If you're a cyclist in the East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa County, California), you're lucky to have hundreds of bike trails to choose from. Between bike-friendly cities like Oakland and Berkeley and a huge network of well-maintained parks and open spaces, whether you're a mountain biker or a road biker, you're bound to find plenty of perfect trails to explore, no matter your skill level.
East Bay Regional Park District
The East Bay Regional Park District is a series of 65 public parks and open spaces in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. All of the park's multiuse trails are biker friendly, and some single track trails are available to bikers as well. You can enjoy beautiful rolling hills, oak trees, lakes and stunning views of the Bay Area. If you're an intermediate rider, check out Anthony Chabot or Redwood Regional Park in Oakland for challenging eight-mile loops through redwood forests and grasslands. If you're a beginner, check out Point Pinole in Richmond, which has 12 miles of gently sloping trails, a bike-friendly pier and fantastic views of San Pablo Bay.
San Francisco Bay Trail
Since 1990, the San Francisco Bay Trail Project has been working to create a trail system that circles the entire perimeter of San Francisco Bay. As of 2010, only half of the projected trail length has been completed but there are many completed portions of this trail in the East Bay that are bike friendly. For example, portions of the trail run through Marina Bay Park in Richmond, Albany Mudflats Ecological Preserve and Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley. Farther south, you can ride along Robert Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda and the Hayward Regional Shoreline. These are all flat, family-friendly rides with stunning views of the San Francisco Bay.
California State Parks
Mount Diablo State Park in Clayton has paved roads, fire roads and trail sections available to cyclists. Mount Diablo is a massive 3,849 feet in elevation and is surrounded by low, rolling grassland hills. You can head all the way to the summit along the paved South Gate Road for 360-degree views of the East Bay hills. Most trails in the park are steep and strenuous but very rewarding for experienced bikers. For an easier ride, check out Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area near Livermore and ride one of the few remaining sections of the California Aqueduct Bikeway. This flat, paved trail is suitable for beginners.
Urban Biking
Many East Bay cities, especially Berkeley and Oakland, are doing their part to promote biking as a healthy and sustainable method of transportation. You can find maps of bike-friendly city streets or specially designated bike routes online. Berkeley even has designated "bicycle boulevards," which are the most highly recommended routes for cyclists in the area. Large portions of Milvia Street, Channing Way and Virgina Street are bicycle boulevards and all give good access to downtown Berkeley. Bike-friendly streets are best for experienced commuters due to their heavy traffic. Don't forget to research a route before taking it and obey all traffic laws.
511 BikeMapper
The 511 website is a public transit trip planner for the entire Bay Area. Their BikeMapper page allows you to type in the name of any city in the Bay Area and find nearby bicycle routes, both paved and unpaved. This is a great resource if you're looking for routes close to a particular section of the East Bay. Visit the website (see Resources) for more information.
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