Temporary Easter Weekend Parking Area Closures at Select Regional Parks
*Select Parking Lots and Staging Areas Temporarily Closed to Prevent Overcrowding, Maintain Safe Social Distancing
*Trails Remain Open and Accessible on Walk-In, Bike-In Basis.
Thursday, April 9, 2020 (Oakland) – New temporary restrictions at select Regional Park parking lots and staging areas will be enforced this Easter weekend, Saturday/Sunday, April 11-12, 2020, with the goal to reduce crowds anticipated to come to parks this weekend.
“Respectfully, please don’t drive to Regional Parks this Saturday and Sunday of this Easter weekend,” said Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “We can’t have the huge crowds that we did a few weeks ago.”
“This upcoming weekend, the public should consider staying at home, walking in their neighborhood, or visiting parks on less crowded days or times,” added Doyle. “No picnicking and group activities are allowed by the “Stay-at-Home” orders, which has been in place for the past two weeks.”
The following Regional Parks will be affected with temporary parking area closures for this weekend, April 11-12, 2020:
- Black Diamond Mines – All parking lots closed
- Briones – Alhambra Staging Area closed
- Coyote Hills – All parking lots closed
- Garin – All Parking lots closed
- Kennedy Grove – All parking lots closed
- Lake Chabot – Main Parking lot closed
- Lake Temescal – All parking lots closed
- MLK Jr. – Doolittle South and Arrowhead Staging Area closed
- Mission Peak – Stanford Avenue Staging Area closed (Fenced with no trail access, closed by request of City of Fremont)
- Miller Knox – All parking lots closed
Trails and open space remain open and accessible to the public (except Mission Peak from the Stanford Avenue Staging Area) on a walk-in and bike-in basis. Some parking lots adjacent to closed picnic areas will also be closed to help maintain safe social distancing.
The COVID-19 public health emergency continues to be a serious, unique, and evolving situation. Due to COVID-19, Regional Parks have been very busy with significant overcrowding at various parks the weekend of March 21-22. To limit overcrowding and help maintain social distancing, the Park District temporarily closed some park areas, including picnic sites, restrooms, water fountains, and parking lots on Friday, March 27, 2020.
While park use has remained very high over the past few weeks, the Park District’s temporary closures of some park areas has helped minimize unsafe crowding and improve social distancing. However, there are concerns that the upcoming Easter weekend may draw large crowds, leading to overcrowding and social distancing challenges. Easter weekend is typically one of the Park District’s busiest of the year.
The Park District continues to keep most park areas open to the public during COVID-19. Local public health agencies have specifically called on the District to keep parks open as much as possible as an essential resource for public health and wellness. Recent “Guidance for Parks as an Essential Service During COVID-19 Pandemic," issued by Contra Costa Health services, in close partnership with Alameda County Health, again acknowledged the “essential” role parks play in public health and wellness, including stress relief.
However, park staffing is limited with most staff, just like the general public, sheltering in place, or working at home due to the COVID-19 health agency “Stay-at-Home” orders.
“Working together we will get through this,” said Park District President Ellen Corbett. “Please follow a few simple rules to keep our parks clean, safe, and open. Thank you for loving our parks and for doing your part.”
“The safety of our employees and our visitors is our first priority,” added Corbett.
Ways visitors can help include:
- Use cloth face coverings/mask as recommended by the CDC
- Maintain 6-Feet social distance from other people
- NO picnicking, groups, gatherings, or meetups (only immediate households)
- Pack-in, pack-out trash, including dog poop (take your trash home with you, there is no trash collection due to safety and limited staffing)
- Keep dogs on leash (Out of an abundance of caution, even dogs should social distance)
- Bring water, hand sanitizers, and use restrooms at home before you visit (bathrooms and water fountains are closed due to limited staffing and to prevent the spread of COVID-19)
While there are some park area closures due to COVID-19, most of the Park District’s 125,000 acres of parklands and 1,300 of trails remain open and accessible to the public. However, additional closures may be necessary due to overcrowding or stricter orders from state or local health agencies.
Up-to-date information about COVID-19 park closures.
PREVIOUS COVID-19 CLOSURES (STILL IN EFFECT):
List Contains:
- Parks that are CLOSED (in red) with no walk-in access.
- Parks that remain OPEN with some parking lots closed, or walk-in access only.
- Parks not listed below are OPEN with parking lots available for use.
Please Note: Visitor Centers, restrooms, water fountains, picnic areas, BBQs, swim facilities/areas, boat ramps, playgrounds, campgrounds, group campsites, backcountry campsites, sports fields, kiosks, and reservable facilities are CLOSED AT ALL PARKS during COVID-19.
Anthony Chabot Regional Park
- Family Campground, all Group Camps, and Picnic Areas CLOSED
- Marciel Gate CLOSED
- Chabot Equestrian Center Parking Lot CLOSED
(Boarders allowed to care for horses) - Skyline Stables CLOSED (Boarders allowed to care for horses)
Ardenwood Historic Farm is CLOSED
Bay Point Regional Shoreline is CLOSED (Due to construction)
Big Break Regional Shoreline
- Visitor Center CLOSED
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
- Parking at Sydney Flat OPEN
- Upper Parking Lot CLOSED
- Mine, Greathouse Visitor Center & Sidney Flats Visitor Center CLOSED
Briones Regional Park
- Bear Creek Staging Area CLOSED
Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area is CLOSED
Contra Loma Regional park
- Main Entrance / Parking Lot CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only from Frederickson Lane)
- Swim Lagoon CLOSED
Coyote Hills Regional Park
- Main Parking Lots CLOSED
- Visitor Center CLOSED
- Group Camp CLOSED
Crown Beach Memorial State Beach
- Crab Cove Visitor Center CLOSED
- McKay & Otis Parking Lots CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
Del Valle Regional Park
- Main Area/Entrance CLOSED from Mendenhall Road
- Arroyo Staging Area OPEN (Turn around at Badger Cove area)
- Visitor Center CLOSED
- Swim Lagoon CLOSED
Diablo Foothills Regional Park
- Main Entrance CLOSED
- Limited Parking for Trail Access
Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks
- Visitor Center CLOSED
- Apple Orchard & Meyer's Garden CLOSED
Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail
- Old Moraga Ranch Trail CLOSED (Due to landslide)
Lake Chabot
- Boat Ramp CLOSED (NO Boating/NO Quagga Inspection)
Leona Canyon Regional Park
- Main Staging Area / Ridgemont Condominium Parking Lot CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
Little Hills Picnic Ranch is CLOSED
Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline
- Shoreline Center / Doolittle Staging Area CLOSED
- Tidewater Staging Area CLOSED
- Tidewater Outdoor Recreation Office CLOSED
- Tidewater Oakland Strokes Operations CLOSED
Point Isabel is CLOSED
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area
- Boat Ramp CLOSED (NO Boating/NO Quagga Inspection)
Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
- Main Entrance at Redwood Road CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
- Piedmont Stables CLOSED (Boarders allowed to care for horses)
Roberts Regional Recreation Area
- Main Entrance / Parking Lot CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
- Swimming Pool & Playground CLOSED
Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
- Main Entrance at Stanley Blvd. CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
- Old Tunnel Road Staging Area/Entrance CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve is CLOSED
Temescal Regional Recreation Area
- South Parking Lot CLOSED
- Swim Area & Playground CLOSED
Tidewater Boating Center (See MLK Jr. Shoreline)
- All Areas CLOSED
Tilden Regional Park
- All Picnic Areas Along Lake Anza and Brook roads CLOSED
- Fern Picnic Area Parking CLOSED
- Golf Course Gated Lot CLOSED (Bottom half)
- Indian Camp Parking Lot, Playground, and Picnic Area CLOSED
- Lake Anza Road and Parking Lot CLOSED
- Lakeview Parking Lot CLOSED
- Lone Oak Parking Lot CLOSED
- Merry-Go-Round CLOSED
- Mineral Springs Parking Lot CLOSED
- Native Here Nursery CLOSED
- South Park Drive CLOSED (NO vehicle traffic: Walk-In and Bike-In Access Only)
- Steam Trains/Golden Gate Live Steamers CLOSED
- Tilden Golf Course CLOSED
Tilden - Regional Parks Botanic Garden
- Visitor Center & Garden CLOSED (NO Walk-In Access)
Tilden Nature Area
- Tilden Nature Area CLOSED (Walk-In Access Only)
- Tilden Little Farm CLOSED
- Environmental Education Center CLOSED
- Indian Camp Parking Lot CLOSED
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
- Alvarado Picnic Area and Playground CLOSED
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor
(510) 544-2217
dmason@ebparks.org
