Park hours: 8 AM to 10 PM.
No alcoholic beverages
Briones park is located north of Lafayette Ridge, which is parallel to highway 24.
This is a huge park, encompasing the entire Bear Creek watershed. There are a number of valleys, separated and enclosed by ridges, with easy hiking access on dirt roads throughout the park.
During the 1960's, Pacific Gas and Electric proposed placing a mamoth power line directly through the center of the park. Only through great public activisim was this disaster averted, forcing PG&E to route the line around the northern rim of the park.
Briones park may be entered by hiking from the Lafayette Ridge Open Space.
There there are three drive in entrances staging areas to Briones:
From north Berkeley, go over the ridge through Tilden park, past Inspiration Point to San Pablo Dam Road. Across the road is Bear Creek Road (see below).
Take San Pablo Dam Road north to Bear Creek Road. Procede on Bear Creek Road, past the power station, Briones Dam, Briones Lake, and back down the hill to the headwaters of the lake. After the road turns left to the north you will pass a road from the right. Shortly and again to the right is the park entrance. A modest parking fee is charged on weekends. Parking is inside the park near large grassy areas sutable for picnicing and frisbee. Nearby low hills are ideal for kite flying.
Take Pleasant Hill Road north to Withers. Take Withers west to Releze Station Road. Take Releze Station Road north. There is a park entrance and staging area to your left on this road. From here you can hike to the west upward to Sindich Lagoon area. Alternatively you can procede past the intersection of Alhambra Road, and shortly you will see Briones Road on the left. Up this narrow winding road to the Ranger station.
Comments or requests for local hikes to include? - email to
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