Where's the Hayward Fault?

Transportation Access
Where's the Hayward Fault? A Green Guide To The Fault

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Introduction to the Hayward Fault

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Selected References

Although access to all locations described on this website is possible with a car, alternative suggestions are provided (and in most cases, recommended!). Symbols below highlight these alternatives to visit selected locations. In some cases, combinations are recommended or necessary.

Symbol Designations

These symbols are used on selected web pages to highlight information for fieldtrip transportation options (see below).

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
BART provides rail access to San Francisco and throughout the East Bay region, with links to other metropolitan air, rail, and bus services. Most locations are easily accessible by BART, or a combination of BART and an AC Transit metro bus. Figure 1-3 shows the proximity of the Hayward Fault to the Bart rail system. Visit www.bart.gov for more information about BART stations, schedules, fares, and much more. With station stops fairly evenly distributed throughout the East Bay's piedmont urban corridor, BART provides close access to many locations along the Hayward Fault (see BART and the 1868 Hayward earthquake shakemap). The closest BART station is described with each field destination map where convenient service is provided. BART Transit Connection Maps are available both online and as brochures in most stations. The two closest trips to BART stations are downtown Hayward and downtown Fremont..

AC Transit District

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
AC Transit provides bus service throughout the Alameda and Contra Costa Counties metropolitan region with links to other regional transportation hubs (air, rail, and bus). Visit www.actransit.org for information about routes, connections, schedules, and fares. AC Transit provides convenient connection to BART stations. Bus service is described with each destination map where convenient service is located, and where walking distances are greater than about a mile to the closest BART station.

Bicycle Access
Bicycle access to locations along the Hayward Fault may be a (as alternative to driving). San Francisco Bay Area bicycle routes and information can be seen on-line at 511.org. Bikes are allowed on most BART trains (see the BART website for exceptions and rules). All AC Transit has bike racks on the front of every bus that can accommodate two bicycles. Some of the locations described in on the field destination map pages are either not easily accessible by BART or AC Transit buses alone, but access is possible by bicycle (or car). Note that bicycle access is only described where the distance from bus or rail hubs is greater than a mile. Note that some locations described herein may be strenuous and require long uphill and downhill rides (such as along the Skyline Drive in the East Bay Hills—a very popular biking destination). Safety is always a concern when riding bicycles in unfamiliar places. Bike route information is provided if locations along the fault are on or near established bike routes.

Hiking Access
Some walking is required to all destinations along the Hayward Fault, but some destinations require more significant distances to walk to see all the sites recommended. The Hayward Fault passes through a variety of landscape terrains (hilly, forested areas to flat urban landscapes). A hiking symbol is included if recommended field trip destinations require more than a mile walk, or if trailheads to parkland are accessible along the route.

Wheelchair Access
Wheelchair access to locations along the Hayward Fault is possible in some locations near BART and AC Transit stops. Wheelchair access to the fault may be best at Contra Costa College campus, Monclair Village, downtown Hayward, some locations in downtown Fremont, and Mission San Jose.

Automobile Access
All locations along the Hayward Fault are accessible by automobile. Some locations described in this report are not accessible with public transportation and bicycle access may be too strenuous or time consuming. However, these sites are included because they may be of interest when planning a field trip or they are important to help understand the significance of the Hayward Fault. Go green! Take someone with you, and plan your route in advance. Fieldtrip planners for school or special interest groups may save time and resources by contracting a charter van or bus service. For instance, AC Transit will provide access to groups of 20 or more to Chabot Space & Science Center with advanced reservations. The Oakland Zoo also has discount rates for large groups.

Transportation Alternatives: The discussions below highlight transportation alternatives to visit selected fieldtrip locations. In some cases, combinations, such as a ride on BART and a bus, are recommended or necessary. Transportation descriptions on selected pages are intended to help guide fieldtrip planners or participants choose trip destinations based on transportation options, interests, or special needs (see below).

Which trip would be best to go on? The answer varies depending on your interests, time limits, and abilities. Author suggestions are as follows.

If you have children: The best place, without a question, would be to go to the Oakland Zoo. There is a Hayward Fault exhibit in the Children’s playground area within the zoo. Other good options with children would be to visit Monclair Village where there is a children’s playground in the recreation center (park) just north of downtown. You could also have lunch downtown. In Fremont, next to the BART station is the Tule Pond Preserve that has children-oriented programs. A picnic in Memorial Park in Hayward or Central Park in Fremont would also be good options for children.

If you want to see fault-related impacts on infrastructure: The best place to see this is in downtown Hayward where there are many features to observe in a relatively small area. It is easy to get to downtown Hayward from BART and a walk along the fault between Memorial Park to the corner of Rose Street and Prospect Street, and return, would be a little more than two miles. On foot, this might take several hours if you include visits to the Hayward Historical Society Museum and include a lunch stop at a restaurant along the route. To the north, another good choice would be the Contra Costa College trip, but go there only on a weekend or when classes are not in session. Both Monclair Village and Fremont Central Park trips offer good views of offset curbs and walls.

The easiest trips using Mass Transit: The Hayward and Fremont trips are closest to BART stations. Most of the others would require taking a bus or riding a bike. The trip to the Oakland Hills is really not an option with mass transit. Also, the trip to Buena Vista Island and Treasure Island is really only suited for automobile travel with crossing the Bay Bridge as part of a scheduled trip.

If you want to ride a bike: The Berkeley area would be a good choice, especially if you are willing to tackle the ride up to the ridgeline of the Berkeley Hills. In the South Bay, a bike tour through the neighborhoods between Mission San Jose and Arroyo Caliente Park would be modestly easy and scenic ride.

If you want a scenic hike: All the trip destinations could be turned into hikes, but most would be in urban residential settings. Point Pinole Regional Park has many miles of scenic trails, as do Tilden, Claremont Canyon, Sibley Volcanic, and other parks and preserves in the Berkeley Hills. An easy, scenic walk would be around Lake Temescal. A very popular, long (strenuous) hike in the South Bay is to the top of Mission Peak (near Mission San Jose).

Best places to see “geology”: Rocks and landscape features are best seen at Point Pinole along the shoreline and in outcrop locations throughout the Berkeley Hills.