Castro Valley, CA: Northern California Chapter, Lake Chabot Hike

Head with us to Lake Chabot Regional Park, nestled in the East Bay Hills between Oakland, San Leandro and Castro Valley for a loop around the 315-acre reservoir. Completed in 1875, but closed to recreation until the 1960s, the lake was formed by the damming of San Leandro Creek. Today, it’s an emergency water supply for the East Bay and a popular destination for fishing, boating, biking, picnicking and, of course, hiking.

Our hike starts at the Lake Chabot Marina on the West Shore Trail and crosses the dam over to the Columbine Trail. We’ll veer away from the shore up to the family campground for lunch and a commanding view of the lake. After the break, we’ll connect to the East Shore Trail for the last few miles back to the café.

Schedule: Meet us by 9:00 AM inside the park entrance on the grassy area next to the Lake Chabot Marina & Café (17000 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley). Restrooms and water are available. There may be poor reception around the marina to contact us if you are running late. Please plan to arrive early to park, use the facilities and make the meet-up time. If you just miss us, walk clockwise around the lake to catch up. We’ll have lunch at the campground and expect to arrive back at the café by 3:00 PM.

Level of Difficulty: Moderately difficult. Total mileage is about 10 miles with 1,086 feet of elevation gain. There are ample ups, downs and switchbacks to make this an excellent training opportunity. It’s a good idea to have some recent experience with this type of terrain.

Advance online registration is required. Click the ‘Register’ button to sign up. Because space is limited, we ask that you register if/when you are certain you can attend. Thank you!

Cancellation: Please email us at norcal@americanpilgrims.org so we can offer your space to someone else.

Getting There: In Castro Valley on I-580 West, take the Strobridge Avenue exit. Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Blvd and left on Lake Chabot Road. The entrance is about two miles ahead on the right. From I-580 West or East in San Leandro, exit at Fairmont Drive and go east (uphill). The entrance is to the left at the bottom of the hill. From I-238, take I-580 West to San Leandro and follow the directions above. Parking is $5. If the lot is full, park outside the entrance along Lake Chabot Road.

Carpooling: Registered participants will have access to our online ‘Carpool Bulletin Board’ to post a message if they need a ride or can give one.

What to Bring: Water, snacks, a bag lunch and sun protection (about half of the route is exposed). Cash for parking. Hiking poles are highly recommended. Poison oak is present throughout the park. We recommend long sleeve shirts and pants and bringing your preferred treatment, such as lotion or antihistamine, in case of contact.

Leaders: Merula Furtado, Kathy Collins

The Ruff Stuff: For insurance purposes, we are unable to welcome dogs, except service animals, at our events.