Lafayette Recreation Area is an all-year day-use area for boating, hiking and picnicking, located off Highway 24 in Lafayette, CA. There are two loops around the lake. The shorter loop is along a paved road with gentle grade throughout. The longer loop is on dirt trails and has a few very steep sections.

Best Months to Visit: Summers are hot since trails are in the open. For the 2.8-mile loop along paved Lakeside Trail, any season is okay. However, for the 5-mile loop along Rim Trail, avoid rainy season because the trail becomes muddy.

Trail Maps: No maps were available at the entrance kiosk in June 2010. For the inner loop around the lake, no map is necessary. For the outer loop, a map would be helpful.