Montclair is a small commercial district in the Oakland hills, a few miles away from Chabot Science Center and uphill from Piedmont. It flourished in the first tech boom of the early 1990s, and is a good place for a transit accessible hike.

Originally, it was part of the railroad going into Oakland. There continue to be markers of the historical railroad past, as well as Shepherd Canyon, a small park to the southeast with a few good hiking trails. This week’s hike starts here at Montclair Railroad Trail, just east of the commercial district.

Quick Notes

Distance: 1.6 miles

Elevation Gain: 140 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Out and Back

Transit Accessibility

Take AC Transit Line 33 to Mountain Blvd and Moraga Ave. Walk up Mountain Blvd and turn left on Antioch Court, then right on La Salle Ave. The trail will be at the end of the street.

Driving Directions

From I-580 (The Macarthur Freeway), take CA-13 (Warren Freeway) north to Mountain Blvd, and turn right on La Salle Ave. Or take I-580 south to CA-24 and turn south on the Warren Freeway, then get off on Moraga Ave and continue south to La Salle Ave.

The Hike

Start on Montclair Railroad trail going south. When it curves, turn right (south) to take the trail to the fire station, and then across the street into Shepherd Canyon Park. From there, go around the playing field to the uphill portion of the hike, eventually reaching an overlook near Escher Drive. This is a good view with trees, and time to meditate or bring kids.

If you have time, go back to the fire station and continue along the paved trail up Shepherd Canyon Road. It will continue about 1.1 miles as a paved walkway through eucalyptus trees and native plants.