Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

• About The Park
• History
• Park Features
• Park Activities
• Park Accessibility
• To Reach The Park
• Trail Map
• Park Maps
• Video

About The Park

The journey is as scenic as the destination at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, a 2,432-acre parkland right next to densely populated Pinole, Richmond, and San Pablo. Trails lead through breezy meadows with wildflowers in season, through aromatic eucalyptus woods, or along bluffs and beaches on San Pablo Bay.

There are beautiful views of Mt. Tamalpais, the Marin shoreline, and San Pablo Bay with its sailboat and shipping traffic.

In April 2017, the Park District completed major restoration and public access enhancements to this popular park, including the Dotson Family Marsh, the Atlas Road Bridge, and a 1.5 mile raised extension to the Bay Trail. Read about the projects and funding. Read the press release.

Atlas Road Bridge Extension

The District opened a new park entrance at the end of Atlas Road. The entrance, which comprises a vehicle and ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks, provides visitors with safe access to the park. The entrance leads to a new ADA-accessible parking area, picnic sites and restrooms. Future plans for this area include a park office and service yard and the route to a new park visitor center

Dotson Family Marsh

The Dotson Family Marsh (formerly Breuner) underwent major habitat restoration and climate adaptation management to mitigate sea level rise, coastal and inland flooding. The restored marsh has been renamed in honor of the Dotson family, longtime residents of adjacent Parchester Village, for their environmental legacy to save the Richmond shoreline from development

San Francisco Bay Trail

The Park District completed two major projects opening up 1.8 miles of new Bay Trail, thus extending the existing 4.5 miles of SF Bay Trail within the park.

Wildflower Photo Guide

• Point Pinole - Wildflower Guide - 2.3 Mb, 11 x 8.5, 16 pp. [PDF]
• Point Pinole - Wild Plant Guide - 3.4 Mb, 11 x 8.5, 22 pp. [PDF]

History

Point Pinole opened to the public in 1973 after a long process of acquiring the property from Bethlehem Steel. Bethlehem had acquired the land in the early 1960s from Atlas Powder Co., one of several firms that had manufactured gunpowder and dynamite there for almost 100 years.

Park Features

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline features over 100 species of bird due to a myriad of habitats within its 2,315 acres. Bird life can be found on sandy shores, marshland, eucalyptus groves, meadows, and in a fresh water pond while meandering along the park's twelve miles of trails. To see a list of common species in the park.

• Download: Point Pinole - Bird List [PDF]

The eucalyptus woodlands, originally planted as a buffer against potential explosions, now shelter wildlife instead, such as deer, hawks, owls, Monarch butterfies, and many other species. Shorebirds wade at the beaches, and the salt marshes are home to song sparrows and harvest mice.

Park Activities

Visitors can birdwatch, hike, ride their bicycles or horses, or take the park's shuttle bus for a mile and a half to reach Point Pinole's 1,250-foot fishing pier. There is a small fee to ride on the shuttle bus (see Shuttle Ride Fee under Park Info). Please note that dogs are not allowed on the shuttle or on the pier.

Although a State fishing license is required to fish along the 5.5-mile shoreline, none is needed to fish from the pier. Sturgeon is the big quarry there; striped bass, bay rays, leopard sharks, perch, kingfish, and flounders are among the other catches of the day.

• Learn about San Francisco Bay Trail connections. 

Group Camping

Point Pinole Group Campsite - May be reserved by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, or by writing to EBRPD Reservations, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381. Reservations must be made at least 7 days in advance.  

Park Accessibility

There are wheelchair accessible restrooms and a paved shuttle trail in the park.

Trail Accessibility Reports

• Bayview Trail: Download PDF format | Download Word format
• Point Pinole Trail: Download PDF format | Download Word format

To Reach The Park

Atlas Entrance

3000 Atlas Road, Richmond, 94806
From I-80 in Richmond take the Richmond Parkway exit and go west towards the Bay. Cross San Pablo Avenue and turn right on to Atlas Road. Follow Atlas Road for approximately 1 mile to reach the park entrance. Mileage from I-80 to the Atlas entrance is approximately 2.5 miles.
From I-580 east of the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge: exit at Richmond Parkway/
Castro Street and go north for approximately 5.75 miles to Atlas Road. Turn left on to Atlas Road for approximately 1.25 miles to the park entrance.

Giant Entrance

5551 Giant Highway, Richmond, 94806
From I-80 in Richmond take the Richmond Parkway exit and go west towards the Bay. Cross San Pablo Avenue and look for the Giant Hwy exit and turn right. The park entrance will be ahead on the left, past the railroad tracks. Distance from Hwy 80 to Giant entrance is approximately 3.25 miles.
From I-580 east of the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge: exit at Richmond Parkway/Castro Street and go north for approximately 5 miles. Exit at Giant Hwy. and turn right. The park entrance will be on the left, past the railroad tracks.

Dotson Family Marsh

From I-580 take the Richmond Parkway for approximately 3.75 miles. Turn left on to Goodrick Ave. The entrance is at the end of Goodrick Ave., approximately .25 miles.
From I-80 take the Richmond Parkway and go west towards the Bay. Cross San Pablo Avenue and continue on the Richmond Parkway. Turn right on to Goodrick Ave., the entrance is at the end of Goodrick Ave. Mileage from I-80 to the park entrance is approximately 3.75 miles.

Public Transit

Call 511 (TDD (hearing impaired line)/TTY: 1-800-448-9790) or visit Transit.511.org to confirm transit information.

Trail Map

Click the map image below to see an enlarged version.

• Park Map [PDF]

Video

Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, EJCW, presents Whitney Dotson, EB Parks board member, and Chris Barton, project manager for the Pt Pinole marsh restoration project on the North Richmond shoreline. The completed project will be ready for public access in the Spring of 2016. Video by HEC Inc, Lana Husser and Doug Scott.