Grizzly Peak and Three Bears - Velocurean.com

The majority of our rides are based in Marin County so this is an absolutely welcome and amazing change of scenery, complete with canapies of trees, rolling hills, never-ending views of both Oakland and San Francisco atop massive climbs, and amazingly refreshing excursions through the thick forests of the East Bay.  Even though you’ll feel constantly berated by climb after climb, none of them are too hard or too steep (but there are some very steep and extremely fast descents).  With this 50-mile ride, it’s all about how hard you want to push yourself. It takes you through Temescal Park and around San Pablo Dam on clean, wide, and lightly-traveled roads.  Start from the parking lot of Temescal Park in Oakland, where parking is free if you get there before the kiosk is attended (otherwise it costs five dollars).  Also, the lot is usually full when by noon, so we recommend this as an early morning ride for that reason as well as to avoid the extreme heat of the East Bay.

DIRECTIONS:

• As you head back toward the entrance of the parking lot turn LEFT on to the BIKE PATH just before the overpass.  Follow this to the end and turn RIGHT on to BROADWAY.  (Beware of the spikes between the yellow polls of the vehicle entrance/exit.)
• Follow Broadway up the slight incline and turn LEFT at the FREEWAY OVERPASS.   Cross over the highway and turn LEFT on to CALDECOTT LANE then take you first RIGHT on to TUNNEL ROAD.
• Ascend Tunnel Rd. (becomes Skyline Blvd half way up), which is a steady and beautiful 3-mile climb to the SKYLINE/GRIZZLY PEAK BLVD intersection at approx. mile 4.4 and turn LEFT on Grizzly Peak Blvd.
• This half of Grizzly Peak Blvd. is a rolling descent, which ends somewhat abruptly at a 4-way stop sign at approximately mile 6.7.  This stop is immediately preceded by a right hand turn that could be dangerous in wet road conditions and fog as you begin to pick up speed here and the sign is only visible in the last few seconds.
• At the STOP sign, go STRAIGHT and continue on Grizzly Peak Blvd.  At the top of this 1.3-mile steady climb you will come to the “Tilden Park” parking lot, which has a very nice public restroom as well as a water fountain. We recommend hydrating here and filling up as there are no other obvious opportunities along the way for another 30 miles.
• Now continue on Grizzly to your right and just around the corner turn RIGHT onto SOUTH PARK DRIVE.  This is a very straight, very fast descent allowing speeds in the upper 40’s.  At the bottom of this descent veer RIGHT at the “Y” and turn RIGHT at the stop sign onto SHASTA ROAD.
• Shasta Road is a beautiful rolling road traversing though Tilden Park consisting of mostly mild sweeping descents. Big ring this, keep your line and stay alert.  At mile 13.5 you will come to a STOP light at the bottom of Shasta Rd.  Turn LEFT onto SAN PABLO DAM ROAD.
• San Pablo is a very busy street but has a massive shoulder/bike lane and perfect pavement. Follow this for about 5 miles to CASTRO RANCH ROAD and turn RIGHT at the traffic light.
• Follow Castro Ranch Road up a couple of inclines and through the neighborhood of “Countryside” –  a perfect and quite neighborhood with en extremely wide and clean street cutting right thought the middle of it. At the edge of town you will come to a nice descent at the bottom of which you will veer RIGHT onto ALHAMBRA VALLEY ROAD.
• You will continue on Alhambra Valley Road, which is a beautiful piece of countryside with trees on your right and open/hilly landscape on your left, until you reach BEAR CREEK ROAD at about mile 23.7. Turn RIGHT onto Bear Creek Road.
• This is the entrance to “The 3 Bears,”  which are three consecutive hills that are fairly steep and extremely exposed (you will be hot) but are pretty short. The last of which, known as Papa Bear, has an extremely fast descent, which will propel you to speeds up to 50 miles per hour.
• At the end of this descent you will find yourself back at the SAN PABLO DAM ROAD intersection around mile 32. Turn LEFT onto San Pablo Dam Road.
• Follow San Pablo Dam Road, once again an extremely busy street with fast traffic but a comfortable shoulder, for approximately 7 miles to SCHOOL ROAD (just after a little fire station) and turn RIGHT.
• Ride 1 block and turn LEFT onto COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE. About 100 yard on your right hand side will be a café  called SiSi’s. Stop there for a shot of espresso and fill up your water etc. The people are very nice and engaging, worth experiencing the people of the town of Moraga.
• Now continue on Country Club Drive to the Stop sign and turn RIGHT onto CANYON ROAD.  Canyon Road will take you into the forest of Moraga, which is absolutely serene and beautiful. At the “T” intersection turn RIGHT onto PINEHURST ROAD.
• Some call this road “Pinehurt” or “Painhurst” which refers to the 1.3-mile climb coming at mile 43 of this loop. Regardless of the name, I guarantee you will enjoy the jaunt through the forest and up the hill. After all cycling is all about pushing the limits… right?
• At the top of Pinehurst Road you will come to a 5 street intersection. Do not take the 1^st hard right but the 2^nd RIGHT, which is SKYLINE BOULEVARD. (Refer to map for clarity) Follow Skyline Blvd. back past Grizzly Peak Blvd. at about mile 46.5 and head back down Skyline, which turns into Tunnel Road for 3 miles of fast, twisty and somewhat technical descending.
• At the bottom take a deep breath and head back to the car. Remember to be careful of the big spikes at the entrance of the park, keep left of the poles. Now go find a great place to eat on College Ave. in Rockridge!  We chose Zachary’s for pizza.