Amazing Park on the edge of the Oakland / Berkeley hills. I guess you could call this an urban park, although after a short walk on the trail, you feel like your deep in the forest. This is another one of the hidden gems in the San Francisco Bay region. Probably not worth a special drive for a hike here, because it's relatively short. But I recommend a little exploratory walk from the Claremont. read more

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I know some people say that people here are soft because they complain about the elevation. It is no joke! A friend and I met up for a walk and we decided to meet at Garber Park. Based on the reviews here, we designated a meeting spot (Evergreen Lane) which is crucial since there are multiple entrances to the "park". Also, it's not much of a "park" - it's a few different fairly vertical trails. That would be okay if that's what we were looking for....but we were looking more for a casual amble. It's also tough to chat because the trials are narrow and you typically have to walk single file. That being said, it's a nice, vigorous hike that's fairly accessible and easy to get to. read more

I'm kind of shocked that more people haven't reviewed this park. But then again, I like the fact that it's a park that's far less traveled. I literally pass this park almost every day on my way home from work. It's conveniently located right off of Claremont Ave behind the Claremont Hotel, but there's also another entrance off of Evergreen Ln and Alvarado Rd where it dead ends. I decided to explore it one day and was blown away by what I found. First off, this isn't a park with a kid's play structure or anything. It's a small local park that's tucked away behind houses in the Berkeley Hills and is comprised mainly of short hiking trails. I'm kind of jealous of the residents who live here. If I had a park like this that was literally in my backyard, there would no excuse for me not to hike here several times a week. The trails are dirt and pretty narrow, but fairly easy to follow. There are some pretty mild inclines followed by a narrow ridge, but it's a great spot to get a quick workout. I started at Evergeen lane and continued along the loop trail that ended up looping me back to the beginning. The loop trail was short, probably no more than 2 miles and will take about 30-40 minutes to complete depending on your speed. I took my time and stopped along the way to take pictures during the hike. Speaking of pictures, you'll definitely get some great ones here! A portion of the trail runs parallel to Claremont Ave, but the rest of the trail involves scaling the Berkeley Hills and the views are very scenic. There are several spots along the trail where you can see bay and even the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. There are several numbered trail markers to help guide you back to the beginning. The shade from the trees will help to keep you cool, even in the hot summer sun. Just be mindful of where you step because it's easy to slip on the leaves on the ground, especially during the fall when they're more prevalent. There are portions of the trail where you'll be walking up and down log steps and where you'll be on the edge of the ridge, but nothing too difficult. I observed many fallen trees, some with the most peculiar looking structures, but interesting nonetheless. There are a couple of nice rest and recreational stops along the way, one of which is equipped with an old looking fireplace and a few benches. I think I ran into maybe one or two people while I was on the loop trail, but I basically had the park all to myself. Super peaceful! And since it's located behind a residential neighborhood, I felt safe hiking here alone. It's an excellent spot for an easy and local hike. Would totally recommend if you're looking for a less crowded alternative to Claremont Canyon or the Berkeley Fire Trails. read more

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The park is amazing. Google maps made me come up through a different entrance than the bottom so I had a difficult time getting to it. The place is a bit secluded so it makes you wonder if there wild mountain lions that will appear. I was the only person there so I left early. Didn't see any other hiking so, for a small woman, I didn't feel too safe. There are houses nearby from where I entered though. The park has a lot of stairs so be prepared for that. The hills have narrow winding stairs so take precautions. In terms of difficulty, you'll be fine. read more

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Okay, quit yo whinin. How you love the deep, green forest, but you have to walk so far, and you get tired so easily, and why can't we have a short little loop to go around and Big Basin is too far to go. You have Garber Park, so go there. Garber Park is a hidden park close to the Claremont Hotel. If you're not looking for the sign, you'll miss it. The parking area is small, but I've never seen it full. And there are two other trailheads in the Oakland hills if you'd rather avoid the hill. Stacie D. had it right when she wrote "Small woodland park". The loop is a little over a mile long, and that's it. You won't get much of a workout here. Or maybe you will; the initial hill is a little steep, so if your cardio level is low, this will work those legs and lungs. And on the entire trail, you're surrounded by oaks, laurels, buckeyes, ferns, and even an old stone fireplace where you can take a breather and eat lunch. The fireplace is the only truly unique part of the trail. If you like Big Basin, or even Redwood Regional Park, you'll be severely underwhelmed by Garber Park. But it's still a nice little getaway if you want to escape the city madness for a few minutes. read more

This is honestly one of the weirdest trials I've been on in the Bay Area. The entrance to this place is pretty hidden, so do not go to the location that is on the map. Go to the end of evergreen lane. The hike itself is pretty short but so steep. Because of the high elevation, I did get a little light headed. It's a nice place to sit and enjoy the fresh air, though! read more

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Squeezed in between a canyon and a residential area, this is great for the gluteus maximus and the heart, and beautiful to top it off. Short but sweet. read more

Garber Park - One entrance - Hiking Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's amazing that no one has reviewed this park yet. It's a 13-acre park hidden behind the elegant, white Claremont Hotel in south Berkeley, Elmwood / Rockridge area. Although it's part of the Claremont Regional Preserve (http://www.ebparks.org/parks/claremont), it seems kinda neglected and few hikers come here. Perhaps few people know about this park. Or, perhaps, for those who know about it, or for residents who live right next to the park, it is not significant enough to be reviewed. I think it's a pity because for me at least, it's such a beautiful little gem. It reminds me of the Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve in Orinda / Oakland hills. Few visitors, no dogs, green, cool and shaded, an ecological and botanical jewel indeed. We walked on a narrow dirt path that was rather ill-maintained compared to the hiking trails of, say, the Tilden Regional Park. At times, the dirt path was partially covered up by weed or overgrown grass, making it hard for us to know whether it was indeed the trail to be tread on. Nonetheless, we had a great time hiking in the park. We went in a hot day in early summer but as soon as we entered the park, we were under the shade most of the time. This place was green, lush, mostly shaded, and the hiking trail was narrow and winding, bringing us to be among various tall grass, wild flowers, trees (I don't know enough to name them here, but I guess if you're a bontanist, you'd love it here - there're so many different types of plants to see!). Time taken: About one hour. Level of difficulty: Rather easy, except for the downhill part. Be careful if you go after a rainy day, because the muddy trail would dirty your shoes and make your downhill trip difficult. Watch out, don't slip and fall! IMPORTANT NOTE: To find the TRAILHEAD of the park, go to Evergreen Lane. The entrance is at the end of the street. You will see the sign "End" at the end of the Evergreen Lane. Park your car somewhere near (street parking), and climb across the sign. The path is behind. You will see a small, winding dirt trail behind the "End" sign. Follow it and it would take you around. You may come back to the same spot (Evergreen Lane), or exit at Claremont Ave (if you go downhill). Or you may end up at the trailhead at Rispin. Directions to Garber Park can also be found at HYPERLINK "http://tinyurl.com/GarberPark" http://tinyurl.com/GarberPark. You may also find this video useful: http://vimeo.com/1852050 (I didn't participate in it - just found it on google and thought that I'd share with you here.) read more

One of the best gems in the East Bay. Quaint, quiet and great closed canopy forest. Great for a hike on a warm day, or a wet day, or any day really. Well maintained trails and a great volunteer group that keeps them in excellent condition! Garber Park Stewards rocks! read more

Just went on a goose chase for the entrance, got here and saw the signs. It's a nice enough park but keep it in mind. read more

Garber Park - Doesn't allow dogs. FYI. - Hiking Near Me - Berkeley, California

Small woodland park jam packed with California native plants. The trail meanders through a horsetail meadow, and Oak and Laurel trees. The short loop trail is on the side of a hill and very well made. At the trailhead on Rispin, there's a small swing set with a gorgeous view of Claremont Canyon. We saw two turkeys at the trailhead as well! It was a lush and green spring hike filled with ferns and towering Cow Parsnip. read more

on a whim, me and some friend walked 6 miles to get to the park and it was one of the most amazing places I've ever been to it was in February and it had been raining, so there were salamanders scuttling from under the rocks we turned over, and thousands of tiny mushrooms growing out from the underside of a fallen tree read more