Point Pinole juts out into San Pablo Bay, with fantastic views of the bay and brisk marine breezes. My husband, aunt, and I made an excursion to
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, near Richmond here in the San Francisco Bay Area, to experience Point Pinole on a chilly summer weekend.
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| View of the shoreline at Point Pinole toward Crockett |
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| Point Pinole Regional Shoreline |
We parked at the Atlas Road Staging Area, close to the Park office. Our goal was to follow the Owl Alley Trail out to the tip of Point Pinole, and then to the end of the fishing pier.
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| Bench with a view of San Pablo Bay |
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| Shipping lane through San Pablo Bay |
Over the years, Point Pinole has had various uses including Native American fishing grounds, cattle ranches and farms, fishing village, and dynamite manufacturing plant. In 1963 the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the land from Bethlehem Steel, and in 1973 the park was opened to the public.
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| Wetlands pond, still green |
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| The old pier |
Point Pinole includes multiple picnic areas, a campground and playground, marshlands, woods, beaches, and a network of trails. The terrain is fairly flat, which makes it an ideal destination for bicycles, kids, and families. The park provides daily shuttle service from the parking areas to the fishing pier and campsite (check the website for the schedule). The beach trail is included in the ambitious 500-mile
San Francisco Bay Trail project, which circumnavigates the San Francisco Bay.
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| The new fishing pier |
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| View toward Point San Pablo and beyond |
The weather was cool and blustery the day we visited, and we were grateful for our windbreakers (this may be the place to be when our Bay Area temperature soars). Afterward we headed for
Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers in Albany to warm up over delicious burgers, shared milkshakes, and great conversation.
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| Intrepid, though chilly, hikers |
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