Iron HorseTrail

I love the iron horse trail and have done so for most of my life. It spans from Concord to dublin and offers great paved road and a place to get exercise for any level of athleticism

This trail is a pretty long pedestrian/​bicycle very well maintained trail… I have covered most of it many a times on my bike, it does go through nice & shaded neighborhoods and can get really pretty in spring with lots of wild flowers…
There a re lot of runners/​joggers, bikers & a lot of people walk their dogs along the trail as well. This trail passes very close to the Civi Park (a fun little park with lots of dog owners and some do go off leash) another little gem Walnut Creek has to offer…
I frequent this trail atleast once a week walking my dog and sometimes riding by bike… It is one of the excellent little trail contra costa county has to offer…

Apparently in San Ramon if you are unfamiliar with pedestrian on the right, white dudes feel the need to run into you while walking. White dudes on bikes too. Well, here’s a rule: bikes stop at intersections. I am not going to yield to you running the stop signs anymore. Dangerous trail. Not advised for the unarmed.

Just a quick note and I’ll finish this review later at home. One of the best cycling, running or walking trails in the bay area.

My husband and I love to walk here on the trail during sunset. There is greenery all along the trail which also runs right along the downtown. There are so many entries/​exits into the trail from downtown, one of them right outside our apartment. There are boards all along describing the local habitat. There is an entrance close to the walnut creek library and civic park. There is also creek view near N Broadway. A lovely trail for regular bikers and joggers.

LOVE this trail!
It’s so long (32 miles?) and runs right along main streets which is nice in case you need a water/​restroom break. It’s fully paved, there’s plenty of trees to keep it shady and we love the ground markers every quarter mile.

This trail is pretty long and one day I’ll travel the full length.
Whether you’re a walker, runner, or cyclist, there is a stretch on the trail for you. Some areas get real intense sun beating down on you, but if you’re on the trail to train, let it burn those calories right off you.
So far I haven’t come across really tough slopes, overall pretty flat with slight inclines spread sporadically.
Since most of this trail runs through city limits, you’ll get a mix of people on the pavement. You’re never really alone unless you’re on at an odd hour. I have yet to run this trail at night, so for the brave few of you, let me know what parts are well lit.

Four stars because as a cyclist, there are LOTS of intersections, which means I have to downshift and beware when crossing. I’m not trying to end up on someones car hood or pulling a superman.
Ususlly traveling southbound there’s a tailwind. Past Danville there are some decent stretches between intersections. It’s nice to be able to throw on some ear-​buds with pandora and not have to worry about riding in the road. Nice scenery for a 20+ mile ride! :)

I appreciate living near the Iron Horse Trail, so I can get my run/​walk on without competing with cars. I generally spend time on the Concord end, which is quite flat, although I have also hopped on in Walnut Creek, while having my car worked on at Diablo Auto Specialists (near Target). The Walnut Creek portion does make me envious of the trees/​shade in that area of the trail. Not much of that on our end, so I lather on the sunscreen and steer clear when its super hot out.

This a long but not winding road to walk or ride a bike on. And while your doing it your mind can drift back to the days when the Iron Horses built California from the times of Gold in Them Dare Hills — a nice diversion from freeway life today !!! Good exercise for the body as well as the mind !!!

An excellent everyday trail! From Concord down to Alamo, you might just catch me running long distance or walking my dog. Some scenic parts, some trashy parts, regardless it sure serves it’s purpose in our everyday active lives. I’m also lucky enough that I can cut over and cruise the Contra Costa Canal Trail to get to Heather Farms.
From where I run, there’s a few fancy bridges to cross as well, like the Robert I Schroder Bridge. This trail makes many connections to a several parks. I know bike riders just love cruising down it. People love strolling their kids along, or even run with their strollers. There are plenty of trees along the trail, and some streaks with no trees.
Overall this isn’t the greatest trail in the bay, as it does get broken up by major streets, but serviceable for long stretches. Hikers hike it, but again, I wouldn’t call it the most challenging either. I dig it, I run it, I love it!

Living in Oakland, I envy these kind of places where people can walk/​ride for miles and miles along tree-​lined paths. Anyone looking to learn how to ride a bike will find this place safe and mostly stress-​free. I say mostly because serious bikers also use it and one biker was particularly nasty to a friend who was going slow. All in all, though, they it’s a lovely place to go. I particularly like that it’s close to BART. You can walk there from Pleasant Hill or Walnut Creek stations. Also, if you want to mix things up, you can cross onto the Canal Trail and bike up to the Concord station.

Good place to run, but trail is falling apart once you pass Civic. Canal in Concord seems to be in much better shape.

Such a great trail.

Great trail to go on a leisurely stroll on foot or a bike. Although, it doesn’t have to be leisurely. In fact, I rode my bike at a steady pace for most of the way and was only interrupted when I reached the road crossings, which were frequent now that I think about it. Those crossings can also throw you off the trail, so be attentive.
Other tips:
— Take plenty of water; it’s hot out there in the summer months.
— Carry your ID and some form of currency. If your tire blows out, you’re gonna need to find a way to your car. This actually happened to me.
— Carry your phone.
— Wear sunscreen :)

So lucky (and spoiled) to have this in walking distance to my house. I frequent the portion of this paved trail between downtown Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill Bart. This review is simply for that stretch which i know well. Flat and smooth, it’s perfect for long runs. To change scenery or take a longer path, it connects to the Contra Costa Canal Trail which can take you to Heather Farms Park. Lots of birds and squirrels en route and in daylight hours it’s always got lots of folks out doing their thing.
Love tto take this trail when I walk in to town or as part of my running loop. Share the path everyone (bikers that means you also-​Ive encountered some rude folks now and again practically running pedestrians off the trail)
All in all, a gem in Walnut Creek.
#7/​100 The Unilocal 100 Challenge:)

I love all the Bay Area regional trails.
This trail is paved and I’m sure there are portions that are fire dirt/​gravel trails but I was only on paved pathways when I was through there yesterday.
En route you will see walkers, runners, strollers, bikes, dogs and folks out enjoying the beautiful natural surroundings.
I think I was on the Iron Horse for at least 3 miles or so. I’m sure the trail has many miles to offer.
The part of the trail I experienced had a nice tree shade covering.
Don’t ride the painted pony… instead get out and walk the Iron Horse!

The Iron Horse Regional Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle trail that passes over 40 miles through various Alameda and Contra Costa County cities ranging from Concord to Pleasanton. The trail also directly connects to both the Dublin/​Pleasanton and Pleasant Hill BART stations, and there there are long-​term plans to do the same with Walnut Creek BART.
An Iron Horse is a Railroad Horse (of course of course), and it mostly follows the an old Southern Pacific right of way that was established in 1891 and abandoned in 1977. The 2 Counties purchased the right of way at that time, intending to use it as a transportation corridor. The Iron Horse Trail was first established in 1986.
I’ve only sampled a little bit of the Iron Horse Trail, mostly around Downtown Walnut Creek or using it to safely cross over YVR and Treat Blvd. Gayle and I plan to do a little more as we tune up our bikes and hiking shoes, and better take advantage of this wonderful outdoor opportunity.

It’s great to live in a community that has access to wonderful trails through several of San Francisco’s East Bay cities. It is the «perks» like the Iron Horse Regional Trail that are such a huge part of why I love living in this part of California, and while I’ll probably remain here until my last day on the Third Rock from the Sun.
Cities in the East Bay that The trail passes through (listed from South to North) include:
— Pleasanton
— Dublin
— San Ramon
— Danville
— Alamo
— Walnut Creek
— Pleasant Hill &
— Concord
The Iron Horse Regional Trail is primarily used as a pedestrian walking, running and bicycle trail, but you’ll also find dog walkers, stroller-​pushers, as well as an occasional roller-​blader, roller skater, skateboarder, or Razor rider. For me, the Iron Horse Trail is an easily accessible spot for a run every few days.
The Iron Horse Trail passes through the cities listed above in central Alameda and Contra Costa counties. I don’t know exactly how long the entire trail is, but I would imagine it is somewhere around 20 – 30 miles. The trail mostly tracks along the old Southern Pacific Railroad «right of way» that was originally constructed way back in 1891, which was later abandoned by the RR in 1977. Alameda & Contra Costa counties purchased the rights to this pathway at the time of abandonment by the RR. .. giving it the appropriate namesake as the «Iron Horse» trail when it was originally opened to pedestrians in 1986. The trail runs right next to both the Pleasant Hill BART station, as well as the Dublin/​Pleasanton BART station.
There have recently been a couple of very cool & modern footbridges built that allow the trail to run over the top of both Treat Blvd., and Ygnacio Valley Road. (See my night photo of the footbridge over Treat Blvd., near the Pleasant Hill BART station).

Compared to what we have in Las Vegas, this trail rocks! Y’all are spoiled.
The trail goes on forever and has painted mile markers every 0.5 miles. It’s great not having to guess how far I’ve run, carry a GPS, or map out my run on the computer beforehand. Great for training for long distance runs.
Tons of oak trees means lots of shade. The trail will take you by nearby parks, Whole Foods, Starbucks, etc. so if you run out of water or need a quick pitstop, no problem. It does get a little narrow in spots which can be pretty scary with all the bikes and other users. Also, there are a few spots where water has damaged the asphalt, making it extremely bumpy. Minor defects. I really do love this trail and will run it everytime I visit the Walnut Creek area.