Contra Costa Canal Trail

This Canal Trail parallels what is actually a LOOP of the Contra Costa canal. The canal began work before World War II, but work was delayed during the war. The purpose of the canal is to get fresh water from the Delta to Northern Contra Costa County.
The canal actually starts at the Delta, goes due West, and then goes down then up in a big U all the way to Martinez, where it empties into a reservoir.
In the early 1970s, a more direct pipeline was constructed between the main portion of the canal and Martinez. This loop portion of the canal is still used, but the main batch of water is actually delivered via the shortcut pipeline.
It’s a very pleasant bike ride or walk on the Canal Trail. The paving is pretty good, although there are some lumps here and there. I biked quite a ways today on this Trail, as well as the Ygnacio Canal Trail, and found it to be a pleasant ride.
A lot of people mix up the Contra Costa canal with the Ygnacio Canal. They are both Loops, but the Ygnacio Canal is the shorter Canal further to the South. It’s the one that goes behind John Muir Medical Center. The Ygnacio Canal is quite a bit narrower, and clearly contains much less water.
All in all, I thought this was a very good trail. It’s great for joggers, tigers, or bikers. It’s not usually too crowded, so there’s room for everybody!

My favorite trail! I am new to the area and it is so beautiful. Today I meandered through Las Juntas Park which is on the trail (in Pleasant Hill) — the view from the top is gorgeous! Can’t wait to go again!

This trail was recently repaved between Boyd Rd & the trail opening at Stephenson/​Elliot. It used to be so much more bumpy before the repairs in Spring 2015; it’s really improved. It’s a busy trail with dog walkers, runners, bicyclists, parents pushing strollers, and folks out for their morning walk. There’s a great shaded section (on the portion I described above) which is great for warm days.

And in the «I didn’t know this had a Unilocal listing» category. .. The Contra Costa Canal Trail is the textbook definition of a multi-​purpose trail. You can walk, jog, bike, skate, skateboard, scoot. You can be a kid, a young adult, a milddle-​aged adult, a senior. You can be going to school, to work, to shop, to another park. And use this trail to do so. It’s all paved.
You can also get a tour of these suburbs. There are the cookie-​cutter ranch houses, naturally. But there are also city parks, wide-​open hills, and woodlands. Housing ranges from slightly-​lower class to slightly-​upper class, from mid-​1950s to 2000s. There’s more character in Central Contra Costa than you’d expect when you never leave the freeway.
But wait, there’s more: connections to other trails, including the Iron Horse rail-​to-​trail that stretches from Highway 4 in Concord to Highway 580 in Pleasanton.
Just do it.

This is a nice trail through Concord. Other trails (such as Iron Horse) also connect. The portions I’ve traveled go along the Contra Costa Canal (who’d have thought? Lol), and some areas are really pretty. The trail is pretty well traveled and I’d say relatively safe. It’s also pretty flat, despite the area near Lime Ridge being hilly on the main roads. Most of the trail is well paved, but there are definitely some sections that are pitted, cracked, and pot-​holed. Just keep your eyes open.

The Contra Costa Canal Trail has a small portion running through Walnut Creek that serves as a convenient cut-​through when you’re on the Iron Horse Trail to other parts of town. The main section I’ve had the chance to see is the portion that runs from North Main Street down to Bancroft (runs behind the Countrywood Shopping plaza.) Typically, as I follow the Iron Horse trail from downtown WC to the Pleasant Hill bart area, I veer right on the Canal trail for a detour down to Heather Farms Park. It is well travelled and maintained, with a relatively flat paved path.
I find myself here quite often as I detour from other trails in Walnut Creek and it’s convenient and safe for a solo female walker. Although it’s not terribly scenic, it still has some great trees, flowers and birds to view along the way. Overall, I feel lucky to live in an area with such a variety of walking paths. Great for bikes, walking, and kids of all ages.

I have become quite familiar with this trail over the years. More so recently since I walk this trail a few times a week on my route to work. Located literally steps from my front door, the trail couldn’t be more convenient. Whether it’s walking to work or just needing some fresh air with peace and quiet, the trail remains my «go to» choice.
The trail runs all the way from Concord to Walnut Creek. Along the trail, smaller trails break off taking you to a multitude of different routes, spreading all across the area. I haven’t seen much wild life along the trail except for the occasional squirrel but at night you can hear a harmony of frogs.
My favorite thing about the trail besides it being quiet, and all the nice people you meet, is how beautiful it all is. Sometimes I leave for work early just so I can take my time and admire the landscapes. At certain spots you can view almost all of Concord. Endless hills to stare at and at night, when they are lit up by the moon, it looks just absolutely gorgeous.
I consider the trail to be very safe. I have never come across anyone who looks even remotely shady, and every single person I ever walk by always smiles and says «Hello.» It’s pet friendly so you will see a lot of dogs on the trail, and it’s also bike friendly. The bikers I have run into are very considerate of people walking the trail. Always letting you know when behind you, and which side they are passing you on.
A great path across three cities full of beautiful scenery and friendly faces. What more could one want or need?

14 miles of diverse Contra Costa terrain — I’ve been fortunate enough to live near this trail (at one segment or another) most of my life, and it’s a great avenue for getting to various parts of the area safely and quickly.
This trail has end points in Martinez and Concord, and will take you through Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek. Besides brief walks, I’ve run the entire thing *once* and biked it a few times — I love stopping off at Los Panchos in Pacheco on the way home after. Also, picking blackberries in the late summer near DVC will never get old — they’re delicious.
For out of towners, I guess it’s not the most gorgeous trail in the world, but I highly recommend it if you’re looking for an easy way to get outdoors and cover some mileage. See you on the trail!

Flatter trail than the Lafayette Res… and when you’re pushing a stroller –oh momma!- flatter is better.
I can best sum up the trail crowd like this:
Stroller family (guess that’s me now)
Little dogs on leashes
Bicycles
Lululemon yoga pants
Big dog on/​off leash
Shirtless dude with abs and tan, makes shirted men jealous
Rude bicycles
Older ladies in groups working on their fitness
Little dog yaps at big dog
Creepy dude over stares at yoga pants
Bicycles

Nice place to walk the dog with the ol’ lady. Nice trees and ducks and sometimes you’ll run into some hot chicks on the trail

To be fair I only ran this trail between Willow Pass Road and the Lime Ridge park entrance. Aside from a great hill incline at the Lime Ridge entrance there was nothing else that impressed me. Contra Costa Canal Trail helps you get the job done, accomplish your fitness goals and gets you outside. What more can you expect from a state trail in Concord?

MY LAWLESS CHILDHOOD
My first run-​in with the police took place on the CC Canal Trail. At the time (probably 1990ish), the portion of the trail I was on was still unpaved. It was a dirt trail paralleling the creek. My parents purchased their Walnut Creek home in 1989 and on the other side of our fence was the trail so I spent a lot of time on it. My sister and I used to ride our dirt bikes up and down a portion of the dirt trail, even into a part of the creek that had no way around it except through it. One day, WCPD showed up and crushed our fun after receiving a noise complaint. Yeah, guess our 50 cc bikes were too noisy for one of the stuffy neighbors.
It was a couple years later that they paved the trail. And they even added a bridge! The neighborhood kids used to gather and sit under it and hang out by the creekside. There had been a rope swing at this part of the trail but the entire branch of the large tree was cut, after removal of the rope failed time after time. I caught a lot of crawdads in the creek. We used bacon as bait and ate them back at home. Then I decided to keep one as a pet and subsequently stopped eating them. I probably wouldn’t eat anything out of the creek now. There are still crawdads in it, and a turtle (not kidding) but the water is clouded and much more shallow.
I remember riding my bike to Sequoia Middle School with my sister. I can even remember when we were allowed to do this together, without mom. The trail ride was so cool! To us, it meant we were grown up. To Mom and Dad it probably meant a safe, direct path to school without a lot of time on the main road.
Some years later, I ran cross-​country for Acalanes High and many afternoons in high school I spent running on the Canal Trail for practice. I would run until the trail intersected with Iron Horse and then turn around.
Finally, as an adult, the trail was a direct path from home to the bar. I could walk to Masse’s in Walnut Creek in less than 20 minutes and stumble home without doing any driving.
My home now is only half a mile from the trail and I love running it up to the Open Space. My parents still live in their home on the Canal Trail. I walked there from work yesterday (2.5 miles — 35 minutes) to borrow a car. It was really nice being on that portion of the trail and seeing changes to homes and the landscape. It’d been a few years since I’d walked that far on it. It was a great reminder to how much time I spent on the trail as a child. Glad I don’t live all that far from it now!
Trail map

I love this trail. I love that it is so close to my house and can take me to Martinez or to Walnut Creek. I run or walk on the trail and used to roller skate, too. The pavement isn’t the best in some places, but definitely not the worst.
Baby ducks in the springtime!

It’s not the best trail I’ve been to, but it’s good enough to go for a walk and cut traffic on the main streets.

I love this canal trail! It is great to walk, run, bring your kids on their bikes, way the dog, whatever! I love seeing all the regulars at their usual time. In the mornings, you can find Deborah, who is blind and swings her walking stick back and forth to make sure she doest run into anything. She is a hoot. Say hi and ask about the weather.
Sometimes, however, the canal gets drained and the scum thats on the bottom is exposed and the smell is PUTRID. But thats okay, the cute ducks and ducklings swimming by in the spring make it all worthwhile.

In this review I’m considering the 3 miles portion of the trail that runs from Taylor Rd to HWY 4.
The trail proper is quite long; it runs from Martinez into Pleasant Hill above DVC, into Walnut Creek past Heather Farms and then through Concord, past the Concord Bart and ending on the far end of Willow Pass Rd.
The following website gives one all the technical info one would need:
My review focuses on those elements I feel are important for enjoyment:
— Ease of access –5
— Trail surface — 3
— Scenery– 3
— Trail markers /​maps /​interpretive sites — 2
— Available parking — 4
— Environment — 3
— Crowds– 3
— Overall — 3.3
Given those factors, an A-​Ok rating is just about right. The trail is very convenient for those that live near by and for DVC students who use the trail to go to and from school. That said, it’s extremely easy to access and parking can be found along the neighborhood streets and at DVC.
This rolling asphalt trail follows a concrete canal and weaves it’s way behind houses in Pleasant Hill and Martinez. In that way it’s pleasant as there are many trees and grasses along its length. Wild blackberries also grow and are in season right now. The trail surface is asphalt and mostly smooth. Some areas are extremely cracked but none of the areas are in disrepair.
The trail used to have body weight exercise stations such as pull up bars, step up stumps and sit up boards but these have long since been removed. Too bad because these were a real asset to the trail.
The trail has almost no marking what so ever save for directional markers when the trail intersects with other trails or comes to a road intersection. There are some mile markers but these appear to have been put in place by individuals or events and are not official trail markers. Use the trail map on the website above or your GPS for accurate distance information.
The trail gets frequent use, mostly folks simply walking or walking their dogs. Fortunately, the dog walkers appear to clean up after their dogs and stepping in dog doo is rarely an issue. I feel the crowds on this trail to be somewhat of a benefit as there has been some crime on the trail in the past and the fence along the trail backs up to several houses with seemingly aggressive dogs. (2 Pitbull /​Mastiff types near HWY 4 come to mind.) If a hole in the fence should ever develop, it’s somewhat comforting knowing that there are others on the trail. That said, I’ve always found it safe and pleasant.
This is my home trail and I’m glad to have it.

Great trail to jog or take your dogs for a walk. When I’m in town, I try to make it a point to squeeze in a morning jog with the kid. Last time we covered about 4 miles back and forth. Generally flat, but there a few small hills here and there that make your run a tad bit more challenging.

Gayle and I were first planning to take a Saturday walk (with dog) starting at the Briones parking lot off Pleasant Hill Road. However, it was windy, so we decided instead to head off down the neighbourhood, and eventually hook up with the Contra Costa Canal Trail. We have previously taken it as far as the Lindsay Museum in Walnut Creek, and this time (starting at Christ the King), we headed the other way and in the general direction of Martinez.
The entire trail is a 14 mile horseshoe with Concord and Martinez at either end. And once in Walnut Creek, you can continue on to Heather Farms Park or connect to the Iron Horse Trail, and walk to Danville if you’d like. We enjoyed our stroll through Las Juntas Park in Pleasant Hill, as we pretty much followed the Canal as it meandered around.
Construction of the Canal was begun in the 1930s to supply irrigation water for local crops and is now maintained by the Contra Costa Water District. Water is pumped into the canal from the Delta near Rock Slough, and travels to Martinez for potable water treatment and distribution to the thirsty masses. Property owners living along the canal may also purchase non-​potable water to use for irrigation.
As we walked home along Taylor, we felt virtuous to be out for about an hour and a half, and swore that we needed to do more neighbourhood and canal walking during the week and after work. We went even further by pledging that a walk must come before our evening glasses of wine or sips of Kanar.

This is a nice, flat bike path that’s in pretty good repair. All he crossings have dedicated stop lights or flashers to help keep users safe. There are periodic trash cans and donated plastic bags for dog waste, so the path is also fairly clean.
A few patches on the path could use some paving attention and are bumpy, but they are still easily rideable. Also, the bike path connects a lot of useful places. For instance, it goes right past my house and right past my office, so I commute by bike every day and get seven miles of riding in. That’s pretty great. If you work in the Shadelands, there’s no reason NOT to bike!
The only problem with this path is that there doesn’t appear to be a lot of night lighting, so I suggest not using it after dark if you’re alone or on a bike.
As a note, if you are going to walk this path, take dogs on it, or jog, be alert for cyclists behind you. more than 90% of cyclists on this path have very poor path etiquette and NEVER warn people when they pass them. Cyclists also tend to take this path VERY fast and with disregard for proper lane usage and safety. Please thank the cyclists who warn you before they pass. Positive reinforcement works.

We were looking for a bit of outdoor family exercise time and a departure from the Lafayette Reservoir, so we decided to venture over to the Contra Costa Canal Trail this weekend. It’s close enough for us to walk to, but not quite in our neighborhood… so junior took his scooter.
It turned out to be a great, wide paved path with mild hills. It was perfect for walking, scootering, biking, etc. And for a beautiful weekend day, it was hardly busy at all.
As I found out online, the Contra Costa Canal Trail is a 13.9 mile horseshoe shaped trail that runs through parts of Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and Concord. Mostly alongside a waterway easement and through neighborhoods, but past several parks as well (Larkey, Heather Farms, etc).
We covered about 4 miles this weekend… can’t wait to explore some more of it.