Bykgrl

The East Bay’s Best-Kept “Secret” Bike Trail:
Carquinez Scenic Road between Martinez and Crockett

My nickname for this ride is the “Carquinez Roller Coaster”. It doesn’t have any scary steep descents, but it is a rolling, winding, extremely enjoyable paved road bike ride. This ride winds along above the shoreline of the Carquinez Strait between Crockett and Martinez, offering beautiful views of the water and Benicia and Vallejo across the water. There is very little car traffic, and a section of about three miles is completely closed off to cars.

There aren’t too many paved trails in the Bay Area that we don’t share with cars. Most of those non-car trails are right behind residents’ backyards. Unbelievably, this trail is pretty much out in the wilderness – and not very many people use it! A few walkers, a bicycle or two – and an occasional unicycle!

Are you visiting from out of the area? This is a beautiful way to see some of our great scenery and avoid the tourist traps. It can also be a romantic ride for couples, and the two picnic areas are never full. Plenty of great photo opportunities!

You will usually see hawks, vultures, squirrels, lizards, deer, etc. – and today, a fox! The weather is usually warm and protected, with a slight cooling breeze, which is just perfect!

Distance: It’s about 8 miles in each direction for my favorite ride. You can drive to the end of the cars-allowed section and ride six miles total (round trip) without cars. Or, you can extend from either end (I’ll tell you about this later on) for a longer ride.

Difficulty: Advanced Beginner. As I’ve said before, anyone who is considering taking up bike riding or who wants to become re-enthused about this sport should try this ride! The non-car area is one of the best places to learn and much more interesting than a deserted school parking lot (where I’ve seen many beginning bicyclists). It is great for couples and families with children. Although I prefer my bike, it is also a great road for a walk.

There’s only one steep hill (in Martinez), which is only one block long. The pavement is not maintained, so there are quite a few ruts and potholes to watch out for, and a few spots where the road has seriously slid off the side of the hill.

Where to Start: You can start in downtown Crockett just off the freeway on Pomona Street, or in downtown Martinez. We like the Martinez Shoreline Park since it has ample free parking, bathrooms, and some wonderful scenery and the boat harbor to enjoy after the ride. You’ll almost always see bocce ball being played, kites flying, ducks, geese, and families at the playgrounds and picnic tables. It seems like there is every type of boat out on the water: sailboats, motorboats, tugs, kayaks, and extremely large freighters.

From the Martinez park, ride out Ferry Street across the railroad tracks, turn right on Marina Vista, 6 blocks to Talbart (one of these blocks is the short climb), right on Talbart which turns into Carquinez Scenic Road.

Or avoid city traffic, drive those streets in your car and park in the Nejedly Staging Area. Then proceed to enjoy your bike ride along the Carquinez Scenic Road.

At each of the two points where cars are prohibited, there are gates where you will have to hop off and walk your bike around. There are two picnic areas which are mountain bike and hiking trailheads.

One interesting feature of this ride is a very old cemetery in Martinez. It looks like some of the original California gold rush settlers could be buried there. Today, there were goats acting as gardeners! They sure were cute.

Also, Port Costa, a tiny isolated village, is a cool place to stop. It’s less than half a mile off the Carquinez Scenic Highway at the intersection with McEwen Road and Reservoir Road. The Warehouse is a fun old-time bar with an outdoor patio and live bands on Sunday afternoons in the summer. The town is funky and quaint – here is a picture of some fierce fence guardians!

If you end up in Crockett, you can continue your ride north cross the Carquinez Bridge to Vallejo, or south along San Pablo Avenue (start at The Dead Fish Restaurant near the freeway on/off ramp) to the Cummings Skyway.

From Martinez, you can ride up Alhambra Avenue, cross underneath Highway 4, and connect to any number of extended rides. If you take the first right, Franklin Canyon Road, you can ride a relatively remote long stretch back to Crockett, a full loop.

Soon, this will be one of the featured rides in my upcoming e-book about Great Bay Area Bike Rides, and I’ll include more details, maps, and photos. Watch for further announcements on this site!

We’re always looking for enjoyable bike rides in the Bay Area, and would love to hear your comments about good places to go – or bad places to avoid! Or, if you have a good story about a particular ride, I will post it here. See you on your bike!