Due to current global events, we are operating with reduced functionality. We appreciate your patience until we are once again able to manage updates and feedback.

In the meantime, we encourage you to provide trail ratings and conditions as you get outside safely. Thank you.

California Riding and Hiking Trail: John Muir Home-Contra Costa Canal

Name: California Riding and Hiking Trail: John Muir Home-Contra Costa Canal
Rating: 1.0

1.0 ( 1 )

Trail

4.6 mile 7.4 kilometer point to point
93% Runnable
Difficult

Elevation

Ascent: 522' 159 m
Descent: -566' -173 m
High: 419' 128 m
Low: 87' 26 m

Grade

Avg Grade: 4% (3°)
Max Grade: 25% (14°)

Dogs

Unknown

Driving directions Take a virtual tour

Zoom in to see details

Map Key

Favorites
Check-Ins

Trail shared by Preston Jordan

Weather

Current trail conditions

Update Conditions

All Clear 68 days ago See History

Popular runs nearby

Wildcat Creek Trail just past the Havey Canyon Trail junction.

Wildcat Canyon Loop

9.4 mi 15.2 km • Loop • 889 ft Ascent 270.83 m Ascent

(1) East Ri…, CA

Sign #8: "This huge, reddish-brown block of lava fell from the cliffs to the upper right. The lava cooled and hardened while it was still moving, resulting in dramatic fragmentation, known as "autobrecciation" (self broken)."

Educational Loop

4.3 mi 6.9 km • Out and Back • 622 ft Ascent 189.54 m Ascent

(3) Orinda, CA

Berkeley Hills

3.5 mi 5.6 km • Point to Point • 995 ft Ascent 303.32 m Ascent

(1) Berkeley, CA

Redwood Regional Loop

7.3 mi 11.8 km • Loop • 1,089 ft Ascent 331.82 m Ascent

(31) Piedmont, CA

Mount Diablo and Eagle Peak seen from Mitchell Rock

Eagle Peak Loop

6.5 mi 10.4 km • Loop • 1,983 ft Ascent 604.31 m Ascent

(8) Clayton, CA

Benches can be found on every trail in the park. Stop and rest for a minute and take in the beauty of the park.

Leona Canyon

5.9 mi 9.6 km • Loop • 1,257 ft Ascent 383.18 m Ascent

(2) San Lea…, CA

“A fragment of a long ago vision of California's future.”

— Preston Jordan

GPX File

Features -none-

Description

This cobbled-together trail extends between John Muir's home and the Contra Costa Canal Trail. It includes a tunnel under a freeway at its west end to give some idea of the hope and effort with which it was created. It largely follows a pipeline right of way though, meaning it cuts across the landscape through residential subdivisions with no grace, climbing and dropping with abandon.

Most of the slopes are reinforced with segments of wooden power poles, almost completely buried in some places and huge steps in others. Because of how it cuts across the landscape, the power pole segments, and how little the middle sections are traveled, this is a surprisingly brutal trail.