About Shepherd Canyon
Shepherd Canyon is a residential neighborhood with about 1600 homes in the Montclair District of Oakland. It is nestled in the hills adjacent to and directly above Montclair Village, our local commercial district, which abuts to the west of and downhill from Shepherd Canyon. At the heart of Shepherd Canyon is 34 Acres of public land that is Shepherd Canyon Park, which includes the soccer field and picnic area and also an Open Space Resource Conservation Area traversed by Escher Road and Scout Road on the southeast side of Shepherd Canyon Road, as well as the Railroad Trail along the northwest side following the route of the Sacramento Northern Railroad, which one ran through the neighborhood with a stop in Montclair Village. Shepherd Creek once ran down the center of Shepherd Canyon, now flowing through a storm drain line under Shepherd Canyon Road. Shepherd Canyon is the water shed that once fed Shepherd Creek. Below the soccer field and behind Fire Station 24, one segment of Shepherd Creek still runs freely, and joins with Palo Seco Creek to become Sausal Creek near the bottom of Scout Road.
Who we are
Shepherd Canyon Homeowner’s Association is a neighborhood advocacy group to further the collective interest of local neighbors with a goal to:
Maintain the public area and open space as a resource for all, while we advocate for city improvements including wildfire safety and vegetation management
Promote development that welcomes new neighbors and also respects the interests of existing neighbors through the building code, and encourage collective adherence to city fire safety measures on our property
Further, the appreciation of the local history as a resource we can all share in common
Local History
The 34 acres of Shepherd Canyon Park were set aside for preservation by the 1975 Shepherd Canyon Corridor Plan and EIR that shelved a proposal to run Highway 77 through the area. As part of this plan, the city set aside the land of the 12 acres of the railroad right of way and the 6 acres of the Shepherd Creek parcel below the soccer field and behind the fire station specifically for use as public trails. This plan was a prerequisite for the development of the rest of the neighborhood for residential development. The Railroad Trail was established, but the Shepherd Creek Trail still remains to be developed.
The park and surrounding neighborhood are named for the Shepherd Family, early Oaklanders who lived on the land during the late 1800s. The park’s playing fields sit atop what used to be the middle portion of the natural channel of Shepherd Creek, which joins Palo Seco Creek to become Sausal Creek as it flows into Dimond Canyon below.
The 1975 Shepherd Corridor Plan and EIR also established Shepherd Canyon as a Scenic Route. The EIR established the Acorn logo as a reminder to future generations of the Scenic Route designation, and the EIR indicated that distinctive signage should be established. However, the city neglected to carry through with the signage. However, modern-day residents have taken up the cause and have worked to install signage reflecting the long-ago established acorn logo. These and other activities have been done with volunteer labor is cooperation with the City of Oakland, and in many cases have been assistance by Boy Scouts working on their Eagle Projects.
The area’s history is reflected in more detail in a series of interpretive signs along the Railroad Trail and other parts of Shepherd Canyon Park, as well as a complementary sign in Montclair Village reflecting the Vilage’s history as a stop along the Sacramento Northern Railroad.