Redwood Regional Park

This park, which is actually in Contra Costa County, though the entrances are in Oakland, is extraordinarily lovely, though this thickly wooded canyon must be a pale shadow of what it was in the days of the Ohlone. All the redwoods here are second or third growth, but some are 3 feet in diameter and 100 feet tall, and elsewhere gigantic pines, oaks and eucalyptus grow interspersed with madrone and bay trees in gorgeous fragrant mixed woods. The easiest trail for a wheelchair, and the only one that is fully accessible, is Stream Trail, in its first mile from Canyon Meadow, along the bottom of the canyon. But on the ridge trails from Skyline Gate you'll find a very different experience. There is no picnic ground here, but visitors have ample reason to linger. Even if you can only go 0.1 mile in each direction, it's worth bringing a snack or a thermos and stopping at one of the benches to soak up the view between tall trees and over the thickly forested canyon. There are few parks so close to the city that feel this peaceful and remote.

Skyline Gate Staging Area (Moon Gate) B - E; ****; 3+ miles; Rainy Weather No

Canyon Meadows Staging Area AA - D; **** ; 3 miles; Rainy Weather Yes(first mile)

On a beautiful early spring Monday the Canyon Meadow Staging Area had few visitors but I bet it's busy on weekends. Stream Trail is paved and almost level for about 0.5 mile, winding past attractive picnic areas with mowed grass and a children's playground. As it continues under second-growth redwoods, there is a medium steep stretch, followed by another 0.3 mile of level going. At the Trail's End picnic area, the pavement ends, but the trail continues to be passable for most wheelchairs for another quarter mile, where, past the junction with Fern Trail, it becomes quite steep, and, in March, we were stopped by a patch of deep mud. We tried Mill Trail and got only a few hundred feet on a steep climb before finding a down branch blocking the trail.

Bridle Trail B - E; *** ; 0.5+ mile; Rainy Weather No

This parallels stream trail, and connects to it just north of Trail's End, above, but it is steep and blocked by roots at that point, though it might be passable for some chair users. We tried again just south of the Fern Dell picnic area, where we were able to get on Bridle Trail and go a very enjoyable half mile on a wide packed-earth path through varied woods and shrubbery, then across a rough cobblestone bridge to the Wayside overflow parking lot, from where it's a quarter mile along the road back to Canyon Meadow. For this stretch one can use an unnamed trail paralleling the road, meant for horses. It is pleasant most of the way, but has a bad hole from erosion, as you approach the Canyon Meadows parking area, that might be impassable, so if you really don't want to take a chance on having to backtrack, you might prefer to stay on the road, which was very quiet when we were there, and has speed bumps to keep traffic slow.

There's a paved stretch to Trail's End, but these packed earth trails are likely to be tough in wet weather-some were muddy even on our visit, which was after a long dry spell. There are a few places where slightly soft gravel has been used. My power chair had no trouble with it, but it would be hard work in a manual chair.

A lot of places to sit are provided along the paved part of Stream Trail: benches as well as picnic tables, low fences, and logs. There are drinking fountains, unfortunately not easily used from a wheelchair. The picnic areas look useable, but are not modified for wheelchair use, and past Fern Dell, I didn't see an accessible toilet.

Except for the bumpy few feet over a cobblestone bridge at the Wayside end, the one mile loop of the south Stream and Bridle trails is easy and very pleasant, at least when the park is not crowded, offering more varied scenery than the Stream Trail alone. Very adventurous wheelchair users can continue north on Stream Trail all the way to Skyline Gate Staging Area in drier weather.

Details: The Canyon Meadow Staging Area is about 0.6 mile north of Redwood Gate on Redwood Road. There is van-accessible parking. An accessible flush toilet is about 300 feet north along Stream Trail; there is another after about 0.4 mile, on a spur path to the east, thereafter no toilets are available until you reach Girls' Camp. Dogs on leash are permitted; bikes may go only to Trails' End. Last visit Spring 2004.

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Skyline Gate Staging Area (Moon Gate)

Unlike Canyon Meadow, Skyline Gate really is just a trailhead. A pretty heavily used one, and for good reason: all the trails from here offer a generous measure of natural beauty. But none of them are continuously comfortable in a wheelchair, and all are quite difficult in places.

East Ridge Trail B - E; ****;

3+ miles; Rainy Weather No
This dirt fire road runs on top of the ridge, and has more sunlight than other trails I've tried in the park (and a view east to San Leandro reservoir at one point) though there is ample shade from a grove of 60 foot tall pines. Benches are provided about every quarter mile. The grade is mostly gentle ups and downs for the first 0.2 mile, then very steep in places. Prince Road takes off to the right at about 1.1 mile; I continued on the East Ridge Trail another 0.2 mile or so before turning back. The going was occasionally rough and in places pretty steep, and looked as though it would continue that way for another half mile or so, before reaching what looks on the map like a very steep drop. Making the connection down to or up from Canyon Meadow via Canyon Trail would be an undertaking for a very crazy person. If you try it, please report!

Prince Road [D - E; ***; 0.4 mile; Rainy Weather No] provides a link from East Ridge Trail down to Stream Trail if -- big if -- you don't mind steep, and another obstacle, right at the top, where stretch which I suppose must have been eroded, has been surfaced with soft wood chips for about 20 feet, creating a "sand trap" I got through (in the uphill direction) only with Dan digging a pathway for my wheels with his hands. All of Prince Road is very steep, except the parts that are VERY steep.

West Ridge Trail   B - D; ****; 4+ miles? Rainy Weather No
The first 0.5 mile of West Ridge Trail is cut into the hillside, so in places you travel next to the tops of trees rooted 50 feet below you. Two benches are provided in the first quarter mile; thereafter they are lacking. Though the trail is wide, it can be scary because of the huge drop to one side -- I wouldn't undertake it without trustworthy companions. But it's an unusual and memorable experience, and if you can handle steep and rough, it will reward your efforts with unusual views and an environment varying around every turn of the trail. The first 0.1 mile is easy, then there is a 0.2 mile steep rough stretch, followed by about 0.5 mile that is nearly level, though a bit rough in places, before the trail becomes steep and difficult again before Moon Gate (an entrance that actually has a bus stop, see below) at the 1.1 mile mark. Beyond that the topo map suggests it continues without getting very steep for another 2 miles or so before dropping toward Canyon Meadow. Connecting to Roberts Recreation Area via Graham Trail appears feasible.

Stream Trail AA - D; ****; 3+ miles?
This trail connects Skyline Gate with Canyon Meadow, which is where the paved almost level part is. In the 1.5 mile from Skyline Gate to about Fern Hut there are frequent steep stretches, rough spots and some bad erosion. In between the trail passes very pleasant, widely varying woods and meadows. A small bonus is the fully accessible, fully plumbed restrooms at Girls' Camp, 0.4 mile out, which also has lots of picnic tables. (Though I suppose at times this camp is full of girls and the tables aren't available.)
After Fern Hut the remaining 1.5 mile to the Canyon Meadow Staging Area is easy with only minor slopes, and paved for the final mile. Benches are frequently provided, along with picnic tables, from Girls' Camp south. There is an accessible restroom at Fern Dell, about 0.5 mile before Canyon Meadow.

Details: Skyline Gate is 2 miles south of Grizzly Peak Blvd. and 3 miles north of Joaquin Miller Road on Skyline Blvd. Two van accessible blue spaces are provided, and two vault toilets there are fully accessible, as is a drinking fountain and a display where you may pick up a map/brochure. Dogs off leash are permitted on the ridge trails and are frequently encountered, as are bike riders and joggers.

AC Transit Line 360 stops at the Moon Gate (Skyline at Totterdell Lane), about one (beautiful but difficult) mile from Skyline Gate along the West Ridge Trail. The Moon Gate trailhead is a pullout with space for a few cars to park, but no designated spaces or other amenities. The West Ridge Trail is rough and steep at this point, negotiable only with a good power chair or a lot of muscle.