Bike to Beers (& Bites)

Bike the Contra Costa Canal Trail in the East Bay

05.02.2019

Ride your bike on a car-free trail and take a break at an alehouse ... yes, please! Backed by looming Mount Diablo, the East Bay’s Contra Costa Canal Trail is an easygoing 23-mile (all-in) trail following its namesake canal, passing parks and open space. We recommend this 12-mile (round-trip) scenic stretch that pit-stops at an awesome craft brewpub that’s perfect for grabbing a bite and a beer!

The trail is paved, flat, and primed for a pedal-to-suds afternoon. Park at the Heather Farm Park and make a quick detour around the lake here before heading west to get onto the Contra Costa Trail. Ride north along the tree-lined route paralleling the canal and passing Lime Ridge Open Space (for those who may want a quick detour).

This ride is as relaxing or fast paced as you want it to be, popular with both serious road cyclists and those just looking for casual pedaling. It all works! Keep following the trail, crossing a few bridges and rejoining the path on the other side of the street before making a right on Clayton Road to pedal to the beer! Concord Taphouse (3513 Clayton Rd.) is located in a small plaza with a Mountain Mike’s Pizza and other local stores.

Yes, it also serves wine and food (we like the tater tots, and the double cheeseburger is also tempting). But the craft beer is what most people are here for; with 24 rotating options on tap, you’re not going to be bored! The open-air taproom is modern and lively, and—for those who can’t resist—there are two large screens for checking in on favorite sports teams. Kick back and relax for a bit, then hop on your bike and make your way back the way you came. Roll with it!

BONUS: Concord Taphouse is part of Concord’s new Craft Beer Trail.

Park at Heather Farm Park (map) and pedal north on the Contra Costa Canal Trail for 6 miles. Concord Tap House is 0.25 detour on Clayton Rd. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View

  4. Roaring Good Time

    There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of California’s redwood forests. Now, imagine experiencing those towering giants aboard a historic 19th-century steam train. Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton is home to some of the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in America.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  2. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View
  3. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View