An excursion: Berkeley to Fairfax to Bon Tempe Lake
Thursday, July 4, 2002
 These
directions are for Raymond, who wants to explore and get to know better the
Bay Area. This is a morning and afternoon excursion, starting with breakfast
at the Hidden City Cafe in Pt. Richmond, on to a drive through San Rafael, San
Anselmo, and Fairfax to a hike arond Bon Tempe Lake on the north
slope of Mt. Tam, and then back for a well-deserved, healthy-sized, mid-afternoon
helping of ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery in San Rafael.
Generous time budget estimate:
- 20 minutes- Berkeley to Pt. Richmond plus parking
- 60 minutes- Breakfast at Hidden City (what's your hurry?)
- 40 minutes- Pt. Richmond through Fairfax to Bon Tempe (it's not difficult,
just not terribly well-marked for a first timer)
- 150 minutes- leisurely stroll all around the shoreline of Bon Tempe, ( make
it longer- pack water and a littel snack, and pause to look at the lake, hills,
andbirds as you go around
- 20 minutes- back to San Rafael with a lollygag view of Fairfax
- 45 minutes- figure out what to order at Stone Cold, eat it, and wonder what
your hurry is to get back
- 20 minutes- easy drive from San Rafael to Berkeley
Total could easily be around 5 hours, even more, depending on how driven or
spiritual you're feeling that day.
About Bon Tempe Lake
- http://kevingong.com/Hiking/BonTempeLake.html
- http://www.mishalov.com/mttam4.html
- http://www.thoma.com/thoma/hikes95/01apr95.html
Berkeley to Pt. Richmond
Hidden
City Cafe 109 Park Place MapIt! Pt. Richmond (510) 232-9738 American Cafe
Moderate
This lovely small cafe, centered in Pt. Richmond's historic business district,
incorporates the best of the season using high quality, local ingredients from
purveyors such as Niman-Schell, Hobb's smoked meats, and Star Route Farms organic
produce. Unusual and traditional changing menus at this romantic and special
restaurant. Tues.-Sun., Breakfast & Lunch (Or, you can do what I usually do,
which is just go for the basics: two eggs, potatoes, and toast. The coffee is
good and rapidly refilled; I drink coffee just maybe twice a month, usually
when we go out for late morning breakfasts.)
- Take I-580 W from Berkeley toward Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
- Exit I-580 via ramp at sign reading "Canal Blvd to Garrard Blvd" and go
West for 0.2 miles 13.3
- Turn left on Canal Blvd and go under freeway
- Turn right on W Cutting Blvd
- Turn immedate right on E Richmond Ave
- Turn right on Park Pl to town square to Hidden City Cafe, 109 Park Place
- Don't forget to walk around the Pt. Richmond town square, maybe drive up
the hill and look at the older houses and the view many have of San Francisco
and Marin. If you have time drive to end of Park, turn left, drive about 100
yards or so past the Plunge, the huge indoor pool that's now close, turn right
along the railroad tracks and go through the tunnel to the Pt. Richmond shoreline
that is one of the most fantastic water-level views of the Bay around. It's
a huge are, so don't be afraid to drive a mile or more.
Pt. Richmond to Fairfax
Reverse direction out of Pt. Richmond and get back on freeway to cross bridge.
From http://www.bayrunning.com/bontempe2.html:
- Take Highway 580 West
- Cross Richmond-San Rafael bridge, take first exit East Sir Francis Drake
Blvd (toward 101 and San Anselmo)
- Distance from Marin side of bridge to the lake is about 11 miles
- Continue the US-101 North
- Merge on US-101 Norht
- Take first San Rafel exit IRWIN ST exit towards CENTRAL SAN RAFAEL
- Continue short distance on IRWIN ST
- Turn Left on 3RD ST
- Continue on 2ND
- Continue on 4TH ST
Steps 8-10 are not as complicated as they sound; basically, you want to
go west out of San Rafael on 4th St and keep right onto St. Francis Drake
when you come to San Anselmo
- Continue on RED HILL AVE
- Bear Right on SIR FRANCIS DRAKE BLVD
- Travel 1.7 miles on SFD to downtown Fairfax. Turn left at the wooden FAIRFAX
sign, then immediately right onto Broadway (in front of the Fairfax Theater),
then get into the left lane. Turn left at the intersection onto Bolinas Road
(at Fairfax Coffee).
- Travel 1.5 miles on Bolinas Road, passing the 7-11, the Deer Park Villa,
uphill (narrow and windy). Turn left at Sky Oaks Road (sign reads :" Lake
Lagunitas, Bon Tempe, Water Treatment Plant").
- Travel 0.4 miles up Sky Oaks Road to the park entry gate. Pay fee ($5) at
gate or, if gate is unattended, take an envelope and deposit your parking
fee (remember to put the stub on your dashboard).
- Drive forward on the paved road for 1.6 miles, to the Lake Lagunitas picnic
area.
Steps 14-16 are a good long climb; not difficult, but you feel like you're
leaving the city. It's not a wild area so pretty hard to get lost, and there
aren't so many roads that you're going to go completely off in a crazy direction.
Chances are anyone on the street there can direct you.
- Bring water to carrry and good shoes. While the walk is pretty flat there
are some ups and downs. I'd estimate it's maybe 3-3.5 miles around. The trail
mostly follows the shoreline and is under trees. There are still plenty of
areas exposed to sun and many places to stop and sit for a picnic and overlook
the lake. We've walked this trail three times, and each time we walked it
counter-clockwise. After parking walk up the hill and turn right to walk across
the damn. Look up to the left at Mt. Tam. It's a beautiful setting.
Bon Tempe to Cold Stone
- Reverse direction back through Fairfax and San Anselmo, from Sir Francis
Drake back onto 4th St. into San Rafael.
- Continue along 4th into downtown San Rafael, past D, C, and B Streets.
- Next is Anderson, and the Court. Between Anderson and Court is kind of an
upscale, newly builty apartment building with shops at the ground floor facing
a plaza with tiles and stone.
- One of the stores is Cold
Stone Creamery. It's across the street from a spiffy gym.
- Street parking on a weekend afternoon should be reasonable.
- Get a really big couple of scoops on a freshly made waffle cone and eat
it out on the plaza. A perfect ending.
San Rafael to Berkeley
- This is easy. Continue another mile or so down 4th St. through San Rafael
and the freeway on ramp to SF and Richmond will present itself.
- Stay in the right lane and take the overpass back over to 580 and the bridge.
*
Say...
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