Shell Ridge Open Space

Since I got a mountain bike I have been to almost 6 different regional parks in the past month or two. There are so many different places in the bay area to go biking that I rarely get bored.
This park is great for hiking, and biking as well! There isn’t that much shade so it’s preferable to go on a windy /​less sunny day. Also remember to wear sunscreen and plenty of water !!
We had difficulty finding the exact entrance so ended up parking next to northgate high school and walking up the street. This park also has lots of horse poo everywhere so be careful when walking. This hike isn’t very hard, but the incline in the beginning is a bit tough on bikes.

Just moved to walnut creek and some of my friends told me about this place. Amazing area to go hiking especially if you have dogs. Great plus that you can have your dogs off leash.

So so soooo awesome. Really amazing for an afternoon hike. Lots of parking. Lots of open space. Lots of folks on bikes but there is so many trails that you never feel bothered. Our little doggy loved the hike. We did see a coyote and had to keep our dog close. But regardless, very pretty spot and we can’t wait to go back.

Since my original review, I’ve actually moved closer to a few trailheads to Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek and this has become my go-​to spot for local hikes. It’s easy to get in to the park via the Briones/​Mount Diablo trail near John Muir hospital. You will see the signs for it on La Casa Via and if you bear right on the trail, you will be able to connect with the Ridge trail and the open space in general. It becomes a completely different hike depending on the seasons and trails you take. Some of my favorites include a loop from the Briones Trail to Fossil Hill, Indian Creek and quick connector back on Briones and then the Ridge Trail. I’ve also ventured on to the Twin Ponds loop trail and some other offshoot trails near the Marshall road entrance.
There is still more of the park I’ve yet to explore. Each hike I take here, I’ve spotted meandering trails off in the distance waiting to be taken in the future. I always feel safe as a solo hiker in Shell Ridge. On weekends and early summer evenings, there are plenty of people on the trails, yet not overly crowded. The rolling hills, wide open spaces, oaks, ridges, and wooded pathways are a treasure in an increasingly crowded Walnut Creek. Parking tends to be easy to get for times I drive rather than hike in to the park and fellow hikers usually say hello.
A few other tips:
~trails get muddy in the winter
~there are cattle grazing in certain parts of the park (last winter I had to go around a large group with calfs that was slightly nerve wracking, but I survived.)
~it gets super hot in the summer-​go early or before sunset, and bring plenty of water
~there are a few areas right now that are undergoing some maintenance and planting of oaks and other natives (it’s wonderful to see the ongoing care going on the open space)
~If you get on the Walnut Creek open space Facebook page or email list, you can stay on top of activities in the parks or volunteer opportunities.
I am thinking of signing up for one of their volunteer days in 2016. Shell Ridge is my happy place and I’d love to give back to it soon!

Walnut creek is such a nice area! The trails were distinctly marked. Some beautiful scenery, with the lots of grass and some random weeds. The only bad thing about this place was the lack of trash cans for doggie poop bags. A lot of people do not pick up after their dogs. So if your dog is a poop eater, I would not recommend this trail.

Came for a morning hike. Good weather, nice breeze. Bring some water and wear sunscreen. Hikes fairly short, I think 45min? Wasn’t hard so it’s good for beginners. Very nice view when you reach the top!

Was worth the very narrow road drive that was meant to be a one way… ha! Unless my mr magoo eyes have mistaken. I was a little lost finding the trail but there are many maps to go around. I could not figure out exactly where I was in terms of north south, but eventually I found the shell ridge trail. It was a nice hike, didn’t see any snakes even though it was hot. So that was a plus. Free parking another plus. and other things besides hiking, such as the farm.

From the Marshall School trailhead, there is a nice ridge trail with great views on both sides. There is also a good creek trail. Wish there were a little more elevation options, but a nice easy/​moderate hike with great views.

Love hiking and running shell ridge. It’s beautiful and has many places to begin and end. The people are always courteous on the trail and move out of the way for bikers and runners. Just be careful of rattlesnakes. They are out year round but especially when it’s dry and hot. Be careful oi you let your dog off leash if not snake trained. I don’t usually let my dogs off here unless it’s to play on the water, but because of the drought it’s been a long time since there’s been enough water anyway.
Lot’s of different starting points. Great for running, hiking and mountain biking.

I lived at the edge of the Shell Ridge Open Space (Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation) for the best part of 40 years. I took approximately 10,000 hikes in this wonderland of hills, creeks and meadows. I developed a shamanic relationship with this magical land while exploring it’s secrets with many wonderful friends and pets. The Shell Ridge Open Space literally saved my life in it’s role as a place of worship, exercise and escape from the tedium of Western Civilization. I give thanks to the open spaces from enriching my life with unconditional blessings.

I have run and hiked these trails for ten years and still come across new surprises. Make sure to check out Howe Homestead and Borges Ranch. I’m really excited for the native plant restoration project at the Sutherland entrance to continue growing. The poppies look great!

Still loving this open space in my backyard. Hiking, running and cycling are awesome activities to do here. For those of you on mountain bike, be careful of the leash-​free dogs and always give total right away to the horses. We are entering the season where you’re likely to see rattlesnakes. Sometimes smaller ones will be curled up on the fireroad or singletrack trail. Please give them total right away. They don’t want to have anything to do with you and will not attack you unless you startle them. Just be careful if you go off trail or climbing around rock outcroppings. Enjoy the occasional coyote, bobcat and fox sightings.

Very quiet and scarce of humanity on the weekdays, trails have large inclines and steep declines and a few advanced routes. …Also cows and horses and a nice park area for lunch.

Went here on a whim today and it was a great place to take the dogs for some hiking exercise. Gently rolling hills and a pretty scenery. The farther we hiked, the less likely we were to see other people/​dogs so we could enjoy some off leash playtime. Will definitely be back for the dog friendly environment alone! Nice place to walk with rolling hills that weren’t too bad.

«Meandering» is a term custom-​made to describe the series of trails that comprise this large swath of open space. Easy parking in front of Indian Valley Elementary School allowed me time to study the trail map board before my friend arrived. It made no sense to me so we just winged it, following one path then another and another. All the paths had markers denoting their names, but after the initial signage there was nothing further to show me where anything led so meander we did. From trail to trail, we roamed up, down, around, and through cattle gates, feeling that we were proceeding in a giant circle that would take us back to the vicinity of our cars. It worked.
After about two hours of meandering, we looked downhill and spotted our cars. But on the other side, a challenge remained: a series of ridge-​paths leading up, up, and up some more. Each time I thought I was heading to the top, a new series of ridges presented itself once I got there. It happened so many times that it grew somewhat comical.
The meandering portion of the hike is wide, open, and grassy. The ridge portion is narrow. I feel like there’s a lot here I didn’t get to see but that only means that I can return for more surprises.
Dogs welcome. Beware of summertime heat (this place seemed very unshaded).

This is the place to go for the best calves work out ever. We did a family hike here yesterday but we came in on through the horse trail off Sutherland. The trail to the Castle Rock area is more for humans as the other trails seem to have both horses and people walking on them. Which we didn’t mind had our little apple head chihuahua behaved himself a bit more and didn’t try befriending the lovely creatures.
As we headed up the top of Shell Ridge, we were amazed at the vast and beautiful views. Such a reward for hiking up those step hills. All worth it and plenty of space to walk around and look over the edges of the hillsides. My black lab pup loved running back and forth up the hills and so did my kids (minus the occasional ‘are we there yet’ comments.) Be prepared for some serious hiking but definitely worth the trip during the day for some amazing views and a good work out. Looking forward to coming back and getting to Castle Rock. Up and at it.

My friend lives in the neighborhood here and recommended this spot as a place to take a hike. You can take your pick on hike lengths, if you are not from the area or with someone who is I might look for a map online. The basic ridge hike is the one that we took, it goes up to the water storage tank, and you can continue from there if you so choose. Decent views from up here.
There was one lady who was walking up and down this vertical path (hardcore) over and over again, at least 3 times. Must have been training for something or just been a fitness junkie, i was almost inspired, almost. My friend says that if you hike back into the oak (?) trees there is a pond and such (scenic), but we didn’t go that way. A great way to spend a sunny day. Bring snacks, water, sun protection and you could probably hike all day.

In the Bay Area, you can pretty much reach wilderness within 10 minutes from where you live. If you reside in Walnut Creek, you can hike for miles and miles within the City Limits!
Gayle and I recently took a hike that started at the Howe Homestead and ended at Borges Ranch. In between was 2.5 miles of incredible views, wild flowers, barn owl boxes, distant City profiles, and a few red wing blackbirds thrown in. The air was fresh, my legs were strong, my well being was enhanced, and my return will be soon. You can’t get better therapy for many times the price!

Shell Ridge is my latest crush. I cannot get enough of this sprawling series of trails, incredible views, and cute doggies roaming freely. It’s amazing that you can drive 5 minutes up the hill from downtown Walnut Creek and be completely surrounded by greenery, hear only the sound of chirping birds and your own thoughts. It’s fresh air and free therapy at it’s best.
We enter at Sutherland Drive, off Walnut Blvd, head through the gate and to the right. I highly recommend making your way onto the «ridge»…you’ll see it, the highest peak cutting through the middle of the open space. On this narrow spine of trail, you get 360 views of the east bay. It is so worth the vertical trek.
We make up our own names for landmarks along the way, like Hobo Crest, Dead Salmon Pond, and Deep Hill. You can make up your own names too, so it feels like your personal park! Or, you can do this… www​.youtube​.com/​w​a​t​c​h​?​v​=​s​P​w​A​4​o​JdIs8

Great place for a walk! Go past the high school, turn right at the sign for Borges ranch, and park at Bob pond. There are bathrooms, picnic tables and grills. Multiple trails of varying difficulty await you. Crazy that this is just minutes from downtown walnut creek! Bring water and a hat, there isn’t much shade. Dogs can be off leash in undeveloped areas, but only if they don’t chase cows. There are coyotes and rattlesnakes, use reasonable caution. And watch out for the poison oak, our dog found it.
I read some reviews that lamented about the dogs off leash; please note that it’s perfectly legal and acceptable to have your dog off leash as long as it responds to voice command and stays in sight. If your dog freaks out when off leash dogs approach it, you may want to reconsider bringing your dog here. The leash law is that there isn’t a leash law outside of developed areas.