Lafayette Reservoir was introduced to me by a girlfriend years ago, and it became our meeting place…read morefor a weekly walking date. The trail that follows the perimeter of the reservoir is about 3 miles, an easy, paved, mostly flat walk. There are more challenging trails off the main path if you're so inclined (get it, inclined...?...I'm here all week). A lot of cute dogs to see on the trail, as well as other critters around the park at times, including wild turkeys who think they own the place, and adorable goats which are sometimes brought in to 'mow' the grass. Watching the animals is one of my favorite parts of visiting this place. The sun is often blazing during the warmer months, and much of the area is unshaded, so setting out earlier in the morning is a good idea, and sunscreen and a sun hat are a must. Protect your skin folks, you'll be glad you did. There are multiple picnic areas that can be rented out, and we've had a lovely time celebrating several special occasions here with friends. I've never been out on the water itself, but you can fish here, or rent a paddle boat to go out on. A nice outdoor recreation destination in Contra Costa Co, and a welcome reprieve from daily urban life.

Lafayette Reservoir is a beautiful local park! And there is so much parking and bathrooms with…read moretoilet paper and soap! That's honestly way more than I was expecting. The parking lot we parked in had a max 2 hour limit, which isn't enough time to walk the entire perimeter of the reservoir but it looks like there are other lots that don't have as much time restrictions. Beautiful little walk - not much of a hike because of the paved path, but it's a nice distance and has beautiful views. We would definitely come back again.

This has been on my want to hike list for a long time and I finally got to do it on a perfect day…read more The weather was great, overcast and cool. We hiked it so fast and the views were spectacular. I can't wait to hike this in the spring with all the flowers in bloom. There are so many surrounding trails and I want to do them all! Lots of bathrooms throughout the trail. There is a visitor center at the top which you can drive to also. Please come and creat your own adventure.

My God-father lives nearby, and he thought this would be a nice little distraction from the…read morebustling cities below. He was right. The drive up was intense. It's been a while since I drove roads similar to this, so it wasn't too bad, up. Hopefully down is OK too. There is a small entry fee (per car), but also a senior discount. So we only had time for the Summit. There are more Yelp! listings for other parts of the park. OK, so I was not prepared for the breathtaking views! It was a slightly hazy, or was it smoggy, day... But the views were still fantastic! If the views were not enough, there is a visitors' center in the light tower at the summit. Inside is lots of information, a Rangers' Station, and several informative and/or interactive displays. And there is camping in Mt Diablo too! To make things even more interesting, we took a different route down. I don't like backtracking, so this was a bonus... And i wasn't too bad.

I love this park. It's peaceful, quiet, and has lovely tall trees, including one large one that I…read morefind to be most magical in the neighborhood. There are crows and squirrels to watch, and occasionally I've spotted a deer down by the creek. It's small but special.

Pretty little park undergoing restoration. This is a gorgeous shady little Oasis in this town. The…read moreday that I visited they were in progress of updating the trail in the landscaping. There's a drinking fountain here, but no bathrooms, a nice place to visit on a hot summer day.

Hap Magee's Canine Corral was a wonderful experience for my gentle-tempered pup. I went in the late…read moreafternoon on a Saturday and there were a decent amount of dogs in the large and small dog areas. Every owner in the small dog area was very respectful and carefully watching their dogs to make sure every pup was behaving well with one another. I really appreciated their etiquette and all the dogs were so sweet. My pup had the best time here and we'll definitely be regulars!

Great little park on the border of Danville and Alamo. It has lots of parking, shade, a nice…read moreplayground, sand pit and splash pad. The other parents and kids are also very respectful. We had a blast playing here today and we will be back!

I finally decided to visit this park on my way back from traveling up north. I visited last month…read moreat the end of November. I was by myself so I didn't do any big hikes. I did hike about a half mile on the Mary Bowerman Trail to the visitor center. It was a really beautiful portion of the trail. It was canopies with trees covered in moss. The visitor center is really nice, and very warm. Which was good, because at the top of the trail it is windy and cold. The visitor center is the highest point in the park. It had amazing views! There is a small gift shop and museum in the center. Outside are bathrooms. I later drove down the road and visited Rock city. It was really cool! There are different rock formations that have formed due to wind and water. Kids would definitely love this area of the park!

Only two reviews from stellar Elite Yelpers? Must be a well kept secret!…read more Finally got my new bike built and wanted to take a simple Sunday ride. With COVID-19 illnesses rising, I choose an 6:00am start to avoid crowds. Easy parking near John Muir Hospital (thank you, Jennifer N for the tip). Headed south to Alamo for about ten miles. With a new gravel bike, I had the options of riding pavement or hard packed dirt. It wasn't as crowded as the Iron Horse Trail further past Alamo. Just a few runners. Not challenging at all, which is good. It was a relaxing ride with my new toy!

The Ygnacio Canal Trail is one of my favorite walking and running trails in the Walnut Creek area!…read moreLocated in the Ygnacio Valley hills, this trail extends about 7 and a half miles from Citrus Avenue in Walnut Creek to Heather Farms Park. This trail can be accessed from several different residential streets in Walnut Creek and it also intersects the Contra Costa Canal and California Hiking and Riding trails. There are loads of beautiful scenic views and all types of different wildlife present throughout. The trail runs parallel to the Ygnacio canal where you can view the adorable ducks swimming alongside. The trail is easy to moderate, given the rolling hills at the beginning near Citrus ave. The trail passes through a few different parks and golf courses, one of which is the Arbolado Community Park. I sometimes park my car at the park and continue on the trail from Arbolado blvd. I haven't yet been able to finish this trail in one sitting since it is 7 miles long. However, I have traveled along the entire trail to its' end at the beautiful Heather Farms Park. The people on this trail are always super friendly. This trail is shared use, so people walk, run, and ride their bikes. At it's highest point, you will capture the gorgeous views of Walnut Creek and Mount Diablo in the distance. Lime Ridge Open space can also be accessible from the tunnel overpass near Ygnacio Valley Blvd. In the summertime, this trail can be sweltering in areas that aren't shaded. I've seen ducks, squirrels, and even cows roaming around in the hills. If you are looking for a new trail to conquer in the Contra Costa area, add this one to your list!

The waterfall Loop of Mt Diablo is categorized as moderate 8 mile hike. I would say that's pretty…read moreaccurate. Park at the visitor center and get a paper map if you don't have a digital map. Fairly easy to follow all the markers. I wish they were all marked by numbers but they're not. The scenery is nice and lots of shade throughout the hike. Many of the roads are narrow and slippery. Hiking poles and good hiking boots are important. The waterfall was mini in beginning of December 2025 but there was a steady stream. Entire hike takes about 4-4-.5 hours to finish. Some steep inclines but not too grueling. Pay parking via QR code and a cc.

I really enjoyed this hike, it had views, wildflowers, streams with running water, and was a good…read moreworkout. I followed the All Trails version of the trail which took around 4 hours and was 8 miles. The hike was moderate to hard because there were some steep parts and parts that were rocky and easy to slip. I'd recommend hiking boots. To see the waterfalls I think the best time to go is Jan-early May but that's even pushing it. By May there are still wildflowers, but the brush is starting to turn brownish, and the water is drying up quick. Probably the most ideal picturesque time for this hike would be early March after a rain. I'd avoid it in the summertime unless you live in the desert and are used to hiking in high temperatures.

If it weren't for outdoor spaces, I'm not sure where I would have gone during the pandemic lock…read moredown! I've never seen this trail so packed as it was in these past few years! It's been great to start to see the same people and greet one another with a nod, smile, or a hello. What a nice way to connect while social distancing : ) This trail goes on and on, if you look at the regional map: www.traillink.com/trail/iron-horse-regional-trail During the summertime, there are more or less shaded areas, depending on where you go on the trail. You can find the die-hard runners, bikers, and walkers out during the hottest temperatures! During the wintertime, it's refreshing to be in the crisp air, and you'll find A LOT of people exercising as their New Year's Resolutions ; - ) In the fall, the winds can pick up and bring up the dirt on the trails. In the springtime, it's perfect weather, which seems to bring out the most people on weekends. Watch for bunches of people in the middle of the trail or strollers with dogs if you go mid-day. Recently, there have been signs posted alerting people to call out when passing and that there is a maximum of 15 MPH on the trail. This may be due to all of the new trail users who are unfamiliar with which side to walk on or it may be due to the electric bike and scooter riders on the trail. The dogs seem to really like the trail and there are complimentary poop bags that can be found in dispensers along the way to keep the trail clean. The added automatic signal lights are a plus to alert vehicles to oncoming pedestrians and bicyclists. *Note: You can find parking at some of the trail head locations.

First let me say that this trail is far from uniform from one part to another. The northern portion…read morenear Concord COULD be scenic if all the encampments and trash was cleared out. This portion, miles 0-4, was recently repaved However there are no restrooms along this section. Miles 4-8 can be very congested with people walking dogs and pushing strollers. Even sections with "pedestrian only access" are largely unused and the multi purpose trail has most of the traffic. Miles 8-14 are not very scenic. Mostly backyards. Lots of cross streets making cycling less enjoyable. Miles 14-20 are more backyards and several more cross streets. There are a few narrow bridges over small creeks. Miles 20-24 are fairly industrial. The trail is much cleaner and better patrolled from Walnut Creek south. North is a totally different story. One park employee told me he thought I was brave to ride on that section of the trail. Not a place for families for sure.