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Greenbelt Alliance In the News
May 14, 2009
Urban Outings: Rockridge ramble to Lake Temescal
Gail Todd
This leisurely walk starts at Chabot Road and College Avenue in Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood. It passes many of Rockridge's older homes, as well as homes built after the East Bay hills fire of October 1991, which destroyed more than 3,000 dwellings. The walk terminates at serene Lake Temescal. Returning from the lake, you will descend some of Rockridge's picturesque stairways and paths.
From College Avenue and Chabot Road to Lake Temescal is about 2 miles.
Rockridge
Starting at College Avenue, walk east on Chabot Road, passing peaceful St. Albert's Priory Chapel on your right. As you walk, you'll see many older homes that survived the firestorm. After Anthony Chabot Elementary School, Chabot Road bends to the right. Continue on Chabot, past the athletic fields and tennis courts, and then turn right to go under the freeway at the "Regional Bike Route" sign.
You will emerge on Golden Gate Avenue. Stay on the avenue (don't turn left onto Golden Gate Way), and you will come to a set of concrete steps on your left that will lead you onto Buena Vista Avenue and Upper Rockridge. Here, as you wind along Buena Vista, you will see magnificent views and the many new and starkly individual homes rebuilt on the ashes of the fire. You can recognize these homes by their huge size, which caused controversy, and by the lack of mature trees surrounding them.
Continue on Buena Vista all the way to Broadway Terrace, making sure to turn around from time to time to take in the views behind you. Turn left on Broadway Terrace and continue past the Erba Steps. You will shortly see a path on your left with a sign reading "Caution. Slippery When Wet." Descend this dirt path to Lake Temescal.
Lake Temescal
If you're feeling energetic, explore the lake. The East and West Shore trails hug the lakeside; the East Shore Trail is wheelchair accessible. A higher Oak Bay Trail offers great views. If you're saving energy for the return walk, you can relax at a picnic table.
In 1868, engineer Anthony Chabot dammed Temescal Creek, creating Lake Temescal as a reservoir for Oakland. In 1936, the lake was opened for public recreation. Today, no longer used for water storage, Lake Temescal offers hiking, fishing (with valid license and daily fishing permit), picnicking and swimming. (Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day.) The lake is stocked with rainbow trout in the winter and catfish in the summer. There are two children's play areas and a small beach. The large stone beach house was built by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.
The Rockridge Steps
Returning, you can take a shortcut down some of Rockridge's appealing paths and steps. Walk back on Buena Vista until you get to Arolla Path on your left, a lane that leads you to Golden Gate Avenue. Turn right to Eustice Avenue and walk down Eustice, past the large College Prep sign. Turn left and go uphill on Brookside Avenue, around the hairpin turn to Ocean View Drive.
Across Ocean View is West Lane, but before you enter West Lane path, check out the striking home, built post-fire, directly to the left of the lane. On West Lane, you will see dramatic views of Contra Costa to the east and San Francisco to the west. Descend to Manchester Drive and then down the Prospect Steps to Margarido Drive, continuing down to South Rockridge Boulevard between huge new homes on either side of the steps. Continue on Rockridge, which becomes Lawton Avenue when it crosses Broadway. Lawton leads you back to College Avenue five blocks south of Chabot, where you began.
After the walk
College Avenue is one of Oakland and Berkeley's premier streets for strolling, shopping and eating. Stop in at the Rockridge Cafe (5492 College Ave.) or at one of the many other busy restaurants and lunch spots.
Getting there
By BART, exit at Rockridge Station and walk two blocks north on College Avenue to Chabot Road. Turn right (east) on Chabot. By car, from San Francisco, go over the Bay Bridge and take Interstate 580 east. Take the Walnut Creek turnoff on the right, and continue on Highway 24 to the Claremont Avenue exit. Turn left on Claremont and make a slight right at Chabot Road. Cross College Avenue and park on Chabot.
Urban Outings are presented by Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's advocate for open spaces and vibrant places, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To suggest an Urban Outing, contact Gail Todd, tour leader for S.F. City Guides and author of "Lunchtime Walks in Downtown San Francisco." For more Urban Outings as well as Greenbelt Outings, visit www.greenbelt.org/outings.
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