Alameda County



Historic Route. The historic route for exploration of the East Bay passes northbound from Santa Clara County into Alameda County in the Bay plain, then ascends into the low hills to parallel San Francisco Bay for several miles to a campsite on San Lorenzo Creek, in Hayward today. It then continues along the foothills to enter Contra Costa County. The route continues north and east along the Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta past Oakley to the vicinity of Bethany where the exploration was terminated. The explorers headed south toward Monterey, reentering Alameda County south of Clifton Court Forebay. 

According to Bolton, the established reference for the historic corridor, the route south crossed Patterson Pass, then ascended Crane Ridge and dropped into the Arroyo Mocho to Livermore Valley and then to San Antonio Valley and eastern Santa Clara County. This portion of the historic route is under review by a historian.

Federal Components
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS)

Interpretive Sites
Rancho Higuera Historical Park
Mission San José
Camp #98, Hayward City Hall
San Leandro Memorial Park
Mills College
California College of Arts and Crafts

Recreational Trail
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are served by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), the agency with primary responsibility for planning and implementing regional parks and a regional trail system. EBRPD is helping to implement the Bay Ridge Trail which would be an appropriate multiuse recreational component of the Anza Trail. In the western county, this trail parallels the historic route and provides several viewpoints which overlook the historic route and landmarks noted by the expedition diarists. In the City of Fremont, the Alameda Creek Trail connects the recreational trail to Coyote Hills Regional Park and South San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Preserve.

In the eastern part of Alameda County, the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District Regional Trail Plan shows existing or proposed trails which follow the historical route fairly closely. The regional and open space functions of this district have recently been included within EBRPD jurisdiction. The Mountain House development, which is in San Joaquin County, and a landowner have planned easements for the trail. 

The auto tour route described below has potential to become a marked bicycle route on the historic route.

Auto Route (marked)
From Santa Clara County, continue on Interstate 680 to Mission Boulevard west to Interstate 880 and then to Interstate 80 to enter Contra Costa County.

Auto Tour (guide book)
From Santa Clara County take North Park Victoria Boulevard north to Scotts Creek Road, west to Warm Springs Road, north to Mission Boulevard. Follow Mission Boulevard north past Ohlone College and Mission San José into Hayward to Foothill Boulevard. Turn east on Foothill to the Hayward Civic Center at San Lorenzo Creek. Continue north on Foothill to Mattox Road, west to East 14th Street, north to Dutton Avenue, east to MacArthur Boulevard north to Mills College.

The auto tour would then go to downtown Oakland and the Oakland Museum and continue north on Grand Avenue to Pleasant Valley Avenue to 51st Street, north to Martin Luther King Boulevard to Colusa Avenue, then west on Fairmount Avenue in Kensington to San Pablo Avenue.

For the expedition return route to Monterey, the auto route continues west on Patterson Pass Road from San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties until it ends at Greenville Road. Go south on Greenville Road, west on Tesla Road (County Road J2) two and one-half miles to Mines Road, southeast. This road follows the Arroyo Mocho into the San Antonio Valley and Santa Clara County.

Agency/Organization Coordination
Alameda County
• Planning Department
• Public Works Department
• Transportation Department
Bay Area Ridge Trail
California College of Arts and Crafts
Cities of 
     Albany
     Berkeley
     Fremont
     Hayward
     Newark
     Oakland
     San Leandro
     San Lorenzo
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)
East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD)
East Bay Trails Council
Livermore Area Recreation & Park District (LARPD)
Mills College
Muwekma-Ohlone Tribe of San Francisco Bay
Ohlone Tribe
State of California
• Caltrans
• Coastal Conservancy
• Department of Parks & Recreation
  Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area
• Native American Heritage Commission
• Office of Historic Preservation
• Office of Tourism
• State Lands Commission


Appendix C