Many people are familiar with the pleasant lakeside trail at Lafayette Reservoir (2.7 miles paved, great for strollers, walkers, etc.). There is another option I am suggesting today: the 4.7 mile “Rim Trail” that can be accessed from the main parking lot (or from a few feeders in local neighborhoods). This trail is a wide and well maintained dirt road that provides lots of heart-pumping elevation changes and several terrific viewpoints to see the reservoir, the Lafayette-Moraga and Las Trampas hills, and the vistas surrounding Mt. Diablo. This route would definitely not be on the “walking with stroller” list. The start and end points are just a few minutes outside downtown Lafayette, so why not start or finish with a bite at one of my go-to favorite Lafayette restaurants, the Social Bird?
How to get there: The Lafayette Reservoir is part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District and they a large parking lot at 3849 Mt, Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. They have an interactive trail map you can access as well. The parking lot is just a bit North of downtown Lafayette, so most people will take the Oak Hill Rd exit off Highway 24 when coming from etc East and the Acalanes Rd Exit when coming from the West. Parking can be paid for with an all day parking fee at the booth or hourly (2 hour max) using the automated parking fee machines. Start your hike at the far West end of the parking lot and head Clockwise for a good initial walk up a hill onto the upper levels of the Rim Trail.
Take a Hike: The trails are well-marked and to stay on the Rim Trail you just don’t take any of the “spokes” that crisscross back into the center. But those are great to explore as well. Along the way, you’ll have a few chances to catch your breath at the top of a steep hill or two. Enjoy the views! About half way along, you’ll come to a very steep hill that takes up to the highest point (where my fat finger is pointing) and where you’ll find a welcome bench to sit on and a marker showing that this was a County map triangulation site in 1954.
Hungry Now?: After your hike, you might need to change your sweaty shirt to grab a bite somewhere. Or just choose a nicely aerated outdoor spot ;-). We chose the Social Bird Kitchen and Bar in Lafayette, not only because they have a great patio, but because their Chicken Sliders on house made biscuits with hot pepper jam and garlic aioli are worth the trip, as is their Avocado Bruschetta, and just about everything on the menu (this is the sister restaurant to one I’ve mention in another post: Revel in Danville). They make a mean “mocktail” or cocktail as well. Enjoy your well-earned grub!!
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