OAKLAND
TO SACRAMENTO
115 MILES / 4,990 FEET
Travel between Sacramento and Oakland via Antioch and Walnut
Creek.
South Sacramento region, Sacramento
River, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Mount Diablo, hills of the East Bay
and Oakland.
Sacramento: mile 13.5 of the American River Bike Trail, William Pond Recreation Area, Carmichael, CA
Travel to the intersection of Arden Way and Fair
Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, CA (immediately east of Sacramento).
Park in the Five Points
parking lot (SE corner of Arden Way & Fair Oaks Blvd, away from
retail outlets) or on Arden Way, west of restricted parking. Mile 13.5 is at the intersection
of the American River Pkwy Bike Trail and the Arden Way access path.
Oakland: Rockridge BART Station, College Avenue & Keith Avenue, Oakland, CA
San Francisco is a quick BART ride from here.
When the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is completed (complete with bike lane!), it should be easy to access the bridge from here.
Parking: large parking lots
exist under Highway 24 at the Rockridge BART station.
Climbing: 4,990 - 5,105 feet. Climbing generally is not remarkably difficult, but it all comes at the end/beginning of the courses. Santa Maria Way (Oakland to Sacramento direction) is very steep; Deer Hill Road (Sacramento to Oakland direction) also is steep, although less so.
Difficulty: moderate. Although the climbing generally is not extraordinary, this is a long ride. Allow sufficient time to complete during daylight hours (night biking would be hazardous anywhere between Antioch and Oakland).
Risks: Urban cycling (moderate). One narrow bridge on Highway 160. Rare but severe fissures on Highway 160 (one put me into a rescue helicopter and an ICU).
The two routes are virtually identical except for differing courses between Camino Pablo and Grizzly Peak Roads (Orinda/Oakland).
