Mild shaded hiking trail. lots of trees and lots of photo opportunity. because of covid pools n picnic area were closed but looks like starting friday 11/13th they are opening picnic area.Parking is ample and nice park to spend on sunny days

I have never disliked Don Castro!!! My first review had to be a typo. I LOVE, LOVE, here. I first heard about it when my family went with my daughters summer camp, Girls Inc. in 2017. Ever since, we have went back every summer!! Of course until this summer!!!! I tell everybody about it: they have life guards, big umbrellas that are near the water in the sand. They also have BBQ grills by grassy areas thats shaded by trees, and another area with grills, a lot of benches and tables like for a party or get-together thats also shaded. Also, to go into the deep area, the lifeguard must test you to make sure you can swim good!! Parking is good, Ive never had to pay, and the price to get in is very reasonable!! I have seen all ages there, and everyone was having a ball!!

Its a really good place for hiking. There is plenty of parking and it is free on weekdays. The hike around the lake is quite easy except around Twilight Trail which is a bit steep and narrow. The trail is broken by the San Leandro Creek where there is no bridge. You can safely cross the short distance by stepping on the stones except during rainy season. My only complaint about Don Castro is the signs are unclear especially around Twilight Trail. You can literally get lost in that particular area.

I remember this place when I was a kid. I let my turtle go here. One of the saddest days of my childhood. I know he was happier here than inside of a fish tank.

I personally love this trail, and once you get to the best part... its actually pretty cool, theres a hidden treasure which is where you will find the the waterfall. I absolutely love this hike, its not too bad. The hike is a little steep downhill; but if you have the right tennis shoes youll be ok. The trail is a good ways down which means get ready for the hike back up, but I enjoy this local gem for sure.

I grew up going to don Castro on hot summer days. It was fun to go back as an adult and remember how hot that sand gets. Fun times, busy waters, fighting for shade. The High Life.

Quiet park of the beaten path. Never caught a fish there but still a nice quiet place to visit!

Very pretty little park offering a ton of recreation opportunities from hiking and fishing in the cool season to swimming and picnicking in the summer. No fees in the off-season. Easy and accessible walk around the lake suitable for all ages.

Decent park. Has limited trails for hiking and a pond for fishing. Didn’t seem very well maintained but gets the job done.

Great place super staff

Nice place for hiking, picnicking etc. Right now they are constructing a new swimming pool.

Good place to walk and take your dog to get out.

Ive come here since i was 16, well first time i came here i was sixteen with a canadian 1978 phoenix pontiac and a girl named.... the sherrifs used to be nicer i recall; somesuch about it being passed curfew somesuch about getting out and getting an enclosed space usually found in a house... ah how times have changed. i realized in this last visit that there is actually a park and a lake... go figure. i guess the parking lot is less secluded than i remember

Always a nice place to visit.Unfortunately I came in a bad time to try to swim in the makeshift Lagoon..I guess early in the season. Be careful of certain people that are doing certain illegal fishing things to take out the fish plant and the park rangers need to be aware of that.Otherwise quiet and peaceful and still a beautiful place.Come by in the spring or fall time especially when the weather is great and youre going to have a lot of open picnic tables and BBQ Pits available.Check in with the local Rangers to make sure you can do that.

Beautiful little lake/pond right in the suburbs. Connects to many hiking trails. Swimming area was not open in early May 2019

Calm, peaceful and you will catch something. SOMETHING!

Not crowded. Up close duck. Small enough trail with little ones

People dont clean after bringing their dogs to the park. All the nice green area is full of dogs waste.

Its really cool

Great place for a quick getaway.

Still water runs deep, and very green!

Nice place for kids, not to deep 5ft

Great place clean relaxing

Used to come here as a little kid

My favorite peaceful place to go in the area.

I love this place, I always take walks here. Its a nice looking walk but not too long or strenuous. And close to my house, so i can feel like Im escaping the world for a minute, but its only 5 min away.

Nice place, close by 6 on week end

One of my favourite spots to go for walks with the dog, running or just some quiet time. Beware of the mountain lions, not seen any but Im aware they are active in the valleys. Would advise people not to walk around in groups smaller than 3 people.

I have been going to this place for a couple of decades. Lots of trees, a small lake to fish in and benches so you can picnic.In my opinion its maintenance has sadly been neglected the last few years. Plenty of workers they just seem to mostly stand around talking with each other.And the park police drive through the parking lot and dont even get out of their vehicles.

Awesome inexpensive day, great for kids. Get there early by 9am to get a spot by the large beach umbrellas (supplied) for great shade. Very relaxing for Adults and fun for kids. Fully staffed with lifeguards and very clean restrooms

Enjoyed hiking.

Well kept park and had open pool. Perfect place for picnics, hiking on the trails. Beautiful view too good for photography.

So far so good! My 11 year old daughter caught the first fish our first time here. Nice sized rainbow trout. Good fishing spots. Weve already seen two people pulled out very big carps in here.

Nice regional park thats out of the way. Good trails but theyre steep so expect to do a lot of climbing. They have a very cool and very large artificial lagoon for swimming. Last time I was there (April 2019) the lagoon was being rebuilt and a lot of the park was being upgraded. I expect it will be even nicer when theyre done.

Nice looking greens and caught a car show too!

Nice to have a picnic with the family there. Carry your equipments in case you dont get a bench/ gazebo.also carry your swimming costumes/ ball etc if you are interested in enjoying the open pool.

The hike going east of Woodroe around the reservoir is beautiful. The best views are from the South side of the reservoir in the morning. Dont go on the trail West of Woodroe. It is not maintained at all and you may run into homeless encampments.

Park osbthe bpmb. It has fishong hikeing and plenty of natures wonderful sights. A magical place.!!!

Used to be a fun place to take your children. Now parents let their kids run around acting rude and mannerless. Running over your towels, kicking over your toys, taking toys that dont belong to them. Takes the joy out of enjoying the outdoors.PARENTS-teach your children manners at home, and how to behave in a public outdoor place. Other parents shouldnt have to watch your kids Don Castro isnt a daycare!

Calm place, love this place for my daily walking with my family

Think only second time Ive been. Really enjoyed. If you BBQ or have any meat be prepared for the meat bees (a type of wasp or hornet attracted to this food). Not a deal breaker just beware.Hafba great time.

One of my favorite parks. Has big open areas for BBQs and activities. Bench tables are plentiful as well as BBQ pits. Can get busy at times in summer when the man made Beach is open. Admission is $5 during summer and free in the off seasons.

11 and a half lb carp 25 inches

Great place for family, kids, adults to relax and swim. BBQ places and tables available. Life guards on duty to lend a hand. First time there and would gladly come back.

I went to walk my dog and the trails arent marked that well. They can be narrow and slippery from fallen leaves. It would be a good place for hikers.

Come when geese arent around. The water temperature was ok, but there were pieces of goose poop floating in the water. They have many picnic tables and a large changing are too. Its a pretty good option for those who dont want to drive all the way out to the beach.

Nice walking trails. Wildlife. Adult dog policy. (Dogs must be in sight and under voice control. Must carry a leash for every dog.)

Don Castro is a great place to picnic and swim when the lagoon is open. There are quite a few picnic areas scattered around the park.There is a changing are inside the restrooms next to the lagoon entrance.There are trails with a moderate difficulty level.Its a hot spot for fishing and they stocked the lake recently (April 2019) with 750 lb of trout. Day permits are $5.There is a $5 fee to park on most weekends in the summer and major holidays (except Thanksgiving/Christmas). Its free during weekdays.If the park were bigger, had more to see or do, Id rate it higher.

Its a clean and open park with grass, trails, tables, fishing, and a swimming lake. Good for dog and humans. The staff is friendly, but a stickler for rules so be aware of following them or else.

Plenty of space and picnic areas for your family. Lifeguards are viligant and kids under 16 have to take a swim test for the over 3ft water area. Bring shade, the few are first come first serve.

Its beautiful, cozy and fun! I sat in the sand while my kids played in the water. I loved how clean the area was too.

Very nice. Lots of space to set up. First come first serve. Only 2 areas are reserved areas. Nice size man made lake or lagoon or watever u call it

Excellent my like walking

Very shallow lagoon that also has a deep end. I like it over cull canyon because the shallow area is much larger so it feels safer for the little ones. Admission is around $3 for adults and $2 for kids. $5 parking fee. Free umbrellas at the lagoon but very few so get there early. Grassy area with picnic tables and grills some have to be reserved though.

I brought my new German Shepherd puppy here for one of our first walks together. She immediately jumped into the water, this is one of my favorite places to walk. Absolutely beautiful.

Great park to bring family and friends. very clean. Safe guards very professional. Truly recommend

This park is tucked in the Hayward hills this is a small but cool park. Mainly for fishing or swimming! There is a fee to park and a fee to get into the swimming area if you decide to party around that area

Artificial lake surrounded by bbq areas. Parking is available nearby. During the summer, you pay an admission fee to get into the lake.

Its beautiful and their facilities are very clean.

Nice walks and facilities. O ly down side is that you can hear the freeway but just imagine it is the ocean....lol

Great experience. Had lots of fun in a beautiful fresh air atmosphere.

A great local park in you happen to be in the Downtown Hayward area!

Nice place

Wonderful park ful of cultural history. It is rocommended that you stop by Hayward Historical Museum first and get your bearings. Get a good appreciation for Don Castro and his legend. Did he really just disappear or is his whole lineage in Chile as some believe? Discuss it while you are munching on Vals Burgers down the street...

We loved visiting this swimming area! It has a lovely lawn area thats nice to put down a blanket and umbrella and relax. There are nearby grilling areas (outside of the swim area) for a cook out. Youll need to pass a swim test to use the whole swimming pool, but I just waded out to my knees anyway.The charge to swim is inexpensive, and the bathroom/changing rooms are nice and clean.Beware, on summer weekends this place is PACKED. Also, parking has a small fee as well.

Great place for picnics and family reunions. Nice hiking path around the lake.

Great park, enjoyed the nice soace. Will go back yearly with my family.

Nice quiet place picnic swimming in season and fishing.

Its great for young kids who are learning to swim as they have roped areas for shallow and deep. They ask the kids to take breaks every 50 minutes for their safety.

Very Nice Park with a Big swimming hole. A great place to picnic!

Water is very clean is too safe for kids and they allow inflatable toys

Theres no fish there.idont no whats going

I love the place.Its perfect for Family to enjoy the day.

Grest, nur all Thema People för Don castro so Not communicate!

Clean lake, friendly staffs. great for swimming, water play, and bbq.

Nice park, not too crowded

Its a great picnic spot with trails and fishing area. The kids would definitely love this place.

A hidden park, quiet, pretty and with really good attractions! A Pool and fishing! (Separate of course)

Love yo swim and its beautiful

Caught a huge carp and a nice sized catfish I love this place !

Always have a great time swimming and relaxing here.

An inexpensive place for the family to swim on a hot day. You can bring food in and make it a day!

A good place for a short hike during the dry season - we have several short walks we like to do. Trails are well marked, and connect to the longer Chabot to Garin trail.

We had a blast. The trails were fun to hike. Would love to know how far it is from beginning to end.

Nice, a little windy today

First grade And Second grade Love it. 5 stars.Little creek Pond 3 Stars. All in all 4 stars.

Beautifull place. I love it

The best. Keep up the good work guys!

Beautiful park to walk with my two dogs. They had a great time!

Amazing park, lots of kids, dogs. Highly recommend

One of favorite to catch catfish and trout.

Fun under the Sun. Nice picnic area and swimming hole.

Lake is filling in. Dredging is to expensive. I saw our lake by CV Junior High disappear.

Great jogging and walking trail and great seneary

This Hidden Gem is an Local Favorite for swimming, fishing, barbeques, parties and hiking. The lake is very clean and always has adequate Life Gaurds on staff as well as Park Rangers and Cleaning Staff. The bathrooms and showers are large and there are plenty of very large changing stalls that can accommodate a parent and several small children. The snack bar isnt always open but most people pack coolers, picnics and barbecues. There are covered areas that can be reserved but many people bring their own pop ups and tents. There is a wonderful family atmosphere. Not only is the entrance handicapped accessible, there is a ramp that can take a wheelchair all the way down to the lake.The lake was stocked with 500 pounds of fish in June 2018. There is a pier but most people bring their lawn chairs and post up under the trees. A fishing permit is required and can be purchased at the entrance to the swimming area. You do have to pay to park during swim season and a large part of the parking area is unpaved. This affected my rating.If you havent been, or havent been in a long time, you are in for a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend this park.

Good place to swim, although a bit shallow. Times vary by season. From the website:Park Hours8 a.m. to 10 p.m.;8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in winter monthsGate HoursNov 1 - Feb 288am - 8pmMar 1 - Oct. 318am - 10pmSwim Hours:11am - 6pmFeesParking: $5 weekends and holidays. $4 per trailer. Buses: $25/per bus.Dogs: $2 per dog. Guide/service dogs free

Great and nice picnic place. There are lot of picnic area and pre designated bench available. However if you dont get one you can still go and just have you own spot near a tree or a small pond :).We went during spring time and swimming area was not open yet, but still enjoyed a lot of nice nad open space. Also there is lot of shade so you can always get a spot you like.All in all a good place.* Good for Easter egg hunt also :)

Great place to take the family to have some fun!

Don Castro is a very beautiful Park I met my first love there

Best park ever!!!! The nature there is beautiful and employees there are super friendly. Love the park