The Altamont Pass is the Bay Area's own little bit of rural wilderness - heading west, it's the calm before the storm of the Bay Area Megalopolis. Besides rolling, golden hills and a smattering of cattle there's really nothing here... oh, except for the hundreds upon hundreds of giant windmills!
Altamont is hopme to one of the largest "wind farms" on Earth. they are an amazing site to behold. Just drive on 580 East from the Bay Area - about an hour away from the city of SF. You CAN'T miss 'em! Go past the town of Livermore and look for the, uh, HUNDREDS OF GIANT WINDMILLS!
The best views are from Altamont Pass Road, which parallels 580 on the north side. The views are better going in the westbound direction. There's also a cool view of rows of windmills from the California Aqueduct at Patterson Road. The California aqueduct - which sends water all the way to LA - is itself an interesting piece of engineering, if you're into that sort of thing.
The windmills are a highly underrated engineering spectacle, and, if you see them, you'll never forget them!
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Address: Hwy 580 between Livermore and Tracy
Directions: From SF, get on 580 east and go go go.
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on Oct 15, 2004
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