Big Bear Trail Is Closed This Month to Fix Old Storm Damage. Where Castro Valley Can Walk Instead This Fall
The entire Big Bear Trail loop at Anthony Chabot Regional Park is tentatively closed through Friday, October 30, 2026, for what the East Bay Regional Park District calls "FEMA-funded projects." That's a federal disaster label on a trail most people last thought about during a dry summer. The repair goes back years, to the winter storms of 2017 and 2023, and the paperwork behind it explains this fall's closure map better than the weather does.
If you walk, run, ride or fish in the hills above Castro Valley, here's what's closed, why the timing looks the way it does, and where the open miles are between now and December.
The District's Anthony Chabot park page lists four trail restrictions and a campground closure this fall. Each one has a different end date, and some have none.
| Closure | Status | Posted end date |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bear Trail, full loop | Closed for FEMA-funded projects | Oct. 30, 2026, tentative |
| Willowview Trail | Closed, storm damage | None posted |
| Redtail Trail, Brandon Trail to Grass Valley Trail | Closed, storm damage | None posted |
| Brandon Trail, 300 feet between Horseshoe Trail and Stone Bridge | Closed to equestrians | None posted |
| Anthony Chabot Family Campground | Closed for restroom improvements and hazardous-tree work | Reopens Dec. 1, 2026 |
The District updated the storm-damage list on October 14, 2026. The campground closure started October 12 and runs through November 30. It also covers the campsites and the RV sewage disposal station in that area.
One change is permanent. Since August 4, 2025, Bird Trail no longer runs as its own loop. Part of it is closed for good, and the rest now connects back to MacDonald Trail for a shorter loop. If your old Bird Trail route still feels wrong, that's why.
On August 12, 2026, the District's Board Finance Committee took up a staff report recommending that money be moved into projects tied to the "2017 and 2023 Winter Storm Damage FEMA Projects." One line in that report is a project called "Repair Big Bear & East Ridge Trail." During the meeting, staff confirmed that both trails are in Anthony Chabot.
The report proposes moving three amounts into that trail project:
Each transfer carries the same reason: "funds needed to complete project/award JOC contract," meaning a job-order contract. Together that's $250,000 proposed for one Castro Valley-area trail repair. The committee voted to recommend the transfers to the full Board two months before the closure started.
The report groups several disaster declarations together: DR-4301, DR-4308 and DR-4683. FEMA's records describe them as three separate rounds of California winter storms:
The District's documents list the Big Bear repair alongside all three. They don't say which storm did the damage on this particular trail.
The delay comes from how FEMA reimburses, as the staff report describes it.
"Permanent repair work must be completed within 18 months of the declared disaster; however, work on is not supposed to begin until FEMA has obligated the project."
"Obligated" means FEMA has signed off on the scope of work, the cost estimate and the environmental requirements, such as permits and monitoring. The report also notes that permanent repairs done before that approval aren't guaranteed to be reimbursed. When it is approved, FEMA covers 75% of eligible costs, California's Office of Emergency Services covers 18.75%, and the District pays the last 6.25% plus anything FEMA rules ineligible.
So the District has a strong reason to wait for approval before it fixes anything. That's why some storm repairs show up long after the storms are forgotten. According to the same report, nine 2017 winter-storm projects were still unfinished as of August 2026, and several were set to wrap up this year if the extra funds came through.
For anyone planning a hike, this means the Big Bear closure follows a federal reimbursement schedule. The campground closure is a separate project for restroom improvements and hazardous-tree work. The posted end dates are the best guide you'll get, and the District marks the Big Bear date as tentative. Check the District's Alerts & Closures page before you drive to a trailhead.
With part of Anthony Chabot closed, the open miles this fall are at Lake Chabot and in the Five Canyons network.
The East Shore and West Shore trails at Lake Chabot Regional Park add up to 3.52 paved miles. That's the most reliable surface in the area during a season when dirt trails nearby are under repair. Gate hours change with daylight. They run 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in October, then 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in November and December. Once the clocks change, plan on closing time coming an hour earlier.
The Marina & Café is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. It serves food, sells bait and tackle, and rents boats. The café is listed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the marina from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. That means the marina closes two hours before the café, which matters if you're thinking about a late-afternoon boat rental.
The District has posted a blue-green algae Danger Advisory for Lake Chabot. It's a warning about water contact, and swimming isn't allowed at the lake in any case.
According to the District's Anglers' Edge page, trout planting will start again when water temperatures drop. No fall or winter stocking calendar has been posted yet. Anglers 16 and older at Lake Chabot need a California fishing license plus a District permit, and the daily permit is listed at $5. Permit rules and prices can change, so treat this as general information and confirm the current requirements with the District before you go.
Five Canyons Open Space has more than 300 acres and five miles of trails. It's open 8 a.m. to dusk and connects to both Cull Canyon and Don Castro. If Big Bear's hills were your workout, this network is the closest dirt-trail swap that doesn't involve a closed section of Anthony Chabot.
The swim facilities at both ends are closed until next year. Cull Canyon's swim complex is done for the 2026 season and is posted to reopen in 2027. Its parking lot stays open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through November, then 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from December through February. Don Castro's swim lagoon is also posted to reopen in 2027. The park connects to the Bay Area Ridge Trail, the Chabot-to-Garin trail and the Five Canyons trails.
If you'd like a guided walk, the District has several dated programs at these same parks:
The November 18 walk at Anthony Chabot comes about three weeks after Big Bear's tentative reopening. It'll be one of the first scheduled chances to see the park after the October work, if that work finishes on time.
On Saturday, November 14, part of the town's road network closes as well. The Castro Valley Light Parade runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Castro Valley Boulevard will be closed from Lake Chabot Road to Redwood Road, with detours on Norbridge or Somerset. The Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce says to come early for bands, food and kids' activities. If you're headed to Lake Chabot that afternoon, plan your route around the closed stretch.
Castro Valley Marketplace at 3295 Castro Valley Boulevard holds its First Fridays Community Nights on November 6 and December 4, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The November 6 night includes local makers, music, food tasting and craft activities. Both nights fall after sunset in late fall, so it's an easy way to end the day after the parks close.
Here at Refined Real Estate, we keep track of the same District budget votes and closure notices that change how weekends feel in Castro Valley. If you're wondering how projects like the Big Bear repair or the 2027 swim reopenings fit into the value of your own home near these parks, ask us. Request Your Free Home Valuation and we'll walk you through what's happening on your side of town.
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