Overview
Open between 5am and 10pm unless otherwise posted or permitted
Gate Hours: 8am - 10pm
Park Curfew: 10pm - 5am
Swim Hours & Fees:
Weekends and Holidays: Apr 29-Sep 17
Monday-Fridays: Jun 12-Aug 18
Parking: Apply April through October. $5 per vehicle (when kiosk is attended); $4 per trailered vehicle. Buses: $25/per bus in the North lot only. No vehicle access for Buses or trailered vehicles in the South Broadway Terrace parking lot.
Dogs: $2 per dog. Guide/service dogs free.
North Entrance: 6500 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94618
South Entrance: 6502 Broadway Terrace, Oakland, CA 94618
Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4561
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Located next to the junction of highways 24 and 13 in Oakland, Temescal is a convenient urban oasis, popular for swimming, fishing, sunbathing, and picnicking.
To Reach The Park
Maps
Park Accessibility
Reservable Picnic Areas
North Temescal, Stream Side, Park View and Big Rock have accessible drinking fountains and barbeques. Stream Side and Big Rock are accessible by compacted gravel pathway. North Temescal is wheelchair accessible. Park View is not wheelchair accessible.
Trails
Landvale Station Trail and East Shore Trail are wheelchair accessible. East Shore Trail has an accessible drinking fountain. West Shore Trail and Oak Bay Trail are not wheelchair accessible.
Restrooms
All restrooms are wheelchair accessible.
Swim Area
Beach wheelchairs, intended to provide a means for wheelchair users to travel across the beach, are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. They require an assistant to push and are not intended to enter the water. To arrange for use of a chair, call the park office at (510) 652-1155. Arrangements will be made to bring the chair out to the beach. It takes approximately 15 minutes to prepare the chair. Staff will give a brief orientation on use of the chair and arrange a time for it to be returned.
Beach House
This facility is wheelchair accessible.
Fishing Pier / Dock
The wheelchair accessible fishing pier and picnic table are located on East Shore Trail. The pier was dedicated in 1988 to the memory of Robert Clinton Lee, son of Dr. and Mrs. Clinton and Mary Lee of Oakland. Learn about the Lee family's contributions and fund-raising efforts for the pier.
Playgrounds
The south playground and drinking fountain are wheelchair accessible. The north playground has no wheelchair access.
Accessibility Resources
Access Northern California, in partnership with BORP, provides information related to accessibility at Temescal Regional Recreation Area. Access Northern California Temescal Regional Recreation Area Accessibility Page
(Disclaimer: The Park District has not reviewed and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided by Access Northern California Accessibility.)
Attractions
Beach House
This historic indoor/outdoor Beach House facility is popular for weddings, parties, corporate events, etc. The setting is casual to elegant with a panoramic view of Lake Temescal. It accommodates 80 seated or 130 standing guests. It features a small food preparation room, two rooms connected into an L shape, a bridal changing room, and a patio surrounded by gardens. Catering is available. For more information call 1-888-EBPARKS OR 1-888-327-2757, press option 2. This facility is wheelchair accessible.
Swimming
Notice: No kayaks or personal watercraft are allowed in Lake Temescal.
The swim area is open spring through fall, with lifeguards on duty during posted periods. Swimming is permitted only in the designated swim area. Dogs are not allowed in the lake and the beach . Swimming is also allowed at your own risk when lifeguards are not on duty when the park is open from April through October. There is a beach access fee. Visit Lake Temescal Swim page.
Swim Facilities Capacity Notice
Once the swim facility capacity is reached, there will be no new entries allowed for the remainder of the day (or at the discretion of the Park Supervisor), for the safety of the public. Please take this into consideration when planning your visit.
Hiking
A paved trail running the length of the park is wheelchair accessible. STAY ON TRAILS to help control erosion and to minimize contact with poison oak, which is abundant.
Fishing
The lake is stocked periodically with rainbow trout through the winter months and catfish in the summer. Other fish in residence include largemouth bass, red-eared sunfish, bluegill. Fishing is not allowed from the dam, in the swimming area, or in the stream. Please see our Fishing page, for more information regarding fishing at District parks.
Picnicking
There are picnic areas at both ends of the lake, several of them reservable for groups, and eight acres of lawn. View our Temescal Picnic Areas webpage for information on reservable sites. For additional information or to make a reservation, call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2.
Biking
Bicycle restrictions apply within the park. Please observe posted restrictions. Bicycles must stay on the paved East Shore Trail or on the paved bike path along the park's eastern boundary, and riders must observe the 5 mph speed limit. During the summer swim season (April-September) bicycles must be walked through the swim beach area.
History
Originally constructed as a storage lake for drinking water, Temescal opened to the public in 1936 as one of the District's first three parks. The handsome stone building overlooking its lake was constructed in 1940 by Works Progress Administration crews.
