263 mi · 4,000 ft of climbing · high point 1,932 ft · start/finish downtown Napa (First St & Main St)
Ridden Feb 2, 2026 · Coast
The ride
South out of Napa to Vallejo and across the Carquinez Bridge, then I-80 and I-880 down the East Bay through Oakland, San Leandro and Fremont to San Jose. It's the price of admission for the good stuff.
Highway 17 climbs from Campbell over the Santa Cruz Mountains, the route's 1,932 ft high point at the summit, then down through Scotts Valley into Santa Cruz. From there it's Highway 1 north up the coast: Davenport and the empty bluffs, then Half Moon Bay, Moss Beach and Pacifica.
Into San Francisco on the south side, across the city and over to the East Bay, then I-80 north through Berkeley and San Pablo, through Crockett and back over the Carquinez Bridge to Vallejo and Napa. About 263 mi with ~4,000 ft of climbing, a full day mostly because of traffic. Fuel up in Santa Cruz: Highway 1 north to Half Moon Bay is about 45 mi with almost nothing. Highway 17 is busy and fast, and Highway 1 gets slides and closures, so check conditions first.
[Steve: add your full write-up here]
Key roads and highlights
Carquinez Bridge, I-80, I-880 through Oakland, San Leandro, Fremont
San Jose
CA-17 over the Santa Cruz Mountains, high point ~1,932 ft
Scotts Valley
Santa Cruz
CA-1 north through Davenport
Half Moon Bay, Moss Beach
Pacifica
San Francisco
I-80 home through Berkeley and Crockett
Gallery
Ride photos coming soon
Not starting in Napa? No problem. Every Two Wheel Touring GPX is a loop that begins and ends at First & Main in downtown Napa, but you don't have to. Join the line wherever it's closest to you, ride any section you like, or flip the whole thing and run it the other way. For step-by-step help in Garmin, REVER, Calimoto, Scenic, Google My Maps, and a free GPX editor, see Riding a route from your own start.
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