Lake Chabot Regional Park
17600 Lake Chabot Rd., Castro Valley, CA 94546
Lake Chabot Reservoir was built in 1874-75 as a primary source of water for the East Bay. The 315-acre lake was closed to recreation for 91 years. Legislation passed in the 1960s opened the lake for controlled recreational uses. On June 18, 1966, EBRPD opened Lake Chabot Regional Park to the public after securing an agreement with the East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD), which owns and operates the reservoir.
Currently, the lake serves as a standby emergency water supply. For this reason, visitors are asked to observe certain necessary regulations to keep the waters pure.
It might be father than you want to go, but I highly recommend the 50-person Mallard picnic site at Lake Chabot Regional Park. It is private and gets a great mix of shade and sun (late afternoon is especially beautiful as the site is west facing). has a big lawn for games and toddling, four big picnic tables, and two portapotties close by. A short walk takes you to the lake and marina area, which is hopping on weekends, yet Mallard feels so peaceful and lovely.
You can make a reservation here: https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/picnics/lake-chabot-picnic-areas
Here's my local tip: when you reserve a site, you're supposed to be there to claim it by sometime in the morning. Most parties clear out by the afternoon, and then first-come first-served folks come in. I ride my bike by the site frequently and it is almost always empty in the afternoon after about 3-4 pm.
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