Touring * Fitness * Slalom *

From Interstate 680 in San Ramon, take the Crow Canyon exit heading east. Follow Crow Canyon Boulevard about four miles to Blackhawk Plaza, just across Camino Tassajara. You can park in or near the plaza.

Miles of prime concrete sidewalk parallel Blackhawk Road, passing by the newly developed, upscale neighborhoods and golf courses outside of east Danville. Two significant hills add a thrill to this trail--one near the beginning and then a steeper one at about 1.7 miles. Since the sidewalk isn't wide enough to allow you to slow down with slalom turns, make sure that your braking skills and brake pad are in good shape. If you aren't into hills, start about a mile further east up Blackhawk Road (park at the entrance to the Blackhawk Country Club), and skate to the base of the second hill.

Starting at the Blackhawk Road entrance to the Blackhawk Plaza, head uphill towards the east. The trail rolls through park-like surroundings with nice views of the Mount Diablo foothills and occasional glimpses of the mountain itself. It ends just short of the entrance road to Mount Diablo State Park. The last few hundred yards are apparently not maintained and are littered with vegetation debris. A couple of notes: it can be quite warm in the San Ramon Valley on summer afternoons, and there are no rest rooms or water fountains along the trail.

After your skate, be sure to stroll around Blackhawk Plaza, which is home to a series of fountains and waterfalls and a number of fine eateries. Two outstanding museums adjoin the plaza: the Behring Auto Museum and the UC Berkeley Museum of Art, Science, and Culture. Both are well worth a visit.