Northern California - Anyone Know the Lake Chabot Through-Route from Skyline?

Hi, I wanted to ask for a little route guidance. I'm planning to ride from Grizzly Peak in Berkeley to Castro Valley BART along Skyline, but I can't figure out how to get through/around Lake Chabot once Skyline peters out near the Golf Course. Anyone know the best way on a road bike with 28c tires?

Klimb seems to suggest making a left onto Golf Links Road, following that down until it ends (in what appears to be the golf course parking lot) and then taking the "Fire Road" down to Estudillo Avenue, but this doesn't look like anything on Google Maps.

Google Maps (and the satellite view) seem to show a path that runs along the lake all the way up to the Skyline/Grass Valley Rd intersection, and I should just jump on that and follow the lake all the way down to Fairmont Drive, but I can't make out what kind of condition the path is in.

Anybody know the best way through? I really appreciate the help.

I'd take Redwood Rd instead. I'll confess that I've not gone right into downtown CV on it, but from Google maps it'll take you very close :

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/RedwoodRd/RedwoodCVBART.jpg

You get to Redwood from Skyline/Joaquin Miller as below:

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/RedwoodRd/SkylineRedwood.jpg

It's a great descent, and a beautiful ride down to CV without all the shenanigans of Golf Links etc. There's a bit of climbing involved, but nothing major. Just ~5-10miles of great scenery.

seconded. Redwood Rd is the best way to get to Castro Valley.

Or you can follow the Grizzly Peak Century route:

From Skyline, continue onto Grass Valley and Golf Links Road.
Turn left at the Zoo, climb the access ramp to the zoo and, at the top, turn right down the exit ramp.
Turn right on 106th Street, left on Foothill Blvd. and left on McArthur Blvd.
Turn left on Estudillo and continue onto Lake Chabot Road.
Turn left on Castro Valley Blvd and right on Willbeam Avenue.

the best route is the Redwood road route, my neighbor who has an office down there uses that route to get down to his office then rides bart home.

the century route that Georges gave you has a bit a of a sketchy part to it. Redwood is prettier.

Thanks guys -- I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to giving both routes a try!

This is the way I do it (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Skyline+Blvd&daddr=Golf+Links+Rd+to:Lake+Chabot+Rd+to:37.709899,-122.076559+to:castro+valley+bart&geocode=FdAzQAIdrIm4-A%3BFcQXQAIdvC64-A%3BFayqPwIdYKO4-A%3B%3BFWodPwId7D65-ClHbz6vLpKPgDEt3eQGKPH0Sg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=1,2,3&dirflg=b&sll=37.701615,-122.08334&sspn=0.038233,0.077162&ie=UTF8&z=14&lci=bike), when I don't feel like climbing Redwood.

There's a stop sign and a busy intersection at the bottom of Golf Links. Go under the freeway, left at the light, then left again on Stanley. It's kind of sketchy, but I've done it a dozen times without issue.

Once you're in Castro Valley, go east and south as you please. I like Seven Hills Road, but there are other minor roads to get across the grid.

This is the way I do it (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Skyline+Blvd&daddr=Golf+Links+Rd+to:Lake+Chabot+Rd+to:37.709899,-122.076559+to:castro+valley+bart&geocode=FdAzQAIdrIm4-A%3BFcQXQAIdvC64-A%3BFayqPwIdYKO4-A%3B%3BFWodPwId7D65-ClHbz6vLpKPgDEt3eQGKPH0Sg&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=1,2,3&dirflg=b&sll=37.701615,-122.08334&sspn=0.038233,0.077162&ie=UTF8&z=14&lci=bike), when I don't feel like climbing Redwood.

There's a stop sign and a busy intersection at the bottom of Golf Links. Go under the freeway, left at the light, then left again on Stanley. It's kind of sketchy, but I've done it a dozen times without issue.

Once you're in Castro Valley, go east and south as you please. I like Seven Hills Road, but there are other minor roads to get across the grid.


Yep, I do this loop all the time. It's a nice 50-miler from Berkeley. It's a bit sketchy near the freeway, but not too bad. I agree that Seven Hills is a good way to get between Redwood and Lake Chabot Rd. I did it in the opposite direction last weekend. Golf Links to Grass Valley is a nice climb.

Agreed on Seven Hills, the up and down rollers are kind of fun.