Canal Trails
From Walden Park in Walnut Creek you can run in any direction along one of the fabulous canal trails, making up any distance. Here are our favorites.
Contra Costa Canal Trail – 10 Miles (west/north)
We often run west along the Contra Costa Canal trail shown in the route below. It’s 10 miles round trip up to Golf Links Road, at the Diablo Valley College. It’s mostly flat, has ducks, and water can be found at the top of the hill at Las Juntas Park. You can run a bit less than a mile further along this trail until you hit Hwy 4. That section is more hilly.
Contra Costa Canal Trail – 6 Miles (east)
Head east along the trail and it’s 3 Miles each way to the T junction. You can run north from the T which takes you first past some depressing trailer park, followed by a housing development, then a cute little forested area with a bridge. It doesn’t seem worth it to me to go that way. If you head south when you get to the T you can make it a 9 miles loop.
Ygnacio Canal Trail loop – 9 Miles
Fun loop on the canal trails and a favorite of ours. You start of running east from the park, 3 miles flat. From there turn right and follow the paved path up a semi-steep hill. There’s nice views back across the houses etc from there. You pass through a kind of cool pedestrian tunnel which runs under a road. From there you follow the trails and signs to the hospital. It can be a little confusing around there, but there are signs. You’ll emerge out to Ygnacio Rd. We cross the road here and run down the sidewalk (turning right after crossing), and then turn in where Heather farms (left at the gas station). The official route of the loop has a steep downhill in it that we’d rather avoid.
Ironhorse – 12 Miles (north)
Run north up the Ironhorse trail to it’s end and back for the full distance, about 12 miles. Or, start and Roadrunner Sports/REI in Concord to run a section of it. From Roadrunner sports down to the park it’s about 7 miles round trip. Or run from there north to the trails current end, which is about 5 miles roundtrip.
