A great walking trail…read more Stopped by for my daily walk and was reminded why this is one of my favorite places to be active. Features: Walking paths Benches Dog friendly Fishing Water views Shade some Parking The trail picked up by the watering plant in Pinole. Small parking lot, don't feel too safe walking it alone. Definitely will walk it again with a friend.

Beautiful biking and walking trail along the SF Bay trail. Clean. Paved. Safe. And you see the…read moreamtrack line roll by.

Pinole Creek Trail is about half a mile long from the mouth of the creek that starts from the bay…read moreand into the downtown area of Pinole. The creek itself is 10.95 miles long running through town, but the trail is a nice, flat and paved area that many locals utilize to jog, run, walk and stroll. There are several bridges that runs through the creek, including an elevated wooden railroad bridge that is quite picturesque. On the other side of the trail is the Bay Trail, and parts of that trail is not paved, especially from San Pablo Ave. all the way to the mouth of the creek. However, both trails connect to Bayfront Park towards the railroads and Pinole Shores. So depending on what route to take, you can spend quite some time to get your exercise. For us, it's the exercise, walking the dog and being outside. Especially when the weather is nice, it's quite a nice stroll with enjoyable views while being out in nature and still in an urban setting. However, it's the best of both worlds and the city of Pinole does a great job of maintaining the trail. Along the creek is also Fernandez Park, with kids' playground, community center, basketball court and a baseball field. It gets busy during the weekend with plenty of outdoor activities for both adults and kids alike. The creek is a mixture of both salt and fresh water that attracts countless of wildlife. I think there's always a family of ducks that are always swimming or just hanging around the banks of the creek. There's definitely fish in the creek since you'll spot their activities on the water. And the many types of birds that will stop to take a bath or feed during their migration. At the mouth of the creek where it meets the bay, there's a waste water treatment plant, and depending on where the wind blows, you might get a whiff of an unpleasant smell. However, it's quite a nice area to explore during low tide as you can walk a pretty good distance off shore. Make sure your wearing the right kind of footwear since it's very muddy. Doing this activity makes me feel like a kid again. Here's a little secret: On both sides of the trail, there are rows of bushes that grow wild berries. People forage these bushes all the time and we've done our fair share of foraging. I've even made several milkshakes as a result of our foraging. I'm not gonna tell you which are the sweet ones, I'll let you figure that out yourselves. Oh, and the bushes are very thorny so be careful. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Hubbers and I don't live too far from here, and since our 6-month-old pup has now been trained to…read moretake walks, there was no better idea than to come and finally check this place out. We lucked out and came through on a nice clear late afternoon. The trail is available for walkers (for both 2 and 4 legged creatures) as well as bikers. People were conscious at social distancing (given the current pandemic crisis we're currently going through) which I thought was really cool. We really enjoyed it. We even lost track of how far we went because we got distracted looking out the water. The only thing I would suggest for improvement is maybe to have more trash bins. Don't get me wrong - the trail is generally nice, but it would be better if I wasn't seeing a bit of garbage here and there. (Yeah, there are some undisciplined people out there, shame on them.) Hubbers, our pup and I liked it so much we made a return visit in less than 48 hours. Definitely a good go-to to catch some fresh air and getting some steps in!

Wonderful place to view the bay area on top of a hill. Not a bad place to see the sunset.read more

"Up there we see everything, Oakland to the left, El Cerrito and Richmond to the right, Marin…read moreforward, over the Bay, Berkeley below, all red rooftops and trees of cauliflower and columbine, shaped like rockets and explosions, all those people below us, with humbler views; we see the Bay Bridge, clunkety, the Richmond Bridge, straight, low, the Golden Gate, red toothpicks and string, the blue between, the blue above, the gleaming white Land of the Lost/Superman's North Pole Getaway magic crystals that are San Francisco." -Dave Eggers This wasn't written for Nicholl's Knob but you will see breathtaking views here as well. It's a simple little hike, up a few intense hills but the views are well worth it. It will take you about an hour if you stop for pics. You can do another hour on the Bay at Knox Regional across the street. Not many folks on the hills and I doubt that will ever change. A lovely hidden gem.

If you're in the area and want a casual stroll with a view check this place out!! The trail is…read morepaved. Everyone on the trail was beyond friendly! Hello! Hello! Hello!! We arrived around 4ish on a Sunday. The bathroom at this time were beyond clean! No homeless living or walking along the trail. We felt safe. The view is beautiful.

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more I would've never discovered this sliver of a park had it not been for an article I read about the $13 million footbridge that was built to extend the San Pablo Bay Regional Trail over the Amtrak rails above the wetlands and into Pinole Shores (review: https://bit.ly/3mVUVcf). It was completed about three years ago, and by default, the architectural addition made this small natural area a central hub for walkers and bicyclists searching for an uninterrupted stretch along this part of the bay. A small patch of greenery with panoramic bay views, it's a nice respite with plenty of birds in constant motion especially if you stroll along the rocky shore. Don't be put off by the sewage plant or the trains that speed by with frequency. Easy for me to say. It's at the end of Tennent Avenue, a straight chute from the Pinole Valley Road exit off 80. RELATED - Exploring this part of Contra Costa County? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2VyCP18

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more I'm familiar with the Albany Bulb from previous walks off Buchanan Street. Most of the challenge came with scaling the craggy surfaces amid the makeshift, 'Burning Man'-style art pieces. I did take glances toward the left and wondered if there was anything beyond the tiny beach. Apparently not until this past July when the East Bay Reguonal Park District built out the shoreline trail that hugs Golden Gate Fields. They didn't skimp as the restoration project cost over $18 million, but the result is worth it as the new mile-long section offers uninterrupted views, intermittent benches, and defined paths that separate the cyclists from the walkers. The beach area looks a lot more inviting with picnic tables, restrooms, extra parking, and a staging area. Now if you combine this with a walk around the Bulb, you've got your 10,000 steps. Just sayin'. RELATED - Exploring Albany? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3ebRKbk

Beautiful trail next to Golden Gate Fields with lots of different paths you can take to explore…read more Love the views of the city and the bay bridge! Parking can be a bit tricky, as the lot is pretty small, but we were lucky enough to see someone pulling away as we got there. There's some street parking too. Some areas could be a bit muddy or pebbly so wear comfortable walking shoes. Would not recommend flip flops or sandals on this path. It connects to the Albany Bulb so you can check out all the cool artwork while you're there. I love that the art always changes and I see new and different pieces every time I go.

I absolutely am happy I stumbled upon this place on yelp. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and…read morethere was plenty of parking when i arrived. The parking lot is next to the bathrooms. At first i thought it was just an open field area but its a whole walking path with sections that are little mini beaches. Then when you keep walking down there is another bathroom plus a park for the kids and another parking lot. This is a dog friendly, bike friendly, family friendly path. This is actually quite big and it has beautiful views of the bay. I would definitely come back here again!

Great views- two bridge vista. Ample picnic benches a large restroom. And more geese per square…read morefoot than are in all of Canada. Part of the 39 mile plus bay trail. This particular area is especially scenic. So named as a "sister city" to Shimada in Japan, with a humble sculpture strategically facing west, an acknowledgement of the distant relationship by providing both sun rise and setting sunset views. The very symbol of Japans flag: the rising sun from the east. Many folks fish here off the steps leading down to the bay waters, others Launch kayaks, while even more walk ride bikes or even bird watch. Parking can be a challenge on particularly beautiful sunset evenings

I am always up for discovering new spots I haven't been to in Norcal, Bay area specifically. I had…read moreno idea Richmond had a beach! Point Molate Beach park is a somewhat hidden spot right off 580. There are picnic benches, and steep grassy area. You can get down to the sand at a couple spots with care and ninja like agility (LOL). I enjoyed some time here on a Friday morning. The views of the water and the beautiful San Rafael-Richmond bridge is one of my favorite sites in the Bay. The park wasn't crowded. The parking lot is small. The port-o-potty was surprisingly well maintained and was just cleaned when I arrived. There was some construction going on. After some research, turns out a pedestrian and bike path is coming sometime in 2027. I honestly have no complaints. I'm happy to find a nice, secluded spot to get away and take in some beautiful views. I plan to return again sometime soon.

Nature and bay come together here with breathtaking views. Drive the road to the end and have lunch…read moreat the park tables or on out to The Sailing Goat. View the bay, see deer and Osprey (sea eagles) nesting. Easy access at the last exit heading west to San Rafael. just before getting on the Richmond/San Rafael bridge.

The city of San Pablo should really consider renaming this trail because a lot of people will think…read morethis is within Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. In fact, there is a separate Wildcat Creek Trail over there further downstream. This one is different. It's a paved urban greenway similar in spirit to the Richmond and Ohlone Greenways nearby. It's been the subject of a significant restoration project, very valid in intention, but the reality is that it's badly in need of maintenance because there's a lot of careless dumpling and quite a homeless population roaming on the walkway. It's not without merit, but it definitely needs help on a more consistent basis. Rebranding it might increase local interest in using it for its intended purposes. RELATED - Exploring this part of Contra Costa County? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2VyCP18

Not many people here when I arrived only one other person was parked here.. but as we sat here…read morewe're now the 4th person within just 10 minutes! One of the downfalls is it's on a fairly packed street when there's traffic! Park ranger was here cleaning up so it's not a dirty place at least in the parking area. Today it was very cold as well since it's right by the water. It's located right after the Richmond sanitary service. I'd come back to walk when I'm not almost being blown away LOL. We got a wonderful concert from across the water. Couldn't understand them since I don't speak Spanish but i was vibing LOL. The park ranger was closing the gates as we were leaving at 4:11pm so keep that in mind before you travel out here ! Would come back and would recommend if you want somewhere not to steep in incline. Thanks for reading hope this helps !