Biking and Nordic Walking in the Bay Area: Crystal Springs Reservoir

This lovely locale is easily accessible, paved the entire way with gently rolling hills along a beautiful reservoir.  For bikers:  do this Mon-Fri.  Weekends are too busy with walkers for biking.

This is a great biking option year-round.  In Springtime, there’s an amazing array of flowers.   Bring your binocs – you never know what you might see.  Bike + Binocs = Bird-mobiling.

You can start at either end.  I usually start at the North end.   There’s a large gravel parking lot at the corner of Skyline & San Bruno Ave.   This ride direction is a bit more difficult because there’s more uphill on the return.   Also, it ensures that I do both segments (which are separated by an easy piece on the road).  Walkers can stay on the path, but bikers have to veer off to connect the 2 segments.  If you start at the south end, it’s off of Highway 92.  For more info, check this link. Or this one.

These photos were taken in early May.  The red flowers are columbines.  I’ve never seen such an abundance of columbines – thousands – just below (south of) the dam.