Channing hill – Benicia

Channing Hill above Benicia sits at the north-east corner of the San Francisco Bay Area, near where I-780 crosses the hills into the Vallejo/Benicia lowlands. Two ridges are used: an east-facing side that works best in E to ESE winds at 7–20 mph (under 7 mph gives extended sled rides only), and a west-facing side that works in SW to NW but is best in a clean W at 10–15 mph gusting under 20. Contact the site manager before flying — a friendly, helpful local; the weather station is run from his house about 300 yards SW of the west-side LZ.

Launch & conditions

Enter Channing Hill Park, follow the track uphill and to the left until you reach a bench at the top of the hill — walk down a few yards and launch.

Getting there & local rules

Look up Channing Hill Circle on the map, or from I-80 take Hwy 780 towards Benicia/Martinez, over the hill (site visible to the left as you descend). At the bottom of the hill, don't turn onto Columbus Parkway (you can pull into the mini-mall with the Shell/Subway/Burger King/Palermos if you want a stop). Landings: east side works best with E to ESE winds; west side with SW to NW (W is best).

Local rules & hazards

Contact the local site manager before flying. Weather is monitored from a personal weather station about 300 yards SW of the west-side LZ.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Channing hill – Benicia, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Channing hill – Benicia with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.