San Francisco Area Trailheads

Revised 23 Apr 2012 - please send updates to the webmaster

home See Driving Directions for context and how to get here.
north Shasta and Lassen Area Trailheads
east Northern Sierra Trailheads (Lake Tahoe, Sonora Pass, Tioga Pass)
southeast Western Sierra Trailheads and Central Valley Highways
info GPS waypoints: download GPX file
San Francisco Area Trailheads, Trains, and Carpool Locations:

Coastal California trailheads:

Carpool Locations: To get out of San Francisco, see also:

Click on any map label for more details:

Junipero Serra Cottle Rd at Hwy 85 Hwy 152 Pacheco Pass Cubberly School Carpool Water Dog Lake in Belmont Montara Mountain Area Sunol Mission Peak Ohlone Wilderness Mission Peak and Ohlone Wilderness Pleasonton carpool Oakdale and Tracy Bypass Oakdale Bypass Hwy 680 jct Mission Blvd carpool Livermore Airport parking Milpitas carpool


Fremont - park'n'ride - GPS Route CARPOOL BAY AREA

Use the park'n'ride at I-680 and Mission Blvd, across from MacDonalds (waypoint MB680N).

WARNING: This is the NORTHERN of two Mission Blvd exits from 680, NOT the one people use to climb Mission Peak! (Two demerits for the highway engineer who decided we should have two nearby exits from the same freeway to the same surface street.)


Livermore Airport - GPS Route CARPOOL BAY AREA

Take 580 east about 6 miles from the 680 intersection, then go south on Airway Blvd in Livermore. As the road bends left there is an air traffic control tower and a parking lot on your right (waypoint LIVERM). The road between the tower and the lot is Terminal Circle: it's the one right AFTER (south of) Clubhouse. The map shows Airway (Blvd) turning east at Terminal (Circle), which is almost what happens. Newer construction made the corner less sharp, but it's still there.

The traffic control tower is NOT a biggie, since this is a one-gate local airport, but it has a mailbox just outside and a restroom available inside. You should ask at the counter inside for a FREE permit so they know when you will return. The lot is across the street to the north.


Milpitas - misc parking lots

The Bank of America lot at 237 and 680. Or better yet, WalMart at McCarthy Ranch shopping center couple of lights west on 237.


Palo Alto - Cubberley School - GPS Route CARPOOL BAY AREA

Get on San Antonio Road. From US-101, there is a San Antonio exit. El Camino Real and Central Expressway also intersect with San Antonio. Take San Antonio to Middlefield Road, and turn towards Palo Alto. US-101 drivers turn right onto Middlefield, but El Camino and Central drivers turn left. Cubberley Community Center is a large complex about 1/4 mile north of the San Antonio/Middlefield intersection, on your left. The driveway is opposite Montrose Street, try to park where you won't be in the way (waypoint CUBBER).


Pleasanton - parking lots

Turn right from first exit on 580 east of 680 (Hopyard). Turn right at first light, then right into restaurant parking lot (Denny's?). Park in the paved circle in the back.

An alternative is to use the same exit, then turn left at the first light. Go one block, turn left and park on the street across from the Mercedes Benz dealer.


South San Jose - Cottle Road & Hwy 85 - GPS Route CARPOOL BAY AREA

Meet at the park'n'ride at the Cottle Road off ramp of Hwy 85, south of the 101/85 intersection (waypoint COTTLE). There is a station for the San Jose light rail within walking distance of that intersection.


Singles Carpool Spots - multiple standard locations

The Singles section of the Loma Prieta chapter does carpools very well. They have a standard set of rendezvous points, so frequently used that they just refer to them by number. (Like the prisoners who have heard all the same jokes so many times that they just call them out by number...)

  1. Stanford Shopping Center. Corner of Quarry & El Camino, in the left, front (East) corner of the Shopping Center as looking from El Camino. Exit 280 onto Sand Hill Road east in Menlo Park. Go 2 miles, turn right on Arboretum, just before shopping center, and left on Quarry. Turn left into parking lot last place you can. Exit 101 onto University west in Palo Alto. Turn right on El Camino, and turn into shopping center.
  2. Los Gatos Municipal Parking Lot. Exit 17 onto Saratoga Av (Hwy 9) west in Los Gatos. Go past first light (University), then take first right into parking lot. Meet near Saratoga Av end of lot.
  3. Santa Clara County Parking Lot. Corner of 1st & Hedding, San Jose. Exit 101 or 880 onto 1st Street south in San Jose. Turn right at Hedding, and right again into the parking lot. Weekends only.
  4. There is no carpool point #4.
  5. Milpitas: The McCarthy Ranch shopping center is at the intersection of 237 and 880; access is via McCarthy Blvd off of 237. Meet at the north corner, just across the parking lot from Wal-Mart`.
  6. Page Mill Park 'N Ride Lot. Exit 280 onto Page Mill Road west (Los Altos Hills) in Palo Alto. The lot is next to the freeway.
  7. Edgewood Park 'N Ride Lot. Exit 280 onto Edgewood Road east in Redwood City. The lot is next to the freeway.
  8. Cupertino: Any Mountain (formerly REI) parking lot. 280 exit Saratoga/Sunnyvale Rd (De Anza Blvd) towards Sunnyvale (north). First left on Homestead. Shopping Center is on left side. Pass Payless to Any Mountain. Park along the Homestead side, near Carl's Jr.
  9. San Mateo Good Earth Restaurant. Fron 101 take Hwy 92 west / Half Moon Bay; exit West Hillsdale. Left at light. Left on Campus Dr. From 280 take Hwy 92 East / Hayward. Right at light.


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