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Hamilton Skatepark - Novato, CA.  1. People are excited and think this park is good, but that is because there are so many shitty skateparks around here to compare it to. If something half decent gets built people are stoked, and this park is exactly that - half decent. Mostly bowls in the 5' range, there are a variety of hips, lines and transfers to do. The biggest wall is 6' but it is far away from the rest of the bowls, and you have to battle the street flyout kids to get to it. The coping is pretty good, but some of the transitions fade at the top, and worst of all, Zach Wormhoudt built it so you know it can't be that good in the end. The basic lines are there but he doesn't quite get it, and the true potential of the design and flow in the bowls were not fulfilled. While it may be one of the better/best free cement skatepark in the Greater Bay Area, it is not all that. 
Free, helmet required but seldom enforced at time of this writing. 2. A well rounded park with four bowls with perfect transitions and a decent but small street course, the Novato Parks and Rec did a good job. The bowls have great corners, but most of them are 5 feet, with one quarter in the street area reaching 6.5 feet. If you're not too far from Novato (near Marin, SF) check it out, it's worth it. Full Pads Required! We saw at least 10 kids get ticketed, but it was mostly because some other dumb kid was talking back to the Fuzz. - Mike G & Dan K 
3. Good for beginers and experts. One big bowl. 3 rails. Friendly skaters. Rating: N.A. Reader Ratings: 5, 7, 8 Website: Novato Skatepark Designed and built by Wourmhought. |
Directions:
1200 Hamilton Parkway. (from San Francisco) 101 North to Ignacio/Bel Marin Keyes. Turn right at off-ramp, immediate right again onto Nave Dr. Go two blocks until you reach Hamilton, which is a stop light and has a McDonalds on the corner. Turn left onto Hamilton and go two blocks. Skatepark is on the left. |