Where to hoof it in the East Bay

Walks East Bay

In Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley

BY Mark Fernquest

The East Bay is an exquisite nexus point blessed with a plethora of unique cultural and natural phenomena. Included among them are a handful of quaint, often off-the-beaten-path parks and locales that offer excellent opportunities for quiet contemplation, walks or bike rides for the introverted suburbanite. Never one to go to the gym, I spent the past 20-plus years locating and frequenting these sublime places to get my exercise and maintain my equilibrium. In these chaotic times, during Covid especially, they allow easy local access to nature with safe social distancing.

ROBERT W. CROWN MEMORIAL STATE BEACH

I learned something a lifetime ago, when I first moved to the East Bay: An artificial beach is better than no beach at all. In fact, in many ways it is superior to the real thing. Why? Well, if it is designed just right, the uniformity of the shoreline makes for a straightline walk with a million-dollar view of San Francisco and the greater Bay, the water is warm and shallow, and the lack of surf—and resulting tranquility of the water—allows people to walk out into the Bay and to windsurf, sailboard and kiteboard with relative ease.

Thus the popularity of Alameda’s own 2.5-mile-long, 387-acre man-made

LIMITLESS The breakwater, a destination unto itself, stretches away from Alameda Point’s Encinal Beach out into the Bay for hundreds and hundreds of yards. beach, which is good for a walk day or night—within posted hours, of course— at any time of year. I’ve watched the sunrise and sunset and everything in between from this very special place, and engaged in many meaningful conversations with friends as we walked the surf’s edge.

The beach’s conveniently located public bathrooms and water fountains, and accompanying paved bicycle path and parking, all along Shoreline Drive, make this location especially userfriendly. Those wishing to make the full 5-mile round-trip circuit can walk from the Broadway/Park Street end of the beach all the way up to the Crown Cove visitor center and back, but should pack water, sunscreen and a windbreaker and give themselves several hours to make the full journey.

Susan Ramos, 57, a naturalist for the East Bay Regional Park District, has worked at Crab Cove, on the west end of the beach, for many years. In her opinion, “... the best thing about the beach is that although it is located within the large City of Alameda, there is still an abundance of natural plants and animals to be seen and explored. Shorebirds can be seen from August through April, some other birds are seen year round. At Crab Cove during low tide you can find crabs, side swimmers, clams, oyster drill snails, Atlantic mud snails, sea lettuce, barnacles, mussels and much more. During the late spring and early summer a fish called a grunion comes up onto the beach to lay its eggs.” She adds, “One rule to follow is that there is no collecting at the »

»beach and in the Crab Cove Marine Conservation Area. And please be sure to deposit any trash in a trash can.”

Daily park hours are 5am to 10pm. Dogs must be leashed. Children are welcome. Fishing is permitted, as is swimming, though no lifeguards are on duty. Boating, kayaking, sailing and picnicking are popular activities.

www.ebparks.org/parks/crown-beach

ALAMEDA POINT

When I lived in Alameda, the former Naval Air Station—now known as Alameda Point—was a mere stone’s throw from my front door. I spent countless hours bicycling and walking around the massive, 1,560-acre neighborhood, exploring its many historical ruins, buildings, warehouses and oddly disjointed boulevards. In the 6 years since I moved away, the base has grown by leaps and bounds, and a promenade along Seaplane Lagoon is now partially finished, the massive— and rather visually stunning—new Aero apartment complex is completed, and the main strip of jumbo-sized hangars is now so overflowing with breweries, wineries, distilleries and excellent eateries that it resembles a veritable marketplace. But regardless of the ever-evolving state of Alameda Point, it remains a gold mine of adventure for anyone with two shoes or a bicycle.

Lifetime Alameda resident Christine Winberg, 53, says, “I go to the former Alameda Air Naval base or, as we old-time native Alamedans call it, ‘The Base,’ at least once a month for a walk. It’s changing, evolving and being developed quickly, so there is always something new to see. I’m still in awe of the views from the base every time I go.”

She adds, “I like to walk amongst the old air hangars and the old housing and ‘BOQ’ (bachelors officers quarters)— it’s so post-apocalyptic and cool to just wander around. I also like going by Seaplane Lagoon. Along the lagoon you can see jellyfish, seals, many different kinds of birds and more. It’s not very dog-friendly in those area’s due to broken glass, sharp bits of metal and old pavement, so if my doggy is with me we stick to the beach near the rock wall and Encinal boat ramp. It has a decent sidewalk there, and it’s much kinder to her paws—plus, she loves the squirrels that live over there.”

My favorite parts of the base include Encinal Beach, near the aforementioned Encinal boat ramp, and the walk from there up the Bay Trail along the shoreline to the Hornet aircraft carrier, which is a phenomenon in and of itself. I also like the former officer’s housing neighborhood—near the ferry terminal on the opposite side of the base—with its wide avenues and vast, green lawns.

www.alamedapoint.co

MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY

When I lived on Linda Avenue, off Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, Mountain View Cemetery was a regular destination. Whether by bicycle or on foot, I explored the 226-acre cemetery at least once a week. Its beauty, varied terrain and countless paths never failed to amaze me. I came to affectionately call its cluster of tombs the City of the Dead—for it is quite remarkable, in and of itself.

Known as a “garden” cemetery, Mountain View was uniquely designed with integrated grand monuments and broad avenues. According to its website, “... near its entrance gates, Olmsted [the architect] designed a straight avenue lined by trees. On the slopes of six hills skirting this avenue, he constructed curved lanes and paths like tributaries flowing down from the hills to make possible a gradual ascent and descent, like the twisting roads of the park cemeteries set in England.” Live Oaks, Italian cypress, Lebanese cedar and Italian stone pine add peace and beauty to the landscape.

It is important to note that, due to Covid, the cemetery’s hours of public access have been reduced to Saturdays and Wednesdays, 8am to 4:30pm. Sign-in is required at the gate, and strict new rules regarding dogs are now enforced. Please show proper respect to this venerable private institution when visiting.

www.mountainviewcemetery.org/resources/ pilot-re-opening-plan

MORCOM ROSE GARDEN

Located in Oakland’s Grand Lake neighborhood, a few short blocks from both Piedmont Avenue and Lake Merritt, this sublime, 8-acre garden is not to be missed. Tucked away in its own little valley on the side of a hill, it makes for tranquility itself with its winding walkways, many stairways and fountains, and a reflecting pool. It’s not exactly the type of place one goes to rev up their rpms and work up a cardio sweat—consider it a destination to walk to or a place to find instant Zen while alternately strolling amidst, »

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TIMELESS Alameda’s Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach offers the intrepid Zen walker miles of perfect, pristine beauty among the sand dunes, all with a priceless view of the San Francisco Bay.

and sitting amongst, the flowers.

A designated World Heritage Site since 1980, the Morcom Rose Garden has 6,000 exotic roses which bloom from late April through the end of October annually. But honestly, I never needed the flowers to be in bloom to enjoy this park; I passed through it frequently when I lived in the neighborhood, especially when walking to or from the Grand Lake District, and always brought guests to visit it.

Located at 700 Jean St., in Oakland, Morcom Rose Garden is officially open Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm, but admission is free, and there are multiple access points from the surrounding streets.

www.visitoakland.com/listing/ morcom-rose-garden/220/ INDIAN ROCK PARK

A perennial favorite, Indian Rock Park rises out of a hillside in Northeast Berkeley’s historic Northbrae neighborhood in rather striking fashion. I discovered it quite by accident, when visiting an acupuncturist who operated out of his house a few blocks away, and my jaw literally dropped at the sight of this unexpected visual gem. Parking can be mildly challenging, but the walk through the neighborhood is almost as enjoyable as exploring the giant rock itself, and should be considered part of the Indian Rock experience.

This beautiful, teeny-tiny 1.18-acre park is a must-see local treasure. The rocks and boulders are both majestic and otherworldly, and make for delightful exploration. Kids love it, but adults—including me—do, too. The park’s website officially states that it features a picnic area, “a vista/overlook with gorgeous view of the San Francisco Bay and a rock outcropping with carved steps and areas for rock climbing.” Located at 950 Indian Rock Ave. in Berkeley, it is open daily from 6am to 10pm.

www.cityofberkeley.info/Parks_Rec_ Waterfront/Trees_Parks/ Parks__Indian_Rock_Park.aspx

It’s high time for safe, socially distanced exercise, folks. So go, get out of the house and explore these local treasures. They are free, open to the public and may just hold the key to the equanimity we all need. ❤

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