Port Costa to Martinez: Along Carquinez Scenic Drive From Richard Katz's
Skating Unrinked book, published in paperback by HarperCollinsWest in 1994. Or was it '95? If you are not reading this on a screen, stop reading and head to www.Amazon.com. Thanx. Richard Katz = katz@frogojt.com. email
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Chapter carqinez
Port Costa to Martinez: Along Carquinez Scenic Drive
Carquinez Scenic Drive used to be a well-travelled throroughfare from Martinez to Crockett. Then sometime during the 1980's part of the road fell down the cliff, and was never repaired. Later in the decade the East Bay Regional Park District acquired large tracts of land on both sides of the road, land which has become Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. This leaves the road--- Carquinez Scenic Drive --- in a unique situation: it's still there, it's got a good surface, it's got no through traffic (and in one stretch it's got no traffic at all,) it's easy to get to, and for over four miles the view is without exaggeration -- Breathtaking.
Be forewarned, Carquinez Scenic Drive is not flat, not straight, and for a short stretch, not all there; it's not for beginners.
How to Get There by Car from Interstate 80:
From northbound or southbound Interstate 80, take the Hercules -- Martinez Exit to State Highway 4 going east. (Highway 4 is the John Muir Parkway, but this part of it is usually just called Highway 4, or Franklin Canyon Road. Somehow John Muir just never did catch on as a name for a freeway.)
At this point you have to decide if you want to approach this trail from the east, near Port Costa; or from the west, near Martinez. After you read this chapter, you will be able to decide which is more likely to be your cup of tea.
To start from the Port Costa side, take the McEwen Road-- Port Costa exit from Highway 4, go left under the freeway, and head north on McEwen Road. This is a twisting two lane road through unpopulated country. When you get to Carquinez Scenic Drive, turn right. Not far from this intersection, you will come to a sign that reads "Stop. Road Closed to Martinez". There is a parking area on the north side of the road, but don't park there! It belongs to Port Costa Materials (a manufacturer of drainpipe) and they don't want anyone in their parking area. Park (believe it or not) on the right side of the road, facing the "Road Closed" sign.
To start from the Martinez side, take the Alhambra Avenue exit from Highway 4, go left under the freeway, and drive right into downtown Martinez. Make a left on Escobar Street, then a right on Talbart Street. Just before Talbart Street disappears, Carquinez Scenic Drive heads off to the left. Less than half a mile west on the south side of Carquinez Scenic Drive, you will see the John A Nejedly Staging Area, operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. You have to decide at this point whether you wish to drive further, perhaps as far as the "Road Closed" sign several miles farther down the road; or whether you would prefer to stop here and skate those several miles.
What It's Like from the Martinez End:
If you have come to Martinez and have arrived at the Nejedly Staging Area, put on your skates in the parking lot, and head left on Carquinez Scenic Drive. There is rarely any traffic here. This road is open to the public, but it is largely unused. Occasionally one of the locals will putt on out the Drive to drink a beer or look at the river. The only other people you are likely to see are dogowners walking their pets and bicyclists.
This road is a full size two lane blacktop, and it goes along for two miles or so, with numerous switchbacks and ups and downs. The views are spectacular already, and you haven't gotten to the good part yet. After a particularly deep switchback near the Ozol tank farm (where the Air Force stores its fuel,) you will come to a "Road Narrows" sign, and later an eastward-facing "Hazardous Area" sign. You might consider turning around at this point; you have already skated over three miles.
What It's Like from the Port Costa End :
If you have parked your car at the "Road Closed" sign on the Port Costa side, put on your skates and head east past the bullet riddled sign. The conveyor belt running overhead drops quite a bit of dirt on this section of road, but it's confined to a small strip. After about a mile of skating, with spectacular views of Carquinez Strait and the Sacramento River, you will be confronted by a westward-facing "Hazardous Area" sign. Step over the heavy iron gates that keep the cars out and make life very difficult for the many bicyclists who use this path daily. About 200 yards past this gate you will come to the washout that closed this road to the public over a decade ago. Be careful; at one point, the "road" is only a few feet wide. It lends a new meaning to the phrase "Road Narrows". Not too far past this parlous crossing is another spot where you must traverse twenty feet of packed earth. If it sounds like a bit much, bear in mind that the view is well, well worth it; and that if this road weren't damaged beyond repair, you wouldn't be skating on it.
This path is definitely not flat.
Places to Eat:
If you are on the Port Costa side of the Carquinez Scenic Drive trail you can go back to Port Costa and eat at the Warehouse Cafe, and generally hang out in Port Costa. To get there, return to the intersection with of Carquinez Scenic drive and McEwen Road, but keep going on Carquinez Scenic Drive about a half mile until you come to an intersection with a very sharp right turn. Take the road that goes 120 degrees or so to the right, called Canyon Lake Road. After just a few very scenic blocks, Canyon Lake Rd comes to a picturesque end at the Sacramento River. Park anywhere. Port Costa is the little town at the end of the road. There isn't much happening, generally, so feel free to skate around town and get acquainted. Note the remarkable sculptures along Canyon Lake across from the defunct Port Costa School.
The true oddity and charm of this place doesn't become apparent until you notice the sublime dichotomy of the Warehouse Cafe on one side of the street, and the Bull Valley Restaurant on the other. The Bull Valley (510-787-2244) is expensive and always packed; reservations are a good idea. The food is legendary. The Warehouse Cafe, on the other hand, serves beer in Mason jars. They have a monstrous stuffed polar bear in a glass case. They have free lunch on Sunday if you buy a drink. They serve skaters; "Hell," says the bartender, "we serve anybody." Later on Sunday afternoons the Harley owners arrive. It's an interesting place and although it may seem forbidding, trust me, it's a wonderful place to take your family.
Public Transportation:
There is apparently no scheduled public transportation to Port Costa.
One can get to Martinez on the grandest and most public conveyance of all, the Train! The telephone number of the Martinez Amtrak Station is 510-228-4008. This is a good number to know. No matter where you are in the United States, you can call this number and get accurate information about train arrivals and departures. The station agents in Martinez are all business. They will tell you when to be in Emeryville to catch the train to Martinez, and when to be back in the station so you'll be returned home the same day. To get to the Nejedly Staging Area from the Martinez Amtrak Station, go south on Ferry Street, right on Escobar Street, and right on Talbart Street.
Martinez has some bus service (County Connection 108 and 116) but has no Sunday service.
Ratings:
Path Surface = *** (watch for washout)
Public Transit Access = **(Amtrak)
Surroundings = *****
Level of Difficulty = Not Easy
Overall Rating = ****
Length = 5 miles one way
Other trails to check out in the neighborhood:
Contra Costa Creek Trail
Ignacio Creek Trail
10/10/96
Note from the Author: Haven't put in links to the other chapters yet.
From Richard Katz's Skating Unrinked book, published in paperback by HarperCollinsWest in 1994. Or was it '95? If you are not reading this on a screen, stop reading and head to www.Amazon.com. Thanx. Richard Katz = katz@frogojt.com. email
Back to Richard Katz's Homepage
If you want to go back to the Table of Contents of Skating Unrinked, Back to TOC