Iron Horse Regional Trail

Iron Horse Regional Trail, California

The region around the Iron Horse Regional Trail has a long history as part of the farming and ranching heritage of the San Ramon Valley. The Iron Horse Trail today connects two counties and 12 towns. It passes through peaceful suburban communities, vibrant commercial and business districts, and lush greenbelts. This popular and widely used trail follows roughly Interstate 680, starting at the northern end of the city of Concord and passing through Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon and Dublin before ending at the northeastern edge of Pleasanton.

Plans call for a further south extension of the trail to Stanley Boulevard in Pleasanton where an existing cycle path leads east to Livermore. There are plans to continue the trail towards Suisun Bay in Martinez on the north end.

The trail starts at the current northern end just south of State Route 4, near Concord's Buchanan Field Airport's northeast corner. The trail is about 5 mile from the Pleasant Hill BART station. The BART parking lot has a rest stop across the street featuring picnic tables, a drinking fountain and benches. As well as the planned area around Suisun Bay, the northernmost section of the trail follows a marshy plain, which is a refuge for ducks and geese.

As you head south, the area becomes ever more urban, especially near downtown Walnut Creek. The BART station in Walnut Creek is around half a mile off the trail here. Bicycle and pedestrian overpasses extend Treat Boulevard near the BART Friendly Hill and Ygnacio Valley Road in a congested Walnut Creek portion. South of Walnut Creek, the trail passes to the west side of the freeway under I-680 at Rudgear Lane. Parking, a drinking fountain, benches and tables feature in a staging area here.

From this point, the trail meanders through residential neighborhoods, crossing streets several times — though usually low traffic — and providing easy access to restaurants and shopping. Much of the trail includes a dirt run path adjacent to the asphalt bike trail in this section.

The path runs straight behind the busy downtown district in Danville. Nearby is the former Southern Pacific Depot at the intersection of Railroad and Prospect streets, which is the only original depot remaining on the property. Just past the depot is a nice area, with restaurants overlooking the trail with outdoor seating.

Once you pick up the trail again, you cross the east side under I-680 and cross Bishop Ranch Business Park, a commercial portion paralleling the trail for about 2 miles. Next you reach Golf Club San Ramon. The trail bisects the golf course, with chain-link fencing providing protection against golf balls which are errant. As the trail slices through Dublin, the surroundings are urban again.

You then pass the BART station in Dublin / Pleasanton and cross under I-580, before going through some of the dense housing and business development in Dublin and Pleasanton. The trail briefly leaves the former Arroyo Mocho and Santa Rita Road rail corridor but picks it up again south of Stoneridge Drive. The final stretch passes through fenced-in backyards in a broad corridor before ending at Valley Street.