Reviewed by: filmy tee , from tha b-town

Summary:
man - SIDE OAK?????
born n raised east bay , aint no such trail.
SIDE-O!!!!!
all you mis-hearing fools with too much earwax need to start swabbing......s-i-d-e-o-.

Recommended Route:
hump it up centennial if you got em
shuttle it hungover

Other recommended trails in the same area:
side-O ya drunk bastards

Reviewed by: Furious D. , from Berkeley

Summary:
GOOD single track, some of the best in the Bay Area, but watch out for cops, its an illegal trail. I give it a four star and not a 5 because of the occasional angry hiker or cop.

Recommended Route:
There are lots of routes you can take. Use good judgement when choosing a path

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Chaparral and Cinderella trails in Joaquin Miller park, a few miles south of this trail.

Reviewed by: Chuck , from Davis. CA

Summary:
There is a public bus stop at the train station where the AC65 would pick you up and take you onto the hills. I considered doing this, but when I two separate lady bus-drivers for a schedule of when the AC65 might show up, they were the most unfriendly people I've come across in California. The look I got for asking a simple question was like I'd asker her for a kidney. So after a quick but effective flip-of-the-bird hand signal, off I went. Its a gradual climb, but fairly long to the top but I'm a climber by nature, so it wasn't a big deal. The drivers don't seem really bike-aware, so if you choose to ride to the UC campus instead of bus/drive, watch for the "donuts". It was noon when I got to campus and even after taking a lunch break at the Lawrence Hall of Sciences parking lot, the climb to the top was still fairly quick. I had a hard time finding the trailhead at first, but thats because I was looking near the little steam trains, and not right off Grizzly Peak Blvd (where the trail head is). If you follow the directions, you will find the trail. About 1/4 mile into the trail, you come to a perfect place to stop and 'contemplate'. There are even a couple of nice logs set up to sit on to contemplate in comfort, even. The first part of the singletrack is medium challenging, but hold on cuz it gets pretty steep before long. When I went, the steepest parts were still wet and thus the trail had turned to greasy mud. I rode what I could until the bike slipped out from under me and we slid down together. Also, I think that alot of the areas on the hill are off-limits: there were loads of signs on the FT entrances that restrict traffic to foot-only. However, very little of this trail is actually on the FT.. Still, I hear the fine is 200 clams. You've been warned - but knowing that I'll still be going back. When I return, I plan to wait until I know its going to be a little drier so I don't slide so much (and also to remove and BURN the useless IRC Mythos tires on my ride). The two really big gravity chutes are amazing, but I was hindered by peds on both of them. Wanted to climb back up, but wanted more to get off the FT and back into the trees on the ST. I recommend taking the second to last ST leg slow enough to stop at the redwood grove. You can't miss it. While I was there, there were a few hikers (possibly the naked guy mentioned in another review..) sitting in the trees. I would have liked to stick around and 'contemplate' another bowl.. I mean.. life.. but it was just too busy to be comfy. In short, I'd travel it again but not on a Saturday and not after a few rainy days.

Recommended Route:
I rode this trail exactly Dec 16,00. The weather was amazing and it was hard believe it was the middle of winter. I took the train and rode up University Ave (where the train station is), the rest was as described above.

Reviewed by: elperro , from Los Angeles

Summary:
Alternate ways up. Ride up Euclid or Spruce to make it long. To make it a loop. ride to the back of the memorial coliseum. Take Centennial all the way to the top. FT Parking lot on right after clubhouse is exit point, so you could park there and loop. Make a right on grizzly peak and follow above. You can add a fast DH that i used to do in my truck by taking the FT to the right just before the steam trains at the intersection. Climb and stay right. There is a fast and sweeping right hand turn that drops you into a nice meadow. Hang hard left onto duals and take till it dumps you out onto grizzly peak dr. Make a right. Trail begins 100ft on right. WRT spelling: I'm an engineer with big fingers.

Recommended Route:
UP. As I am not in great shape. I took the AC Transit 65 bus to the top. Could catch it on Shattuck in DT Berkeley, or along Hearst or Euclid on the north side of campus. Get off at Grizzly Peak and Centennial.