around, bring water. Also, there's not a lot of areas where you get phone service. Always enjoy coming here, convenient for me!!

Heron Bay Nature Trail is one of my favorite local trails for a morning/sunset walk. There's…read moreconveniently parking at the entrance roundabout of the Heron Bay neighborhood. There's only 3 spaces + 1 handicapped space but I've usually had good luck and have found parking. If not, you can also park in the neighborhood right outside Heron Bay or at the Food Net plaza. You'll just have to walk a bit farther. There's two sides to the trail: one that goes towards the San Leandro Marina and the other that goes towards the Hayward Shoreline. The San Leandro Marina side tends to be the most popular as it ends at the park and you can continue your walk around the water and park. From Heron Bay, it's about 1.5-2 miles to the park. The terrain is all flat and paved. There are a lot of people who use this trail so sometimes you may have to step aside into the gravel for other walkers, runners, bikers, etc. This trail is right along the water which is always really beautiful. But know that it also gets windy sometimes. I recommend wearing a hood, hat, or beanie. There's also no shade so plan to wear sunglasses and sunscreen on a sunny day. A lot of people take their dogs walking here as there's a dog park at the end as well. Most folks have their dogs on leashes but there are some who let their dogs roam. If you have an anxious dog who isn't great around other dogs, I'd recommend either skipping the Marina side of this trail or just being very aware. There's lots of regulars on this trail (me included) so if you walk here enough, you'll start to see the same folks. Everyone's always greeting each other with a hello or good morning - a great start to each day/evening!

I to run and walk this trail. Great views of the peninsula and San Francisco. Always a nice place…read moreto visit.

This is a gorgeous trail frequented by walkers, runners and bikers…read more You will see a gorgeous skyline of the SF bay area and wonderful sunsets and sunrises here. It's the perfect ppace to train while enjoying the scenic views here and it's quite the hidden gem!

A Hidden Waterfront Gem for Biking, running and Walking…read more If you are looking for a flat, peaceful, and incredibly scenic escape in the East Bay, this section of the trail where San Lorenzo Creek meets the bay is a must-visit. The trail setup is great because it caters to everyone. There is a beautifully paved main road perfect for walking, running, and easy cycling, but if you like a little more texture, there are wide gravel off-paths that are incredibly fun to ride on. It's a heavily trafficked spot for locals who come out to get their daily steps in or catch a sunset. They have also placed dedicated benches at perfect intervals along the path so you can sit down, take a break, and just soak in the unobstructed shoreline views of the San Francisco Bay. What makes this trail extra special is that you are riding right through a massive, protected nature preserve (the Oro Loma Marsh). The wetland is teeming with wildlife--if you look out into the pickleweed and mudflats, you'll see tons of unique shorebirds, egrets, and ducks. It's amazing to think this peaceful sanctuary used to be an industrial commercial salt flat decades ago before being restored back to nature. Tip for visitors: The trail is completely open and exposed to the elements. There's no shade out here, which means when that bay breeze kicks up, it feels absolutely amazing and refreshing on a hot summer day. But if you come later in the afternoon, definitely bring a light jacket as it can get quite windy. The Stretch: This section acts as a perfect bridge connecting San Leandro to Hayward. Heading north to the San Leandro Marina is about 2.25 miles of smooth pavement, while heading south into the Hayward Shoreline is another 2.25 miles of rugged gravel. You can easily do a flat, 4.5-mile round-trip or push it all the way to a 10-mile ride! Very relaxing, clean, and highly recommended! Cheers!

Lydecker Park is one of those neighborhood gems you don't fully appreciate until you visit. Tucked…read moreinto a quiet residential area, it's the perfect balance of open space, play areas, and that relaxed Alameda vibe. The playground is clean, updated, and thoughtfully designed for a range of ages. Plenty of room for kids to run, climb, and explore without feeling overcrowded. Parents will love the shaded seating areas--ideal for catching a breather while still keeping an eye on the action.

This Park will be so great once COVID-19 is over!!…read more The highlight, to me, is the Golden State Warriors inspired basketball court. It'll be so great once they put the rims back up so people can play here again!! They pack a lot into this park!! They have a softball field, 3 tennis courts, a library along with the basketball court. The large grassy area is maintained very well if you just want to kick back here. I usually run past or through this park when I run in this area. This park is located right next to the Harbor Bay Landing shopping center on Bay Farm Island.

For a long time, this was the only patch of greenery to be found in this windswept part of Oakland…read morewhere all the cargo continues to be unloaded from huge freighters. Now that the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park has been established (review: https://bit.ly/3ECAB6J), it' has become more of an annex to that park and felt like a shoreline path to a weather-worn wooden fishing pier. It does provide scenic bay views, but beyond a playground, there is little of interest to young families. The rest of us can use the narrow space to add FitBit steps unless an army of geese remain immobile in your path. RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

Port View Park is it!!…read more Located in west Oakland, at the Port of Oakland, this Park is as far west as you can go and still be in Oakland. Small parking lot, with a large grassy area and play structure for the kids. There's also a long paved trail leading out to the wooden circular dock where people go to fish and catch great city views. A local hidden gem of a park!!!

Found this place from a good neighbor, and lo and behold, it did not disappoint. It is an off…read moreleash dog park where you can let your dogs run free on top of Oakland Hills. The cool part is there are several hills that goes up and down. Great workout both for the dogs and humans. It's not huge, but if you go around twice you can get a good cardio workout and you'll start sweating. I know I did. Be aware though that there are quite a few poop off the side of the trails so just be mindful. Try to look where you're stepping into. Bring your dog poop bags as there are non available. There is one trash can that's towards Sunkist Dr/McCormick entrance. There are no official parking, but plenty of neighborhood street parking in the area about half or a block away. I met a few neighbors while I was up there and they shared there were two other spots of entry. I am not sure exactly as I am still fairly new to the area, but I'd give it a try for your dogs if you live nearby. Cheers!

Exciting place to walk yourself or to walk your dog and feel like you're on top of Oakland. The…read moreviews are great! I'm glad I learned about this space.

One of my favorites single track trails! A decent climb if you're heading west. Great for dogs!read more

GOLDEN SPIKE TRAIL. Before taking this hike, I sometimes park in the lot adjacent to the Trudeau…read moreCenter. Trail maps and an official trailhead to Dunn Trail are found at the east edge of this parking log. The route along Dunn Trail brings you through a prairie that contains dozens of serpentine boulders and, at the far eastern side of this prairie is the trailhead to Golden Spike Trail. If the lot is full, you can park on Skyline by the curb near Trudeau Center. MY PHOTOGRAPHS. One of my pictures was taken in serpentine prairie at the start of my hike. The others were taken at various locations along Golden Spike Trail: (1) Tree with many wiggly moss-coated branches. (2) Octopus tree (meaning a tree with many branches that form arches that bend to the right and bend to the left). (3) Another octopus tree. (4) Close-up view of graffiti girl. (5) Mountain goat standing on stone monument to boys who built Golden Spike Trail. (6) Mountain goat standing on top of boulder in serpentine prairie. I bought the mountain goat from gift shop at Glacier National Park. This was my first photo of the day. HISTORIC MARKER ON GOLDEN SPIKE TRAIL. Once you pass the horse stables, you will encounter on Golden Spike Trail a historic marker with a metal plaque that describes the boys who built this trail. Further along, on this lengthy and fairly level stretch of hiking, you will encounter a branch in the trail, which takes the form of TOYON TRAIL (Toyon takes you up uphill to West Ridge Trail). Continuing along Golden Spike Trail, the trees thin out and scraggly little brushes dominate the groundcover, and you will encounter yet another branch in the trail. This branch takes the form of a tiny trail that is only 20 feet long, and it connects directly with WEST RIDGE TRAIL. I took this tiny connecting trail, and then made the return hike all the way up the steep West Ridge Trail, then down Graham Trail, and then along the level Dunn Trail back to the parking lot at Trudeau Center. BOOK BY AMELIA SUE MARSHALL. Amelia Sue Marshall is the author of EAST BAY HILLS. This book describes the origin of many of the trails in Redwood Regional Park, including Golden Spike Trail. We learn that a big storm in 1962 caused flooding and massive piles of mud. We learn that, "park managers decided to build a new trail, parallel to . . . Redwood Road . . . inmate crews from Alameda Country juvenile hall provided labor . . . a monument with a brass plaque stands at the spot where two crews of boys met in 1965" to build Golden Spike Trail. SERPENTINE. As stated above, the western terminus of Golden Spike Trail is located in a prairie that contains serpentine boulders. Serpentine has the chemical formula 3 magnesium atoms, 2 silicon atoms, 5 oxygen atoms, and 4 hydroxy groups. Serpentine is the name of a group of minerals, including chrysotile (a type of asbestos), antigorite (the most common type of serpentine), and lizardite (has scaly surface) Serpentine is colored green and it has a slippery feel. Oakland hills contain a series of rocky outcroppings called, ophiolite. The ophilite rocks are made of either serpentine, rhyolite, or gabbro. See, pages 314-316 of Doris Sloan and Donald Wells (2006) The Hayward Fault. Geological Society of America Field Guide 7. See also, oaklandgeology dot com, for its description of the serpentine in the Oakland hills. See also, page 38 of, National Geographic Pocket Guide Rocks & Minerals by S.Garlick. See also, page 3 of Guide to Mount Diablo Geology (by Mount Diablo Interpretive Association).