contra costa canal trail

No matter where you pick up the trail, you should have fun looking at the trees, different style houses, and bikes as they pass you up walking.Some trees even bare good fruit - ripe for the picking.

This trail is great for bike rides, dog walking, jogging etc. Great to be off the roads. There are many fun stops to make in different cities.

A very nice trail to walk or bike. Get to see some very interesting areas of the county. It make a giant U going between Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and Martinez. It is a gateway to the Iron Horse trail. Fun to bike to Walnut Creek or Danville, have brunch or lunch somewhere fun, and return. What is also nice is that crossing busy streets, most cars stop to permit people to cross whether on foot or biking. But just be careful--always a good idea to watch out for traffic on some of those busy roads. Great vistas; opportunities to see interesting homes that otherwise one would miss; a nice perspective on central county.I ride along the trail everyday on my way to/from Bart. Nice way to miss traffic.

In my previous review of this section of trail, I mentioned potential safety issues in crossing Treat Blvd., especially if walkers and bikers were unwilling to go uphill to the traffic signal at Treat Blvd. and Navaronne Way. Since, my last review, the city/county has very fortunately put a section of fence down the middle of Treat Blvd. in this area. This fence makes it very difficult to try to cross Treat downhill from the traffic signal. Safety is a good thing, right? The speed limit on this section of Treat is still 45 mph.

Contra Costa Canal Trail sounds like it should be a picturesque trail next to a pretty waterway. Unfortunately this is far from the truth. The canal is actually a concrete culvert with chain-link fence on both banks. The trail itself is a concrete path that is in disrepair. The trail is constantly broken up by major roads. The flora surrounding the area is predominantly non-native and ugly. Occasionally you may get a glimpse into someone's run-down back yard. Oh and look out for the dog poop!

I'm most familiar with the Canal Trail in Concord from Treat Blvd. to where it ends on Willow Pass Road. From Willow Pass toward Cowell Rd. it is flat and passes through neighborhoods. You can see into folks' back yards and check out the dogs and chickens. In the summer, there isn't much shade along here.After you cross Cowell Rd. the trail goes uphill, curves around, and begins to hug the side of the Lime Ridge Open Space. This stretch of the trail has a nice view of the area. You can see the Berkeley Hills to the west, the Bay to the north and Mt. Diablo to the south. The crossing at Treat Blvd. is problematic. The powers that be want trail users to go uphill a bit and cross at the traffic light. However, bikers and hikers continue to cross illegally lower down on Treat Blvd., and this creates a very dangerous situation. As a trail user, remember that the speed limit on this section of Treat Blvd. is 45 mph, which means that cars are actually traveling closer to 50-55 mph!After the trail crosses Treat Blvd, it continues along the open space, but is lower, and you eventually go back into the neighborhoods. If you continue on the trail, you will come to Countrywood Shopping Center, and eventually, the Pleasant Hill Bart Station.

The trail is much better maintained in the high rent zip codes, leaving Pleasant Hill and Martinez in need of big repairs. Roughs spots can cause bike accidents. I cannot imagine strollers rolling safely either. Please do some repairs!!!!

A wonderful quiet oasis in the middle of urban life. Oak chapparal and coyote bush scent much of the trail as it winds its way throughout Walnut Creek and beyond. Great for pedestrian, bicyclists and people walking their pets! I always have a dog or two to walk when visiting and enjoy talking with locals out for walks- friendly and fun. Also a portion adjacent to many public park areas.

A wonderful place to bike, roller blade, walk or run. By yourself or with the family.It goes by some wonderful parks and leads all around the Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Concord area. I believe you can make it to San Ramon using the trails.

This is a great trail to get you to / from Mt Diablo. Alot of runners and cyclist's. cyclists watch out on a handfull of the corners, because I have found runners that don't watch their lane.There are other interconnecting trails to different areas of contra costa.

This is a trail that was stuck in the middle of a town. Cemented canal with houses butting up along the trail. For someone who actually lives in the woods, this is not pretty. But certainly better than going around a track.

There are beautiful views of the valley from most of the trail, and access to Lime Ridge Open Space.Presently herons are nesting over the trail along San Miguel Road, and we have recently seen ducks, egrets, herons, hummingbirds bluejays and more. Others have seen otters.The trail is smooth, bicyclists for the most part let you know they are there. I am older and feel more comfortable walking with someone, but we see many solo runners.

We walk on this trail nearly every day when the weather is good. Much safer than dealing with traffic on the streets. Level paved walking surfaces and well marked crossings for streets. Lots of friendly walkers to chat with if you are so inclined. Dogs need to be on leashes. Poop bags are located in dispensers along the trail, as are trash cans. If you like to walk, give this trail a try, it goes for miles through Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, and Concord.

It is fairly easy to run around Pleasant Hill in the morning. I stumbled upon the Contra Costa Canal trail and it was a very nice alternative to the neighborhoods. I don't know exactly how long it is, but it was long enough to accommodate my 5 mile run.