Part 4 of the 32-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, through Redwood Regional Park, going through French Trail.

Location: Redwood Regional Park — East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail

» Official Trail Map: Good quality map showing all trails. Also see North section — South section — Text.

Route in brief: Skyline Gate Staging Area (entrance for Redwood Regional Park) to MacDonald Gate Staging Area (an entrance for Anthony Chabot Regional Park). There are two choices. The GPS tracks and elevation profile shown in this article are for choice (b) below that goes via French Trail.

1. 5.0 mile route: West Ridge Trail (3.83 miles) → Golden Spike Trail (0.67 miles) → connector (0.11 miles) → Big Bear Staging Area → MacDonald Trail (0.4 miles) to MacDonald Gate Staging Area.
2. 6.5 mile route: West Ridge Trail (0.59 miles) → French Trail (3.99 miles) → Orchard Trail (0.20 miles) → West Ridge Trail (0.57 miles) → Golden Spike Trail (0.67 miles) → connector (0.11 miles) → Big Bear Staging Area → MacDonald Trail (0.4 miles) to MacDonald Gate Staging Area.

Notes:

1. French Trail is absolutely fantastic with several ups and downs through Redwoods.
2. Golden Spike Trail is shaded.
3. Details in pages 60-63 in East Bay Trails: Hiking Trails in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (288 pages, 2005) by David Weintraub.

Location: Intersection of Pine Hills Drive & Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94516 . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: March 2011)

Capacity: Over 20 cars can be parked here.

Latitude: 37.831730     Longitude: -122.185631

Location: (McDonald Staging Area) Along Redwood Road in Oakland, CA 94619 . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: November 2009)

Capacity: About a dozen cars may be parked here.

Latitude: 37.798227     Longitude: -122.150764