East Bay Regional Parks District: Embrace Life!

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

About The Park

Please note: Atlas Bridge and Park Entrance Project - Beginning October 2010

The journey is as scenic as the destination at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, a 2,315-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. Watch movie clips.

Submit Your Photos to the EBRPD Photo Pool

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.

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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 the Point Pinole bird list.

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.

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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).

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.

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Park Hiking Video




ADA accessibility iconPark Accessibility

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

Trail Accessibility Reports

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To Reach The Park

From I-80 in Richmond, exit at the Richmond Parkway. From the Richmond Parkway, turn right onto Giant Highway and proceed to the park entrance.

Public Transit

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

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Trail Map

Click the map image below to see an enlarged version.

Trail Map

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Directions for navigating the enlarged map:

When the enlarged version of the map opens click on the 'Full Expand' icon in the lower right hand corner of the map to see the 'Actual Size' map.

'Full Expand' icon > Full Expand

When the 'Actual Size' map is viewable, you can 'Click-Hold and Drag' the mouse button (left on a PC) to reposition the map, as desired.

'Single-Click' on the 'Enlarged' or 'Actual Size' map to return to the park page.

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Movie Clips

  • Movie Clip 1: Point Pinole History (duration: 1 min 1 sec)
  • Movie Clip 2: Point Pinole "Saved by Dynamite" (duration: 1 min 19 sec)
  • Movie Clip 3: Point Pinole Park Features (duration: 34 sec)
This is a place holder for Point Pinole movie clip.

You can also save movies to your computer in QuickTime format. If you don't have QuickTime, you may download QuickTime here.

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Park Info

Address
5551 Giant Highway
Richmond, CA 94806
Download Brochure
Phone Number
Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4551
Local Weather
movie clip icon Movie Clips
Maps
View Trail Map
Download PDF Map
Yahoo Map
Panorama Panorama
Park/Gate Hours
Nov. - March
  7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
April
  7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
May - Sept.
  7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
October
  7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Park Events
Click HERE for upcoming events
Parking Fee
Fees are collected when the Kiosk is attended on weekends and major holidays from April through October.
Car/Trailer: $3
Buses: $25/per bus.
Dog Fee and Limits
$2 per dog are collected when the Kiosk is attended on weekends and major holidays from April through October. Guide/service dogs free.
Limit: 3 dogs per person, No commercial dog walking trails are available.
Grazing Information
Grazing in the Parks
Shuttle Ride Service
Shuttle van service is available daily (holidays included) except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Shuttle schedule:
Shuttle leaves from the parking lot at 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
Shuttle leaves from the pier at 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Shuttle Ride Fee (Round Trip)
$1 age 12 and older; 50 cents age 6-11; children under 6, seniors 62+ or disabled ride free
Camping Reservations
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.
Picnic Reservations
1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2
Emergency Number
911
EBRPD Headquarters
1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757

Park Update

Monarch Butterflies Overwintering
Come see monarch butterflies overwintering in the trees. South of Biazi Trail, between Giant Station and Nitro Trails.

Updated: 11/3/2011
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