Photos: Christie Road at sunrise, afternoon and night (plus the tunnel and a sign)

If you’re a Green Day fan or railway nerd, you know why this random road is so special. There are songs about it. Until the 1920s, there was a railway station there. One line is still used. If you’re neither of those things, it’s a beautiful area with hiking trails, so maybe it’s worth checking out!

I wrote about my first visit to Christie Road in another post, but this is a collection of photos from all the angles and times I’ve been there. Enjoy!

Contents

Dawn

When the first light creeps over the horizon, there’s silence… until a train comes. Then you might find yourself skidding down the small slope to get off the tracks.

Sunrise

Then the sun rises and the hills turn to gold.

‘Give me something to do to kill some time / Take me to that place that I call home / Take away the strains of being lonely / Take me to the tracks at Christie Road.’ — Green Day in ‘Christie Road’

Morning

Once the sun has risen, a gentle light falls over the hills and highlights all the contours.

‘See the hills from afar / Standing on my beat up car.’ — Green Day in ‘Christie Road’

Afternoon

The train tracks at Christie Road with green hills in the distance.

A cracked road and a field are separated by a chainlink fence at Christie Road.

A road and telegraph poles in front of green hills at Christie Road.

If you didn’t feel alive when you woke up, you will once you’re at Christie Road in the bright afternoon light.

Nightfall

Rusty freight wagons pass on the tracks at Christie Road at night.

Orange BNSF wagons on the tracks at Christie Road at night.

An amber railway light is on beside the tracks between wooded hills on Christie Road.

A white car in front of rusty freight wagons on the train tracks at Christie Road at night.

A dirt road through trees illuminated by an on-camera flash at Christie Road at night.

At night, you’ll feel like you’re the only person left in the world until a train rumbles by. That might be peaceful or creepy depending on your mindset.

‘The sun went down and the night fills the sky / Now I feel like me once again as the train comes rolling in.’ — Green Day in ‘Christie Road’

The tunnel

If you walk along (or beside) the tracks, rather than following the road, you’ll come to a tunnel. The walls are covered in graffiti by Green Day fans.

‘I found a knife by the railroad track / You took a train and you can’t go back / Forever now you’ll roam.’ — Green Day in ‘Outlaws’

Thanks to @piss.stains and @angeltortured_cosplay from 924 Gilman Street for showing us the tunnel.

The Christie Road sign at Oakland Guitars

As of February 2026, there’s an original Christie Road sign at Oakland Guitars on 40th Street (formerly Broken Guitars). Very cool if you’re a Green Day fan because it’s actually a road sign rather than a railway one.

Green Day history

Christie Road inspired the song of the same name. It was a refuge from suburban boredom, where Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt hung out with friends, took girls, and smoked weed. They’ve also described ‘Outlaws’ from Revolution Radio as a nostalgic sequel to ‘Christie Road.’

How to get to Christie Road

Driving: The full address is Christie Rd, Martinez, CA 94553, United States. If your satnav doesn’t like it, you can use the address of Franklin Canyon Golf Course (CA-4, Hercules, CA 94547, United States). The golf course’s parking lot is right by the road.
Public transport: No public transport goes directly to Christie Road. You can take an Uber from Oakland for $60+ return, or if you’re visiting Rodeo, you might be able to get a return trip for around $40. It’s also possible to combine buses and hiking.
Hiking: If you like hiking, you can drive or take the 12 bus from the Hercules Transit Center to the Coronado Canyon Trailhead (290 Coronado St, Hercules, CA 94547, United States). It’s about 3 miles to Christie Road from there. Remember that you’ll probably walk 7–8 miles by the time you’ve explored Christie Road and returned to the trailhead.
Accessibility: This really is a random road in the middle of nowhere. There are no facilities or places to sit unless you sit on the floor or tracks, which are very low. Best to take a camping chair if you’ll need to sit but can’t get on the floor. As of 2026, the accessible portion of the road is paved, so a wheelchair could use it, but the surface is quite rough. There’s no way for a wheelchair to reach the tracks or tunnel.

Conclusion

For me, the top three highlights of the landmarks tour are the 7-Eleven ‘at the centre of the Earth,’ the view of the refinery in Rodeo, and Christie Road. It’s a special place. I’m always honoured when people say my photos made them feel like they were there. So whether you’re dreaming of visiting Christie Road, you’re reminiscing, or you ended up here just because you like photography, I hope this post made you feel like you were there.

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