It's hard to imagine that the bucolic fire roads in Wildcat Canyon and Tilden Park once connected…read morethe US military with missile radar stations and launch sites during the depths of the Cold War. Or maybe not given the escalating tensions we have with Russia. But back in 1962 during a moment of atypical calm, a stone circle was built by the Berkeley Rotary Club to allow people agitated by the Commies a meditative spot to take in panoramic, 360-degree views of the SF Bay Area to the west and San Pablo Reservoir to the east. Years later it's still a nice respite if it isn't crowded up here as it sometimes does on warm weekends. Most people walk on Nimitz Way, the mostly paved path from Inspiration Point, to get here. However, my favorite route starts on the Wildcat Creek Trail where I take the gradual climb on the Conlon Trail where you get the same bay views you get from the peak. Except maybe for a herd of unimpressed cows in your way. I then descend on the zig-zaggy Wildcat Peak Trail back to Wildcat Creek. Gee, I sound like an actual hiker, don't I? RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

One of those backyard discoveries that makes me question why it's taken me so long to actually get…read morehere. Welp... I finally made it here. And it is truly sensational. I've pretty much been all up, down, and around Tilden Park. But even with that, I always seem to discover trails that I've never hiked before. It's a huge park, so that makes total sense. Wildcat Peak was one of those recent discovery trails and vista points for me. I've always seen it on the park map, but you know when you get used to hiking on your favorite trails and you neglect all of the rest? That was me. I mean, that IS me. A creature of habit I guess. So on this very day, I decided to explore a different part of Tilden. Entered the park through the nature area and started near Jewel Lake on the Wildcat Creek Trail. This trail is super easy, flat, and partially paved. You'll pass by Jewel Lake along this trail. Turned right onto Sylvan and then left onto the Wildcat Peak Trail. This part of the Wildcat Peak Trail features switchbacks that incline up to the peak. It's a nice workout in general, but the views of the Bay is what makes this jaunt super enjoyable. Once you reach the peak, you'll have the most incredible views of the Bay Bridge, Briones Reservoir, San Pablo Bay, and Berkeley city views. There's a little brick barrier wall at the summit where you can sit and admire the views. It's 360 degrees of pure scenic bliss up there. From here, you can go back the same way you came up, or you can connect to another trail. I connected to the Laurel Canyon trail which looped me back around to the Tilden Nature area. There are so many vibrant wildflowers and plants nestled along this trail loop. The trail has a nice mix of covered and exposed paths. You'll pass through beautiful groves and notice the rampant wildlife on the trails. In the late winter and early spring, it's so incredibly green here. Wildcat Peak is such a gorgeous vista point within Tilden Park. I'd highly recommend the Wildcat Creek/Wildcat Peak/ Sylvan/Laurel Canyon trail loops. It's simply marvelous.

One side offers views of Cal in its entirety,....can spot Dwinelle, Campanile, Evans, Doe very…read moreeasily.,.. The other, west, is of the Bay. Super cool and great little hike to it. Came over Labor Day weekend. Came Saturday for the view. Annoying pledges from Cal ( yes, you, SAE) during Rush left large cases of strewn PBR without throwing them. Shame on you----

Yep, this is one of the almost dozen rock parks that freckle the Berkeley Hills, but this one…read moredidn't necessitate a passion for rock climbing to enjoy it. Patience, however, helped since the location required winding through narrow residential streets. It's definitely an upward trek albeit on pavement, but the end result was worth. It consisted of an ideal patch of green surrounded by a low rock wall which provides climbing opportunities below for the more adventurous. For the rest of us, there's a nice panoramic view of the bay from the covered terrace. There are several picnic tables if you're looking to hold an outdoor party. I was just looking for steps. RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

I'm continuing my walk around Lake Merritt with my guide who grew up right in this area, like you…read moreknow, even had a paper route (things boys had in those days) right here on Lakeshore Ave. Looking for iconic Oakland landmarks, he wanted to show me this long stairway. This is called the Cleveland Cascade. At the top it comes out at Cleveland Street, but it's actually Merritt Ave. Cleveland Street just goes into some private driveways. It's a beautiful walkway and been here like 100 years or more. It's a good place to come for photo shoots and romantic walks. There's a bench at the top to sit and make out. Well, that's what I'm told anyways! The stairs make a good shortcut if you need to get from Merritt Ave above to Lake Merritt/ Lakeshore Ave. I'm enjoying seeing these iconic landmarks of Oakland. Who knew stairs would be a landmark, but there's a sign at the top explaining the history.

Stair walkway next to Lake Merrit…read more Good for a gym workout if you don't feel like stair master. Very beautiful part of Oakland. Lots of people jogging around the lake. Lots of life. Many food trucks pop up around here on the weekends. No bbq Becky in sight.

Looking for sweeping views of the Bay but don't want to deal with a bunch of other people? Grotto…read moreRock Park is perfect - don't bother going to Grizzly Peak or Indian Rock Park next time you wanna watch a gorgeous sunset! Using Google Maps and the address listed on Yelp took us straight to the park. There was a lot of street parking right next to the rock formation when we went at 8pm on a Friday evening, but that might not always be the case since you're in a neighborhood. You can climb directly up or take dirt paths that go around the rock formation. There are steps/paths carved in the rock at multiple entry points, but for the easiest access, I'd recommend taking a right when you enter the park, walking up for about a minute, and then you'll see the easiest rock path up. There's a cute stone bench carved into the rock near the top, where my boyfriend and I ate pizza and watched the sunset. Climbing difficulty is on the easier side and there were only two other people when we went. As always, be respectful when you're at the park! Aka pick up your trash, don't blare music - you're in someone's neighborhood.

When is a rock a park? Well, here's an answer to that question. It's less than a third of an acre,…read moreand most of it is a big immovable rock formation. Geologists might have a field day assessing the volcano-based outcropping, but the ignorant (not the igneous) might beg to differ as it is a quick walk around and then you move on. Zealots can climb on it for views, but I'm not that adventurous even though there are carved stairs. Let's just say I'd be the character telling people not to climb the upside-down Christmas tree in "The Poseidon Adventure" and die five minutes later. RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

I've spent so much time on my couch lately, I left a permenant indentation in one of the cushions…read more I decided to get some exercise and tackled York Trail. It was a beautiful, shady hike, with a nice view from the top. The path winds it's way along a creek, and over some old wooden foot bridges. It's a very picturesque location. It wasn't very difficult, but there is some elevation, so I was sweating. I brought two bottles of water and only had a little left at the end. There were some friendly people on the trail enjoying the sights and walking their dogs. It was fairly easy to navigate even without a map, but I don't recommend it. I just like to live dangerously.

Review is for the York Trail hike in the park, I found a waterfall hike that wasn't too far and…read moredecided to come check it out. Parking is easy early in the morning and it's a short walk from the street to the trailhead, when we came the parking lot was closed. The trailhead is located near the ranger station with the closed parking lot, its right next to it in the lower section and not up the small hill. The trail is not well maintained and there were 2-3 areas where the footpath was very small, if you slipped you would be going down a pretty steep cliff on the left. About halfway through it got too dangerous with 2 kids and we had to turn around. The section was on an incline with very small footpaths and we decided it was better to turn around than to risk falling down. It was shaded and enjoyable so we would go back if the trails are ever fixed.

I am smitten. Been hiking all up, down, and around Tilden Park lately, and I have to admit that…read morethis is definitely one of Tilden's most gorgeous trails! Probably like top 3 in my book. It's also one of the most crowded hiking trails, but it makes sense. That still shouldn't stop you from visiting (even during the pandemic). I've hiked this trail from the entrance of Inspiration point and from the entrance of the Steam Trains, and both ways are absolutely stunning. But, I would definitely recommend the entrance from Inspiration Point if it's your first time. You'll get the best views this way. You can do an out and back on this trail or you can turn it into a loop by connect to the Big Springs Trail. I did the loops and it was about 6 miles round trip. The trail itself isn't difficult but it's filled with lots of gradual inclines. The main pathway is wide and paved. Many families with strollers use this trail. The Sea View Trail meanders through tall Redwood groves and lush meadows. It's also filled with so many amazingly colorful wildflowers! Probably the most that I've seen on a trail that wasn't centered around flowers. Lots of wildlife is present. The surrounding views of the Briones and San Pablo Reservoir are truly breathtaking! Couple that with the stunning views of San Francisco and its' iconic landmarks, and you'll be in for a real treat. This trail exposes the true beauty of the Bay Area. What I love about this trail is that it stays lush and green all year around. But you just can't beat the bright blue skies and charming spring and summer sunsets. This trail is also very dog friendly for those with furry friends. It's so easy to connect to several other trails within Tilden Park from Sea View, but you may not want to venture off from this trail at first because it's just that beautiful.

A pretty awesome workout at this trail. We did about six miles in a little bit over two hours…read more(1300 elevation). There were mixed shades and sun. There were some rocky paths here and there. Overall it's a moderate and enjoyable hike with some great views along the way.

I'm kind of shocked that more people haven't reviewed this park. But then again, I like the fact…read morethat 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.

Amazing Park on the edge of the Oakland / Berkeley hills. I guess you could call this an urban…read morepark, 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.

My partner and I are getting back into hiking, after a hiatus…read more We used to hike this park weekly, and finally got back into these hills this week. We intend to get back into a routine. 6.2 miles, starting on the Stream Trail, progressing to Fern Trail, then French Trail, finishing up the climb with Madrone Trail, and finally a lengthy but mostly flat walk back to the starting point along Westridge Trail. It's a workout and a half, with lots of uphill, especially the Madrone part. Thankfully, it's largely shaded. There's always cute dogs on the trails, and it's great seeing them running around, enjoying life and nature off a leash, as it should be. Wear good hiking shoes, bring water, and a hat. When you're done, you'll be exhausted but glad you did it. Afterwards, head on to El Agavero, a short drive into Montclair, for recovery food and margaritas. You've earned it.

You will forget where you are! Miles and miles of hiking to…read morebe found here amongst towering coastal redwoods. Free parking Dogs allowed Not usually crowded. If you start in the morning fog it's even more magical. Great place to get lost in nature and talk to the trees.