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Anthony Chabot Regional Park
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
16 reviews for Anthony Chabot Regional Park
I had to chime in on the huge police presence comments. Was this during a 3 day weekend? Possibly the rangers had a bad experience the week before & were overcompensating? I do agree that they aren't the friendliest rangers, in fact the one lady ranger was downright surly. She reprimanded us for bringing our own firewood then told us it was OK to burn it. But I only saw the rangers come by twice at the most in one night. Then again there were mostly families with large groups of kids surrounding us so maybe they didn't feel threatened.
Keep in mind that extra vehicles are $6 per night & dogs are $2 per dog per night. It's a bit steep but the EB Parks can always use our money.
I would definitely come back to camp here. It is close to home yet it feels like you are miles away from it all. Nevermind the distant freeway hum, howls from the BART trains, & airplanes overhead.
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In answer to Erin's question about the Police presence at this camp which was:
Was this during a 3 day weekend?
The answer is no. It was just a regular August weekend, which I guess means these Park Regional Police have nothing to do but try to intimidate campers.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/24/2009
HUGE POLICE PRESENCE!!!!
Disclaimer:
I don't have a problem with the police but this was completely… Read more »
My friends and I wanted to go camping somewhere local that wouldn't require a three hour drive and somewhere safe for small children. We decided on Chabot Family Campground since most of us hadn't been there before and it was centrally located. This campground is far out enough in the hills that you can almost forget how close to town you really are. The ground is covered with Chaparral, Eucalyptus Trees, and lots of Poison Oak. However, the campsites themselves are free of Poison Oak. Just keep your children and toys out of the brush or risk a pesky rash. It is only fifteen minutes out from Castro Valley off Redwood Road and you should be able to drive up after work, have your tent setup, and dinner on the table in less time than it takes to drive from Livermore to Oakland on a Tuesday morning commute!
Imagine my surprise when I checked out the other Yelp reviews! The group of people that I normally camp with is known to enjoy themselves with games, food, and drink. On occasion we have also been known to be a little loud which is a big understatement. We have never been kicked out and only received one complaint in years and that was from a guy who was trying to sleep while we set up out tents upon arrival. Reading that there was a huge Ranger presence in the park made me somewhat nervous. Then reading that they were intolerant of everyone, including families with small children, I seriously considered cancelling and going somewhere else. Even so, the plans were laid, and we decided to follow through and form our own opinion. I am happy we stuck with the original plans.
We never saw any 'armed' rangers, nor at any time was there multiple park staff vehicles in the area. The only contact we had with staff was at the gate where they simply asked if there was some event going on since we had the maximum vehicles allowed. Then once again on Saturday afternoon when a Ranger questioned us about the firewood. Apparently, bringing in your own wood is prohibited due to sudden oak death syndrome. However, she told us since we already had it to either burn it all, or take it home when we left.
So for anyone considering Chabot as a camping spot...please give this place a chance. We had a great time, no bad experiences with rangers, and thought the Eucalyptus trees provided great shelter. Just be forewarned that even though the site says eight people, you may not necessarily fit enough tents for the eight people in the campsite. Some of these are quite small and you might consider booking a second or third site if you have a large group, multiple tents, and numerous cars. Finally, don't worry about the gun range. You will only be able to hear the guns as you are driving down the road to or from the campground. More likely you will hear the trains, planes, automobiles, and the high whine of a Bart train as it makes it way though Oakland.
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Huge police presence. 3 patrol cars circling repeatedly late in the evening. Was someone operating a meth lab in their tent?
Huge park ranger presence. Nearly constant circling. Completely over the top interaction with rangers. And we were just a group of 8 quiet adults trying to enjoy the outdoors. Instead we were in a fishbowl of circling vehicles. Note to rangers; Try walking around instead of driving.
I am clueless as to why this campground could have gotten several stars. Perhaps the proximity to cities is the big draw. The campsites are extremely exposed to one another. There were no low growing plants on our 3 sites, so no opportunity to nestle in. Most trees at the campground have 15 feet of trunk before the branches begin. Get used to looking up and seeing everyones business. Most sites are hilly. We saw tent after tent pitched on ridiculously slanted ground. One neighbor's site was tiny and on the edge of a poison oak covered hillside. Poor folks were camping with a toddler. Needless to say, they packed up and left after a short time.
I thought I was going to be bothered by the large groups of vocal young people camped on both sides of us but I was actually happy to hear people enjoying themselves inspite of the conditions.
Go here for the convenience of it. You are sleeping outdoors, and that is pleasant. The bathrooms are cleaned constantly by the overstaffed rangers. But don't go if you want a nature experience. I was more keyed up leaving than I when I arrived from my home in central Oakland two days earlier.
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we camped here this past weekend. what was great was that it is buried in the hills of oakland/castro valley, and seemed like we were deep in the woods, but it was close enough to get to from home. we often pick campgrounds that are a couple hours away, so it was nice to arrive after a short drive and set up shop.
we did attempt to find the place later in the evening, and it was hard to spot. the roads are not well lighted, and the windy roads seem longer in the dark. if you're coming off the 580 and driving up redwood road, look out for the campground sign on the left. you could easily miss it.
the eucalyptus trees kept the bugs away. the campsites are far enough from each other where you don't feel like your neighbor is too close for comfort. there are several toilets centrally located in the middle of the sites, and faucets closer to the sites for quick dish washing. it was nice to see recycling bins next to the trash -- many places i've camped at do not provide recycling. a couple rangers walked by from tent to tent inviting everyone to a talent show with a campfire, and s'mores at the end. that was a cute little touch for the kids, but we passed as we had dinner on deck and wanted to enjoy our meal with our adult beverages. canine friendly as well!
lake chabot is a short drive away, and offers several boating recreation options. near the campgrounds is an outdoor shooting range. we're camping here in a couple weeks, and definitely going to bust a cap or two at the range.
i would recommend this place for sleeping in the great outdoors!
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I'm writing this from my RV at Anthony Chabot Regional Park waiting for the rain to stop so I can disconnect everything and get ready to leave. The park itself is clean and the staff is courteous. My only complaint is the 15 Day rule and the bad cell reception in the park. After having spent most of the moth of February in the park it feels like home. The hikes were OK, as long as it wasn't raining.
The 15 day rule is that you cannot stay at a site for more than 15 consecutive days and you cannot stay at the park more than 30 Days a year. We will stay again, but not like we did this time. It's good for a weekend or for a week.
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The location is great. Just on the east bay, this is not going to take you hours to get to. Taking that into consideration, it should only be utilized by those in the bay area as I'd never recommend this for someone wanting to camp in Northern California as there are better more secluded spots for sure.
The park is very clean and the staff if friendly and informative. You can drink beer or wine in the park which is a bonus as many of the other campgrounds in the Bay Area have rangers that act like Nazis when it comes to having a good time. Some sites can be close to one another, but if you book far enough in advance online, you can get a map view of the terrain beforehand and stake out a nice spot. Most are shaded, yet some are more shaded than others.
They have a decent lake with fishing but you cannot swim in it. From the campground, it is a hike of about 1.5 miles each way, and it is much lower in elevation than the campgrounds, so be prepared for a climb on the way back. Mountain biking looks pretty good and there are other trails as well.
Nice vegetation and a large array of wildlife. We did have a raccoon visiting us frequently at night and a deer came close to the camp on another occasion. Turkeys will be your alarm clock in the morning and are rather loud, so get to bed somewhat early.
As you are so close to Oakland, there will be planes and helicopters and other noises during your stay. This is the price to pay to be able to slightly getaway but be so close.
All in all, I enjoyed my time and will probably be back again.
i just got back from spending a weekend here. even though it isn't too far from where i live, it's a pretty nice location to "get away." we could hear the bart running at night and see the homes up in the hills, but it's pretty quiet for the most part.
our campsite was surrounded by tall beautiful eucalyptus trees, which was nice b/c it provided much needed shade. it turns out that this past weekend was one of those really hot soak-in-the-pool kind of days, but we managed to survive. they have really nice grills, and showers (free!) with warm water. between every couple of campsites, there were drinking fountains and water spouts, which made it convenient for washing hands, and rinsing dusty feet.
we had a raccoon visit us b/c we left a tray out that was soaking in some water (it was used to plate the bbq ribs). nothing crazy, but make sure you wash dishes (sinks next to the bathrooms) before heading into your tent. there is a maximum of 2 cars allowed per campsite, so if you're going with a lot of people, plan out who's carpooling with who!
there is a safeway that is about 20 mins away from the park, if you forgot to buy something essential (like popsicles for a hot hot day). there are also hiking trails that go down to the lake, which is nice. the one we took was covered for the first half, but the sun was shining down on us on the way back up to the campsite (horrible uphill!)
we were surrounded by other campers playing michael jackson music the entire weekend. i like this place!
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all...the fog, the crackies, the sirens...but can't go too far....
Hop in your car....grab some snacks, a six-pack (or two), I kidnap my posse (my Man and Beeatch)... and just go.....you go.....no fer reals...you go....you could take a bus...you could take a cab...just go!
Escape the madness, go on a peaceful hike from easy to strenuous, just grab a map. It's hot over yonder, once ya cross that big metal bridge....so wear a t-shirt, don't forget some water. You may also consider wearing long pants, because some of the hikes require bush hopping and dodging, so beware of poison ivy.
After you get your sweat on, sit back..relax...grab a brewsky....and just cheeeeelll!!!!!
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After a few stressful months, Boyfriend and I have decided to take our stress into the great outdoors in an attempt to not have heart attacks before our thirtieth birthdays. So we get some camping gear after reading an issue of Backpacker magazine (we are now experts) and then, like little five year olds, decide we can't wait until our April camping trip in Half Moon Bay, we MUST try the gear out NOW.
Enter http://www.recreation.gov, where I find us a spot at Anthony Chabot. Boyfriend raises an eyebrow when I announce "We're camping in Oakland on Saturday", but being the good-natured guy he is, he goes along with it. Off we go...
The campground is decent. We were in the walk-up area (meaning you have to walk about 800 yards from your car to your site), but they also have drive-in and full hook-up sites. Given that its not peak camping season, there was only one other site taken. This was a plus - the sites are on top of each other and I imagine going during the summer is not fun. We had a great time though with our campfire, cooking dinner, animal spotting (an owl and a fox), and finishing the trip with an 8-mile hike the following morning.
A warning: The campsite is very close to a gun range, so you here gun fire pretty much non-stop. It's also on the flight path into OAK, so planes are landing at all hours. It's hard to feel one-with-nature when there is gun fire all around and jets overhead.
I'd recommend during the week or weekends during the off-season, but the sites are a bit too close for my comfort level.
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Ruf-ruf. My doggie Teddy likes Chabot. True dat about the gun range. You will be hearing shooting starting at about 8 a.m., but for an online reservation fee of about $25, you get a decent camp-spot and they sell wood for $6. In all, a pretty cheap night (not) on the town. Cyclists start pouring through there around mid-day, but it's pretty chill in the evening, and there's water near almost every campsite. Oh, and it's faster to take Redwood Road from 13 if you're coming from Oakland or Berkeley.
They also give you a free parking pass to Lake Chabot, so you can make a day and a half out of it. Reserve early, as shit fills up quick in the summer.
VERY small, close together campsites. I was literally 5 feet away from a site that had 20 kids under 9 years old. When the screaming children finally went to sleep it was time for their parents to get wasted and complain (loudly) how miserable they were.
It was so bad we packed up our gear and midnight and drove home.
One good thing-the staff was very friendly & helpful.
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Would you believe that Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Lake Chabot Regional Park are actually two separate parks? Well, neither did I until this weekend. I'm not even too sure where the boundary between the two is located because it's not shown on the park district's maps. Anyway, in general Lake Chabot park is located on the south and west sides of the reservoir, and Anthony Chabot park is located on the north and east sides (plus quite a bit more up in the hills).
Anthony Chabot park is a large park that offers lots to do in the hills above Oakland and Castro Valley. For one thing, it includes possibly the only family campground in the East Bay other than what you will find east of the hills (i.e. Sunol & Livermore). The campsites are spaced fairly close together and set amongst a mature eucalyptus grove with well manicured lawns available for recreational uses (camping isn't allowed on the lawns). If you can, try to pick a campsite that is on the outside of one of the loops (you will definitely need reservations during the summer). Sites 69 and 70 seem to be the best due to their view of the lake and relative isolation from the rest of the campground (and restrooms too if that's important to you). The campground offers flush toilets, free hot showers, a campfire program during the peak season, fire pits with BBQ grills, large picnic benches, and a flat spot for at least one tent per site (the RV sites looked like they included full hookups including water and electricity). Keep in mind that this isn't "real" camping in terms of getting away form it all: you will be able to see the city lights and hear the freeway and BART trains off in the distance, and hear the planes flying overhead; but it's not too bad.
The park also offers hiking, mountain biking, a shooting range, fishing, boating, horseback riding, and golf. If you're going to hike, make sure you know how to identify poison oak.
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Decent park, decent trails. Nice views of the hills, some variation to the terrain. People, dogs, bikers, horses all share the same trail. Free. What more could you want?
yay!!!! bike ride!!!!!
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My boyfriend and I will remember this place fondly only because enough time has passed to allow us to laugh at all the hideousness of our experience when we camped here. From trails that took us past sewage tanks to camp sites with no shade (in scorching hot sun!) that were spaced too closely to each other, to hearing helicopters and ambulances all weekend... this place does not do Northern California terrain justice. I don't know why other reviewers like this; maybe we ended up in the least desirable part of the park?
