Soaring Hawk Trail

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · Lake · Views · Wildlife

This little-known trail follows a ridgeline on the "wrong side"—the east side—of Redwood Road in Anthony Chabot Regional Park. If you start at its north end, you can use the free parking area at Bort Meadow Staging Area on Redwood Road. Use care as you cross Redwood Road at the entrance to the staging area, because the sight lines are short and vehicles routinely violate the posted 25 mph speed limit by large amounts.

Hike up the trail at the far side, which lies in a gully. Continue south as the trail becomes an obvious dirt road. At any junction, stay to the east (to your right as you travel south). Soon the trail climbs toward high points on the ridge. As it does so, be sure to look north to get amazing views of two northern bays of Upper San Leandro Reservoir and of far northern Anthony Chabot Regional Park. The trail continues to a dead end at a wide shoulder on Redwood Road, where there is room to park a vehicle or two.