Spectator Guide · Berkeley Hills Road Race
Where to watch the Berkeley Hills Road Race: a spectator guide
The best place to watch, how to get there, where the portable toilets are, and how to stay safe on roads that stay open to traffic.
Race morning at a glance
- Best place to watch
- The finish line, on Bear Creek Road at Papa BearOfficial course route on Strava
- Road status
- Open to traffic. The roads are not closed for the race.
- Where to stand
- Off the road, on the shoulder only. Never in a traffic lane.
- Portable toilets
- Finish line, registration area and feed zone
- Race HQ and registration
- Orinda BART north parking lot, 11 Camino Pablo, OrindaRace HQ in Google Maps
- Parking
- Free at Orinda BART. Parking near the finish is limited.
- Following the race by car
- Don't. Pick one safe spot and stay there.
The short answer
The best place to watch the Berkeley Hills Road Race is the finish line, on Bear Creek Road at Papa Bear, where you can see each race's decisive final moments and cheer your racer in. The race runs on roads that remain open to normal vehicle traffic, so spectators must stay completely outside the roadway and watch from a safe shoulder. Portable toilets are at the finish line, the registration area at Orinda BART, and the feed zone.
Where is the best place to watch the Berkeley Hills Road Race?
At the finish line. The Berkeley Hills Road Race finish is on Bear Creek Road at Papa Bear, and the race is typically decided on Papa Bear, so the finish is where you see how each race ends. It's also the easiest place for friends and family to see their racer come in.
What to expect: the course is a loop of about 18.8 miles over the Three Bears climbs, and the fields start in waves, so different races come through the finish area over the morning. You'll see a field each time it comes around the loop, then at the end of its race. There can be long quiet stretches between fields, which is a good time to find a safe place to stand.
Official course route on Strava →
Watch safely
Never assume the road is closed because racers are coming. The race information is clear that there's no road closure, so cars can be on the road at any time, and official race vehicles travel with the fields.
Don't linger in the finish area
The race information says it plainly: do not linger in the finish area. Once your racer has finished, move well away from the line and the road, and meet them somewhere clear of the finish so officials can do their work and the next riders have room. Safety matters more than a better photo or view.
Restrooms and portable toilets
There's no running water on the course, but portable toilets are available in three places:
- At the finish line, on Bear Creek Road.
- At the registration area, in the Orinda BART north parking lot.
- At the feed zone, near the bottom of Papa Bear.
Go before the field you're waiting for is due, and never cross the road to reach them while racers are approaching.
Getting to the finish
The finish is out on the course on Bear Creek Road, not at Race HQ. Use the official route to find it, and plan to arrive well before the first field you want to see is due.
Official course route on Strava →
Parking near the finish is limited, and the race information doesn't designate spectator parking there. If you drive, park only where it's legal and your car is completely off the road, never where it narrows the road for racers, race vehicles or traffic, and follow any marshal's directions. If there's nowhere suitable, don't stop.
Arriving by bike
If you ride to the finish, arrive before the racing reaches it or in a gap between fields, ride single file and well to the right, and never ride with or into a race field. Once you're there, get yourself and your bike completely off the road.
Registration and Race HQ at Orinda BART
Race HQ is in the north parking lot at Orinda BART, 11 Camino Pablo, Orinda. It's where racers register, results are posted, the medic tent is set up, and every field stages before its start. Parking at Orinda BART has been free on race day, and the race encourages arriving by BART.
Race HQ isn't a place to watch the racing. Racers line up there, then ride a neutral start, escorted by officials, about 2.3 miles to the start line at San Pablo Dam Road and Bear Creek Road. If you're dropping someone off, know the difference:
How BHRR staging and the rollout work →
- Registration and staging, at Orinda BART: where racers check in, get ready and line up.
- The finish line, on Bear Creek Road at Papa Bear: where spectators watch the race finish.
The feed zone
The feed zone is near the bottom of Papa Bear. It has had neutral water support and bottle handouts, and personal support is allowed there, so teammates, friends and family can hand bottles to their own racers. Portable toilets are there too.
- Give riders and feeders plenty of room: riders reach for bottles at speed and may move across the road to get one.
- Stay on the shoulder, and never step into the road unexpectedly.
- If you're not feeding, stand back from the feeders so riders can see them.
- Follow volunteer and official instructions.
Don't go to the feed zone just for a better view. It's a working area, and getting in the way of feeding can cause a crash.
What about other places on the course?
We aren't recommending other places to watch, including the climbs such as Mama Bear. The race information doesn't designate spectator areas or parking along the loop, the roads stay open to traffic, and we can't point to a place where you can stand fully off the road, park legally and get there without getting in the race's way. The finish line is the place to watch.
Don't chase the race by car
Following the race around the loop by car adds traffic to an open-road race, gets in the way of official race vehicles, and creates safety problems for racers and drivers. It can also cost your racer: the race information says unauthorized support or follow vehicles aren't allowed anywhere on the course, and that unauthorized follow vehicles will get the rider or team disqualified.
Choose one safe place, the finish line, and enjoy the race from there.
Watching with children and dogs
Kids are welcome at the finish, but Bear Creek Road is an active public road during the race. Keep children:
- Right beside you.
- Well back from the roadway.
- Away from moving race vehicles.
- Out of the finish line and other working areas.
If you bring a dog, keep it on a short leash and well away from racers and the road.
What to bring
- Water: there's no running water on the course.
- Snacks.
- Sunscreen and a hat.
- Layers for a cool morning in the hills.
- Comfortable shoes.
- A phone or camera, and a portable battery.
- A folding chair, if there's a safe place for it off the road.
- Rain gear, if the forecast calls for it.
Services around a rural road-race course are limited, so bring what you'll need for the morning.
When will my racer come by?
Ask your racer for their field, staging time and race distance, then check the schedule when it's published with registration. Fields stage in waves at Orinda BART and start separately, and distances have ranged from 16 miles for the youngest juniors to 90 miles for the P/1/2 race.
BHRR staging waves and rollout →
How long a field takes depends on its distance, its speed and how the race plays out, so treat any estimate as rough and get to the finish early. Results are posted at Race HQ, and Berkeley Omnium results have been published on OnTheDay.
Coming Sunday too?
The Berkeley Omnium is two races: the Berkeley Hills Road Race on Saturday and the Berkeley Streets Criterium on Sunday in downtown Berkeley. The criterium is a very different way to watch: short laps on a closed course, so the field passes every couple of minutes.
Where to watch the Berkeley Streets Criterium →
Want to know more about the race you're watching, from its first edition in 1957 to the Three Bears course?
Questions
Where to watch the Berkeley Hills Road Race: a spectator guide: FAQ
Where is the best place to watch the Berkeley Hills Road Race?
The finish line, on Bear Creek Road at Papa Bear. It's where each race is decided and where you can cheer your racer in. Stay completely off the road and watch from the shoulder.
Is the Berkeley Hills Road Race course closed to cars?
No. The race information says there's no road closure: the race runs on roads that stay open to vehicle traffic, so spectators must stay off the roadway and watch for cars.
Where is the BHRR finish line?
On Bear Creek Road at Papa Bear, on the Three Bears loop near Orinda. The official course route and race information show the exact location.
Official course route on Strava →Are there bathrooms at the Berkeley Hills Road Race?
Yes, portable toilets: at the finish line, at the registration area at Orinda BART, and at the feed zone near the bottom of Papa Bear. There's no running water on the course.
Can I watch from the side of the road?
Yes, from the shoulder or another clearly safe area, completely off the roadway. Never stand in a traffic lane or step into the road, and follow marshals and officials.
Can I follow the race by car?
No. Following the race adds traffic and gets in the way of race vehicles, and the race information says unauthorized follow vehicles will get the rider or team disqualified. Watch from the finish instead.
Where is BHRR registration?
In the Orinda BART north parking lot, 11 Camino Pablo, Orinda, which is also Race HQ for results, the medic tent and staging. Parking there has been free on race day.
Race HQ in Google Maps →