Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

Featured hike
Mile:
0.0: Start at the parking lot and walk north on paved Point Pinole Road.
0.2: Junction. Turn left onto Bay View Trail.
0.3: Stay to the right as a dead-end spur heads east near a garbage can.
0.4: Cook's Point Trail heads north at a signed junction. Continue to the left on Bay View Trail.
0.9: A signed path heads downhill to "beach access," but remain on Bay View Trail.
1.0: T junction. Turn left to remain on Bay View Trail.
1.0: Quick succession of junctions with Bianni, Nitro, Angel Buggy, one unsigned path, and Packhouse Trails. Continue straight at each, remaining on Bay View Trail.
1.4: A hiking-only path heads down toward the shoreline, and a few steps later paths departs to the left and right. Either fork is an option, as both reconnect, but the signed junction is to the right.
1.5: Junction. Bear left and continue on Bay View Trail.
1.7: Bay View Trail turns east at an unmarked junction. Continue straight.
1.9: Path ends at a paved road. Turn left and check out the pier if you like, then begin walking back down the paved road past the shuttle stop.
2.1: Junction with Owl Alley (shown as Marsh Trail on some maps). Turn left onto the wide dirt trail.
2.3: Owl Alley crosses another path (go left if you wish to visit the dynamite blast and burning bunker); continue straight.
2.5: Junction. Continue straight on Owl Alley.
2.8: Owl Alley ends at a signed junction. Turn right onto Cook's Point Trail.
3.0: A closed trail breaks off on the left. Continue straight on Cook's Point Trail.
3.1: Junction. Continue straight on Cook's Point Trail.
3.1: Cook's Point Trail sweeps left, and another trail, a spur to Point Pinole Road, shoots off to the right. Bear left to remain on Cook's Point Trail.
3.2: Cook's Point Trail crosses Point Pinole Road. Turn left.
3.4: Previously encountered junction with Bay View Trail. Continue straight on Point Pinole Road, and retrace your steps back to the parking lot.
3.6: Back at the trailhead.

Getting there:
From I 80 in Contra Costa County, exit Richmond Parkway (exit 20). Drive west about 2 miles, then exit at Giant. At the foot of the exit ramp, turn right. Follow the brown parks signs the rest of the way to the park entrance on the left side of Giant, about 1 mile from Richmond Parkway.

GPS Coordinates* for Trailhead:
Latitude 37°59'30.03"N
Longitude 122°21'21.22"W
(* based on Google Earth data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)


Read about this hike in more detail and view photos at http://www.bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/pointpinole.html


© 2002 Jane Huber/Bay Area Hiker