Contra Costa Canal Trail Reviews

Very peaceful, relaxing, away from the busy urban life. This is walk/run friendly and dog-friendly. This has many beautiful views of nature while away from most of the city-life. It connects to many other bike trails, the longest one goes from Concord to San Jose and beyond.

I walk 3-4 times a week on this trail but since last few months people have start throwing waste stolen bags, and all sort of garbage. One guys put up his tent for few days. It seems some anti social elements have made this trail as a sorting place of stolen goods. Walkers don't pick up after theie dog another bad thing. I hope sense will prevail some day aand we will have our trail back.

I walked with my wife, my son's sometimes, but mostly with my wife and our dog. what I like it's that we can combine with either riding our bikes, walking the hills or my kids jogging as well. it's relaxing and the people we encountered there are friendly. the walks are safe and the place clean

This is a well traveled and wonderful trail that runs north and south from Martinez down south of Walnut Creek. It is good for walkers, runners, bikers, families -- anyone just wanting to get outside and move. There are many streets that need to be crossed carefully with crosswalks, though. Be aware of cars speeding along without paying attention! Other than that there is something for everybody during every season of the year.

This is work visiting. It was a nice casual place for an afternoon walk. It's convenient to different areas.

I live in Concord, CA where the trail begins. Only blocks from mine and hundreds of other homes in the area, making it very accessible. It's even only a 15-20 min walk from the Concord BART station. Gives you access to the Lime Ridge Open Space as well. Excellent asset for the entire community

I visit Walnut Creek regularly to do consulting work at the DOE Joint Genome Institute. Invariably they put me up at the Marriott Hotel and I've found that the perfect way to get my day started is an early 3.4 walk that mainly follows this canal trail. There are surprisingly few others -- mainly cyclists and joggers -- on weekday mornings. The peace and quiet makes it easy to commune with birds or the occasional turtle, and there are plenty of quiet yards and gardens to admire. The walking mode in Google Maps makes it easy to incorporate all the East Bay trails into your local travel and/or exercise plans.

My husband and I love to hike. The Contra Costa Canal trail is nice and safe. We can walk for miles. We park the car at Heather Farm Park and walk towards the trail. We recommend it.

There are lots of duck families in the canal and beautiful backyard gardens that are alongside the trail. There aren't many inclines, one of my requirements!

Nice trail for biking ,running or walking with your dog. Usually very clean but due to hot summer paved road has big cracks visible. Hopefully they will be repaired.

A wonderful quiet oasis in the middle of urban life. Oak chapparal and coyote bush scent much of the trail as it winds its way throughout Walnut Creek and beyond. Great for pedestrian, bicyclists and people walking their pets! I always have a dog or two to walk when visiting and enjoy talking with locals out for walks- friendly and fun. Also a portion adjacent to many public park areas.

As a Scout Master, I have taken many bike trips using this trail. It connects to the Iron Horse and stretches from Martinez to Pleasanton. There are bike shops, grocery stores and rest stops along the way. Plenty of opportunities to refill your water bottle.

My friend and I hav been daily waking a segment of the Contra Costa Trail for years! We always begin at the trail head near Rancho San Miguel and walk 2 miles to Oak Grove and back. The asphalt paved trail is well marked and great for a morning walk for exercise. We often stop to watch the wild life along the trail such as the baby ducklings, the egrets fishing in the canal. The trail goes a long way!

I run on the Walnut Ave to Treat Blvd portion of the CC Canal Trail and with only a few exceptions, it's a safe well paved place for all the activities listed in my title. The exceptions being, there are some trees that drop nasty thorns which have popped half a dozen of my bike tires, but only in the fall and not since I upgraded to heavier tires. The trail has some patches that defy repair leading to an unevenness that comes back within a month of being repaved. Most of your fellow trail users are courteous but some of the bike commuters are a bit lax on calling out behind you. They need more trash receptacles for dog waste.

The trail can satisfy many diverse users and uses. It can be used by young and old on foot, with bikes & trikes and with wagons and strollers. It offers extremes from a short stroll or to a long and arduous run or ride. Depending on where you join or depart the many accesses or egresses, you will encounter a wide variety of scenery and trail conditions.

A canal trail map can help select the areas that are closest to you or the areas that you may wish to explore. There are parts of the rail that offer some interesting and varying sights and others that little other than a traffic free path. With a bike or a very long run, you can cover large distances and decide which parts are best for your purposes. I used it to train for both long and short distance runs and found it to provide an interesting and safe distraction during the workout.

A wonderful place to bike, roller blade, walk or run. By yourself or with the family.It goes by some wonderful parks and leads all around the Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Concord area. I believe you can make it to San Ramon using the trails.

Nice rice with my bicycle down this trail. Its clean and safe. I enjoy being outdoors and this was very nice and relaxing.

Hardly any conflict with cars and the intersections with roads are very well managed and marked. Trail is wide enough, well maintained and well used. Can't believe how lucky I am to live so close to such a nice public trail!

The canal trail is a very good place to walk, jog or ride your bike. It is safe and has a serene setting as you're walking next to the canal. Many people use it and has a nice view of the surrounding area and I walk it every day

If you like to walk in a quiet trail, do that in a week day mid morning. The beginning of May was not too hot and the walk was peaceful. You have to watch out for doggie poops though because of unconsiderate dog walkers who didn’t bother to clean up after their dogs.

This is a great scenic trail that takes you all over Concord. It starts out by the Willow Pass Park and goes up to Mount Diablo. There are side trails that take you out to Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek as well.
The city has been really good about putting in stoplights around the crosswalks. Be careful when crossing the street when there are no lights to stop traffic. Other than that though the trails are awesome!

Why walk on the streets and breathe carbon monoxide? Instead, hit the trail and find your way to parks, shopping centers and great views. It makes you feel like you've taken a short staycation. Great for breaks from work and longer hikes.

Great trail day or night. For walking or biking. It’s mostly level and the water feature is real cool.

This is a great trail to get you to / from Mt Diablo. Alot of runners and cyclist's. cyclists watch out on a handfull of the corners, because I have found runners that don't watch their lane.
There are other interconnecting trails to different areas of contra costa.

Doesn't matter if you are with/out kids, dog, solo this is a great place to walk/run/jog/cycle. Not the prettiest trail I have been on but has some lovely views of Mt Diablo and joins up with the Iron Horse Trail and I think several others. The connection with the Iron Horse Trail is important as that can take you to the Pleasant Hill Bart station or in the other direction into Walnut Creek

We walk the trail pretty much weekly and sometimes almost daily. Members of my Weight Watchers group walk a segment each Saturday morning. There is plenty to see, from vistas to critters, presently there are snakes, including rattlesnakes on the portion between Treat and Ygnacio, so be watchful, respectful, and enjoy. We see herons, egrets, ducks and lizards more frequently than snakes. Be aware that the traik does have cracks; don't trip or startle a snake.

Great for hikers and bicycle riders. The trail is now connected to several cities from Martinez to Sunol or further for several miles. They keep expanding the trail. It is paved and very clean. There are drinking faucets along the trail in some places. Just be careful of crossing street traffic, and be aware of your surroundings. Best to go during the day time although they don't close the trail at night. time.

It is fairly easy to run around Pleasant Hill in the morning. I stumbled upon the Contra Costa Canal trail and it was a very nice alternative to the neighborhoods. I don't know exactly how long it is, but it was long enough to accommodate my 5 mile run.

I love running this trail. It's quiet, most people are friendly, and there are so many options to avoid repetitiveness. It meets up with the iron horse if you really want to push the mileage.

The canal is great place to bike, just watch out for dogs and walkers. Much safer than the street these days.

The canal trail deals only in bicycle & pedestrian traffic and little of the hazards of street congestion. A ride can include a look at Snowy White Egrets, Mallard Ducks, Red Tail Hawks, Turkey Vultures, squirrels, Otters and in season the occasional rattlesnake. The views of the surrounding hills and Bay Area make this a must adventure.

Love to go for my bike ride on this quiet trail. Quiet and away from streets with pleasant views to enhance your ride.

Our senior walking group uses these trails on a weekly basis, even in the rain. Everyone feels safe when walking and there are always friendly faces of other families using the trail as well as bike riders and runners. They are maintained and there is a planned extension in the future from Concord to Port Chicago and beyond that I'm very excited about.

The canal trails, there are a few, are great places to walk yourself, with a friend, run, hike, walk with a baby in a stroller or with a dog.

The scenery in each one is different. Walking down the trail takes you away from the noise from the heavily trafficked streets.

I walk this trail between Cowell Rd and San Miguel. This is my favorite section because it is shady with a view of the creek below. Many people bike, exercise and walk their dogs along here. it is a nice wide trail that goes much further than the section in my neighborhood I walk on.

A very nice trail to walk or bike. Get to see some very interesting areas of the county. It make a giant U going between Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and Martinez. It is a gateway to the Iron Horse trail. Fun to bike to Walnut Creek or Danville, have brunch or lunch somewhere fun, and return.
What is also nice is that crossing busy streets, most cars stop to permit people to cross whether on foot or biking. But just be careful--always a good idea to watch out for traffic on some of those busy roads.
Great vistas; opportunities to see interesting homes that otherwise one would miss; a nice perspective on central county.
I ride along the trail everyday on my way to/from Bart. Nice way to miss traffic.

Flat but interstitial trail running through the central county past down town Walnut Creek. Fun! Also good for walking. Easy access to pleasant hill and Walnut Creek Bart stations.

I love to get on the Canal Trail for a nice, easy bike ride. It’s flat and an easy ride. Goes for miles and it is safe with lots of nice people walking and riding their bikes.

One of the great things about living in this area is the ability to go for long distances, on foot or bicycle, without having to go on a road.

One way to do that is to use one or more of the public trails. These go through town after town.

The CC Canal Trail is one such trail. It is very popular among locals, especially on the weekends. It is not really that long but it does cross the Iron Horse Trail in Walnut Creek and that can take you for miles in either direction.

One of my favorite trails. Plenty to see along the way. Flowers, birds, ducks, squirrels, snakes, did I miss anything?

What a great trail connecting various cities of the east bay. Whether you are walking, running or biking, you will get a lot of enjoyment from the trail. It meanders thru various cities of the East Bay, and is easily accessible from various entry points. I have found it to be a fun way to get exercise, and I am continually inspired when I see people of all ages utilizing the trail.

This is one of the best trails in Contra Costa County. You can travel from Concord all the way the Pleasanton on this and its intersecting Iron Horse Trail. An estimate is about 30 miles total one way. The only criticism of the trail is that you have to cross many public streets which requires people with young kids to be on their guard.

Every city should have a great network of trails. In the East Bay, the Contra Costa Canal Trail links with various other trails. It results in hiking and biking paths that take you for miles through various towns and areas. The bikes probably travel too fast and should use bells more often as once you get into a hiking zone, you really don't hear them coming from behind. People are amazingly friendly and the exercise is great.

I have just recently expanded my dog walking loops to include part of the Contra Costa Canal Trail. It is nice to leave the noise of the boulevards behind and walk along the canal which borders backyard fences on both sides, where you hear an occasional dog bark or chickens that are being raised in someone's backyard. The trail is protected by pedestrian crossing signals wherever it crosses a major streets. As the weather gets warmer you may want to bring along some water if you plan on walking any serious distance.

Easy walk with a few small gentle inclines and decent scenery. It follows the canal which adds a little scenery to the walk it ride.

Makes for a pleasant stroll or bike ride right in town and along the waterway. The cyclists can be much like WWII bombers on weekends.

the trail is miles long, through quiet neighborhoods and peaceful country side. one can ride and ride as the trail is perfectly flat!

No matter where you pick up the trail, you should have fun looking at the trees, different style houses, and bikes as they pass you up walking.

Some trees even bare good fruit - ripe for the picking.

I'm most familiar with the Canal Trail in Concord from Treat Blvd. to where it ends on Willow Pass Road. From Willow Pass toward Cowell Rd. it is flat and passes through neighborhoods. You can see into folks' back yards and check out the dogs and chickens. In the summer, there isn't much shade along here.
After you cross Cowell Rd. the trail goes uphill, curves around, and begins to hug the side of the Lime Ridge Open Space. This stretch of the trail has a nice view of the area. You can see the Berkeley Hills to the west, the Bay to the north and Mt. Diablo to the south.
The crossing at Treat Blvd. is problematic. The powers that be want trail users to go uphill a bit and cross at the traffic light. However, bikers and hikers continue to cross illegally lower down on Treat Blvd., and this creates a very dangerous situation. As a trail user, remember that the speed limit on this section of Treat Blvd. is 45 mph, which means that cars are actually traveling closer to 50-55 mph!
After the trail crosses Treat Blvd, it continues along the open space, but is lower, and you eventually go back into the neighborhoods. If you continue on the trail, you will come to Countrywood Shopping Center, and eventually, the Pleasant Hill Bart Station.

This trail is great for bike rides, dog walking, jogging etc. Great to be off the roads. There are many fun stops to make in different cities.

The Contra Costa Canal trail is a nice easy trail that doesnt have too many hilly areas. Its a pleasure to walk and greet most people on the trail and I enjoy the people who bring their friendly dogs to the trail. Its really not ever busy enough to feel even half way crowded. Plenty of Birds to watch too.

I walked with my dog everyday. it's beautiful , safe and clean. I walk on the pavement but I have also taken the dirt road in the hills. it's serene and the breeze feels delicious as it brushes you on the face on very hot days. you can see falcons, rabbits, birds and appreciate the views of the city and combed hills as well. people jog and bike with their children. I only walk five miles but others walk longer or jog Pass Ygnacio Valley Rd. Free parking is available on the side of Treat Blvd.

It was nicer than I thought it would be. You amble through the back of homes, but it is open and feels safe which is important. Light ups and downs so a decent walk

We love that our house is only yards away from the trail. On this well paved trail you can walk or ride for miles and miles if you want. Even though its in the city(s), it feels like youre in the country. Well used but not crowded.

Nice trail to walk on. nice scenery and fun place to be.
We were on out way to Heather Farms to watch the scenery there

this is our favorite spot to go for walks.....any time of year. We enjoy the ducks, the foliage, greeting people all while getting great exercise.

I did this ride with a couple of retired friends. We are fortunate to live in a community that provides bicycle routes and trails such as this one. We biked from Alamo, Walnut Creek and back by joining different branches of trails. This is a pretty straightforward ride. I recommend folks go to the website to discover the Iron Horse Trail and to download trail map guides.

The trail is mainly flat and smooth. I've seen a maintenance worker filling in a pot-hole. At least in the areas where I've been, there aren't many roads to cross which is a plus. The canal doesn't look very beautiful since fences surround it because the canal water is processed for use by the city. However, you'll sometimes see ducks swimming in the canal or squirrels along the trail. The trail has a good variety of shaded and non-shaded areas. If you're looking for some elevation change, Lime Ridge Regional Open Space meets up with this trail.

The trial is pleasantly shady and sometimes sunny but always an easy walk or bike ride. My dog loves it. All dogs must be leashed of course.

The trail is much better maintained in the high rent zip codes, leaving Pleasant Hill and Martinez in need of big repairs. Roughs spots can cause bike accidents. I cannot imagine strollers rolling safely either. Please do some repairs!!!!

The canal trail seems to be a safe, level, quiet place to walk. It goes a long way, and is a great bike ride, too.

What a truly great inner city trail that can be enjoyed on a bike, run or a walk. There is plenty of activity as the trail gets a lot of use. You will see people running, biking and walking so you are never alone. The trail is expansive, going to Concord in one direction, and to Moraga in the other. There are various off-shoots to Danville/Dublin, Pleasant Hill, etc.

I used to live 8 blocks from one of the entrances to this trail. The path can take you to many places around the East Bay. Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Danville and more can be reached on this trail.

I always enjoy the Contra Costa Canal Trail. I ride my bike along it many times a month. What is nice is that it is paved and well maintained and isolated from traffic, except for street crossings which are not very often.

The Contra Costa Canal Trail is one of my favorite urban trails, and I never pass up an opportunity to walk it. I like the looks of the canal, which is a very interesting piece of engineering, and I enjoy watching the people and the ducks. During my recent afternoon walk on the Pleasant Hill section of the trail I saw walkers, joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers, skateboarders, dogs on leash, and moms pushing babies in strollers. No motorized or electric-powered vehicles are permitted on the trail, except for wheelchairs or other mobility devices.

The trail crosses quite a few streets. The crossings are well marked and the ones crossing arterials are protected by pedestrian-activated signal lights. Motorists are generally careful to stop for trail users, but you need to exercise due caution.

The trail is great for walking, jogging or biking. You can go a mile or 20, depending on your interest. It's paved and smooth.

What a great place to walk. It seems really safe as many other people are sharing the trail with you. Biking can take you all around the valley, from flat to fairly steep trails. The view is beautiful at the top of the trail. Definitely recommend.

In my previous review of this section of trail, I mentioned potential safety issues in crossing Treat Blvd., especially if walkers and bikers were unwilling to go uphill to the traffic signal at Treat Blvd. and Navaronne Way. Since, my last review, the city/county has very fortunately put a section of fence down the middle of Treat Blvd. in this area. This fence makes it very difficult to try to cross Treat downhill from the traffic signal. Safety is a good thing, right?
The speed limit on this section of Treat is still 45 mph.

Cycling is a wonderful form of exercise and starting off on the Contra Costa Canal Trail will get your cardio going and allow you to enjoy the rolling fields around you. Venture off and bring your snacks to enjoy the nature in your backyard!

This is a trail that was stuck in the middle of a town. Cemented canal with houses butting up along the trail. For someone who actually lives in the woods, this is not pretty. But certainly better than going around a track.

We walk on this trail nearly every day when the weather is good. Much safer than dealing with traffic on the streets. Level paved walking surfaces and well marked crossings for streets. Lots of friendly walkers to chat with if you are so inclined. Dogs need to be on leashes. Poop bags are located in dispensers along the trail, as are trash cans. If you like to walk, give this trail a try, it goes for miles through Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, and Concord.

There are beautiful views of the valley from most of the trail, and access to Lime Ridge Open Space.
Presently herons are nesting over the trail along San Miguel Road, and we have recently seen ducks, egrets, herons, hummingbirds bluejays and more. Others have seen otters.
The trail is smooth, bicyclists for the most part let you know they are there. I am older and feel more comfortable walking with someone, but we see many solo runners.

My daughter and her husband use this trail frequently since they live nearby. It is a pleasant trail whether you want to take a stroll, ride your bike, or your a person who walks or runs on a regular. I will advise you that right before dust we have encountered a few skunks in the trail, so beware.

This is a wonderful trail for walking or bicycling. It wraps around the entire area of Concord, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Martinez.
Also connects to the Iron Horse Trail that heads south into Walnut Creek and down
south.
There is now also a connection where you can walk/bike across the Benicia Bridge
into Benica and Solano County. It is well maintained

Contra Costa Canal Trail sounds like it should be a picturesque trail next to a pretty waterway. Unfortunately this is far from the truth. The canal is actually a concrete culvert with chain-link fence on both banks. The trail itself is a concrete path that is in disrepair. The trail is constantly broken up by major roads. The flora surrounding the area is predominantly non-native and ugly. Occasionally you may get a glimpse into someone's run-down back yard. Oh and look out for the dog poop!

There is an 8 mile loop through some gorgeous suburban homes but also past golf courses and fields of green. There are also several other trails that intersect this one, so you can make your run or ride much longer. The canal often has ducks swimming with their little ones.

This is an asphalt walk behind people's back yards along an irrigation ditch. It's fine if you want to bicycle somewhere. But I wouldn't waste the time considering it a tourist attraction.