Quick question: I’ll be spending a week in the Bay Area with intent of riding Mt Diablo, Mt Hamilton, and a number of other rides (Grizzly-Claremont, Calaveras, Sierra/Felter,etc). Where should I stay to be best located (San Jose, Milpitas, Pleasanton, Livermore, or other?). Don’t know much about these places and want ease of out and return, minimize the city riding, etc. Just looking for advice and anything else I should be thinking about. Thanks.

You have a lot of options. But, I'd recommend Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, or Livermore--probably in that order. You might check in the Northern California Regional Discussions forum to find out about the status of some roads, though (Calaveras, Redwood, etc.) as portions of these were taken out in last year's rains.

Thread moved from General Cycling forum to Northern California regional forum.

I suggest forgetting Ham and Tam, stay in Walnut Creek and ride Diablo three times... Superior experience.

Totally a moot point.

Mt. Diablo is wonderful--can't argue with you there. But, as in so many things, it is kind of a victim of its own success, if you will. Unless you ride it during the week it seems to be always crawling with cyclists and cars.

I have no idea what condition Calaveras is in these days. But if it is open, allowing access to Felter, Piedmont, Sierra Rd--that is a fantastic ride as well. The views of the Oakland/San Francisco bays are incomparable. Also, I always thought the Sierra Rd climb was just more difficult than most of Mt. Diablo, excepting the last 100/200 yards or so.

Back side of Mt. Hamilton via Mines Rd/San Antonio Valley is also beautiful this time of year and you really get a sense of "getting away" on that ride.

No question, though, that the San Francisco Bay Area enjoys an embarrassment of riches when it comes to great cycling.

Calaveras Rd . . . This is too bad, because the ride along Foothill Rd. (Pleasanto/Sunol), connecting to Calaveras, Sierra Rd, Felter and back is a really great ride.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission : Calaveras Road Closure

Might as well stay eastward.. Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, walnut creek.

Forget Hamilton unless you drive closer to it, or super long ride from Livermore side...Calaveras is closed still.

Staying in the east will give you better access to Diablo, Morgan Terr, 3 Bears.. etc.

Thank you all for the suggestions and beta on calaveras. Can’t wait to spend a straight week riding down there!

here is my list of half day rides

East Bay (staying at Walnut Creek/Danville)
Mt. Diablo
Morgan territory

East Bay (staying at Orinda, nice culture around there)
ride towards Berkeley - Grizzly Peak and WildCat Canyon
three bears and San Pablo Dam
PineHurst and Skyline (to/back Oakland)

East Bay (staying at Livermore/Dublin/Pleasanton)
Patterson rd
Del Valle Park
(this is a full day one, daring, due to cold and loneliness) Mines Rd to Mt. Hamilton (say hi to the nice folks at the fire station at the Junction)
wine and wineries
(lil far) Palomares Rd (try to avoid Niles rd up/down. its beautiful, but there is hardly a shoulder)
(mtn bike) Pleasanton Ridge and Lonview Dr+Valley View trails

South Bay (staying at Milpitas/Fremont)
Sierra Rd (come down on the Felter side and do the next one)
Caleveras Wall - note, rd is open till County line, but, rd is unmaintained and closed after that for now
(hike) Mission Peak

South Bay (staying around Alum Rock or Evergreen)
(mtn bike?) Calveras ridge
Mt Hamilton along 130
Mt Hamilton via Quimby (be careful on the way down, turns are tricky and have a couple of stories)

South Bay(?) (staying around Los Gatos)
Montevino
Black Ave
Bear Creek
Soda Springs

South Bay (staying around Saratoga)
Hwy 9 to Catle Rock
Redwood Gulch
Stevens Creek and Montebello
Bohlman

South Bay (staying around Palo Alto)
Old La Honda
La Honda
page mill
Kings Mountain and Tunitas
Pescadero

South Bay (staying around Campbell)
Hicks rd (N and S) to Mt. Umunhum (recently open/paved rd. very nice)
(mtn bike) Kennedy Trail and Limekiln


Roads that are closed :
Calaveras from Sunol/Ohlone park -> Milpitas (no easy ride around)
RedWood Rd in Castro Valley <->PineHurst (there is a trail/gravel rd from behind the Golf course. can go up, but down on rd bike is tricky)
Hwy 9 after Castle rock
connector from Orinda <->PineHurst, there is a makeshift road and a side trail
some parts of Skyline in Palo Alto, but, i think cyclists are fine


if you are after mountains and elevation, Mt. Tam (alpine dam route), Mt. Diablo (N gate), Mt. Hamilton (via Quimby), Mt. Umunhum (from N Hicks) are varied in their gain/environ
for walls, Sierra Rd, Calaveras Wall, RedWood Gulch, China Grade, Hicks rd, Bohlman all give you a good appetite for lunch

There are several hotels right by pleasant hill bart, exactly where you want to be for Diablo and three bears and connectable by transit to the other things.

Thanks for all the detail!