Lafayette Reservoir

Clockwise, counterclockwise - take your pick.Inner rim 2.7miles tarmac Moderate hills/slops. Outer rim 4.7miles dirt/gravel considerably steeper. Bathrooms every mile or so. Ample parking - 1 hour max Annual pass available. Park I. Town and add an extra mile and a steep climb to get your cardio going. Mobility friendly. Dawn to dusk. Specific days for bikes. Dogs on leash.

This is definitely the place to be in Lafayette, especially on the weekends!!I finally had the chance to run around the reservoir on the Lakeside Nature Trail, a 2.7 mile loop on a paved trail with rolling hills.Lots of people come here for many reasons!! The kids playground seems very popular for the youngsters. You will also see plenty of people fishing all around this reservoir, seems like many have their spots picked out.The Rim Trail is the upper trail and is much longer than the Nature Trail, and there are multiple trails that lead there.Parking here is usually a thing, most people opt for the hourly parking, so make sure you bring coins if you're going that route. Only quarters are acceptable in the machine!!You can tell this is the place people go to get their exercise in and enjoy the outdoors, and it gets really hot here in the summer time!!There are plenty of restrooms and places to sit all along the Lakeside Trail. There were many spots along the trail that reminded me of Lake Chabot in Castro Valley!!Lots to like about this place!!

We walked a little over a mile from downtown Lafayette to the reservoir and skipped the paid parking lot. The area was busy with a lot of walkers and dogs on a Saturday morning at 9am. We took the Lakeside Nature Trail, with a 2.7 mile loop around the reservoir. You'll see additional trails along the way, if you'd like to to extend your hike. You'll find a great workout here with varying incline and decline levels. Restrooms, benches, and picnic areas are available, along with great views. Petal boats can also be rented, and I'm tempted to try those on a cooler day. I noticed water stations and bowls for dogs if you forget to bring your own. Also, a fishing spot, they even had a cleaning station. I'll definitely add this to my list on my return visits to Lafayette. Headed back into downtown Lafayette, I grabbed a cold pressed juice and salad at Diablo Market.

One of the best trails around for a relaxing walk with friends and their dogs, and a shorter alternative than the Lake Chabot loop. Hourly parking is not free but is easy, trash cans for doggie bags abound, and while it's quite busy on the weekends, people are generally respectful. Scoped out paddle boats and nice picnic areas, too.

$10 to pay to hike around the paved reservoir. A bit shaded along the way (you can also rent paddle boats) during the summer.

The Lafayette Reservoir is absolutely beautiful! I love coming here and should think about getting an annual pass. I brought my dog Lola and we hiked half of the Rim trail and then followed the lake trail. It was a Friday and so less crowded than on weekends. Along the trail you can find water fountains and restrooms. I think Lola wants to come back again!

My friend and I came here last week after not wanting to do an intense hike but still wanting to take a walk. So here are the deets!As far as I know, parking is free here. The pay stations look to be broken or out of order and when arriving, there isn't anyone in the parking payment booth. There is a bathroom near parking and another bathroom about five ninutes into the trail. The view of the water upon parking to enter the trail is a sight to see as well. This walk is about a 2.7 mile loop. I'd say it's fairly easy. There were maybe two bits of incline, but that lasted for maybe five seconds. The trees along the walk made my day. I can't get enough of these fall leaves!

This is a great reservoir to go hiking and boating. I came here because I want to hike. There are two main hiking trails I went:SHORE TRAIL (2.7 miles)This trail is easy since it is a paved trail and that there are restrooms along this trail. It is mostly flat, but can get a little steep along the way. Recommended for people who are new to hiking.RIM TRAIL (4.7 miles) This trail is challenging since it is an unpaved trail and that some parts of this trail are very steep. There are no restrooms in this trail, and so, you should go to the restroom first before hiking at this trail.There is much scenery of this trail since it really looks nice along the way compared to Shore Trail. It is easy to take pictures of places from above (where the benches are) since you can mostly see most parts of Lafayette Reservoir.Recommended for people who have been hiking for a while.

First, we went for a leisurely walk around the reservior, noticing all the beautiful shades of green. Then, for only $7.50 for both of us, we got to ride a paddle boat for an hour (senior rate).Parking is available ($2 an hour for day passes), and year passes are also available. There's playground equipment for kids. Lots of bathrooms are scattered around the body of water. Fishing is available, and there is an area to clean fish (not to wash your feet). There is a dock available by wheelchairs. No swimming is allowed because this water is for drinking. Dogs are allowed if they are leashed.A great place for picnicing!

Day pass parking is $7, used to be $1. I've seen some good recommendations for parking outside the park and hiking in which I haven't tried yet. Either way, lovely spot for a walk or jog when the weather is clear. We came for a birthday party and there is a spot with a small field and picnic tables on the right side of the entrance (drive down a bit and there's another smaller parking lot). There are actually a lot of picnic tables under the trees and shade decks and you may have to come early to reserve spots for large parties. Would definitely come back to relax with a group of friends or for lunch after a short hike. We noticed LOTS of people walking dogs, going on runs, and families with young children, some with scooters and bikes. Fantastic place for locals and visitors, although I'm sure the annual pass may be more worth it for locals who visit regularly. It definitely seems busy/crowded most weekends.