Iron Horse Trail - 9/11/2011

On Donnas' 56th birthday, she rode nearly 21 miles on the Iron Horse Trail. Go You!

This multi-use, whole-access trail between the cities of Concord and Dublin follows the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way established in 1891 and abandoned in 1977. The completed Iron Horse Regional Trail will span the distance from Livermore in Alameda County to Suisun Bay in Contra Costa County, a distance of 33 miles, connecting two counties and 12 cities. Representing interagency cooperation and a community-wide effort by individuals and groups, this trail creates an important recreational and commute component for the communities it serves. The 20-foot-wide trail connects residential and commercial areas, business parks, schools, public transportation (BART, County Connection), open space and parks, regional trails, and community facilities.

The developed portion of the Iron Horse Trail begins in Concord near Highway 4. It runs south through Walnut Creek and crosses eastward under I-680 at Rudgear Road near a Park & Ride. From there the trail passes through a rural/residential area to connect with downtown Alamo and the Alamo Square shopping center. Continuing south, the trail follows a greenbelt through residential areas and into downtown Danville. It takes a jog across Danville Boulevard, passes back under I-680, and continues south past Pine Valley Road to the county line in San Ramon extending to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART. The completed Iron Horse Regional Trail will span the distance from Livermore in Alameda County to Suisun Bay in Contra Costa County a distance of over 55 miles connecting two counties and nine communities. The trail corridor connects residential and commercial areas, business parks, schools, public transportation, regional trails and community facilities. Throughout its entire length, opportunities to view the valley ridgeline and landscape features like Mt. Diablo create a pleasant trail experience.