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.

I know some people say that people here are soft because they complain about the elevation. It is…read moreno 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.

Somehow like Connie, the first Yelped for this location, we started at Clark Kerr Fire Trail and I…read moreguess the trail merge with Stonewall trail. There no real address, we parked on the street, next to the Golden Bears Youth Gym: 25 Sports Lane Berkeley, CA 94720 United States We parked cross street Dwight Way and Sport Lane like what Connie said Overall, lots of steps, lots of incline pet friendly, steps are stable wide and safe It was fun, will be going back again

We parked at the end of Dwight Way, next to Clark Kerr Track.  Walked up many steps then down and…read morebended right to an open area, to take in the views at Berkeley Overlook Vista Point.  Then looped back via Stonewall Panoramic Trail.  This hike was short, steep and filled with great views.

Fantastic trail in the mountains Northeast of Piedmont, CA…read more The Round Top trail goes around an old volcanic mountain that has been rounded down. The trail is a 2 mile loop. Its quite easy. There no water, facilities, or cell service. It can get quite windy as you are at about 1500 ft in elevation with no protection. But its an easy hike that gives sweeping views of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. On a clear day, you can see the Salesforce tower in the distance in San Francisco. There are rock mazes setup along the trail in various spots. They are great for kids to play in. The loop takes about an hour to complete. Parking is available at the trail head. It is safe and untouristed.

I was able to snag a parking spot at the staging area (there aren't a ton of parking spaces…read more However, people park along the road). I did the self guided tour Volcanic tour. We wanted a more of hike, so after the tour we ended up doing a big loop. For those who might have reactive dogs, there are a ton of off leash dogs.

"Popular Trail in a Spooky Location."…read more The staging area is on Old Tunnel Road in Orinda. There's also an entrance to the Sibley Park close by. There's only a few spaces at the actual staging area, but on the road to the service yard, there's a lot more spaces. I believe the road to the service yard is where the old tunnel used to be, but I think there's nothing to see there. The day that I visited, there was a sign that said the trail was closed--darn I missed it! The trail was actually in good shape--just a portion of the trail was washed out. But don't worry, I didn't go down the hillside. Along the trail, there are no facilities or water, so be sure to bring lots of water. The trail takes you up to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. If you keep going, you will end up at Tilden, near the steam trains. So overall, I'm glad I hiked this trail. At least once, anyway.

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.

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

This is a this is one of the smaller wilderness parks in the city of Walnut Creek. This particular…read morepark is in divided into several sections. Some of them are very close to the East Bay Mud water treatment plant. I don't believe there are any facilities in this park, and I did not see any drinking water. The trails are well maintained however. And the signs appear to be correct. While this is not one of my favorite parks, it's a decent place to go hiking. I enjoyed my visit.

My daughter's choir was practicing nearby. While I waited for her to finish I decided to take a…read morehike and that's how I arrived at Acalanes Ridge. This is a nice hike near downtown Walnut Creek. Residential parking is easy, as is finding the trailhead. This path seems well-worn by hikers and dog walkers alike. If I find myself in Walnut Creek with time to kill in the future, I'll come here!

We just went last month again and went different direction---we all LOVED it! Great parking lot…read more Water views, horses, birds, ground critters, trails thru meadows, woods, by river, by reservoir, by creek, behind peaceful subdivision w beautiful backyard gardens, tons of dragonflies when we went this time! Love seeing these pics of my kiddo growing up on the same trailhead.

The Upper San Leandro Reservoir was created in 1926 by impounding the San Leandro Creek. The dam…read moreget most of its water from the Mokelumne Aqueduct that brings water from the Sierra Nevada's. The original earthen dam was deemed seismically unsound and a new dam was build just past it in 1977. The water is distributed to local communities by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. There is an extensive public trail system that surrounds the lake, but no fishing or boating is allowed.

It was good to find a new trail, at least new for me since it's been open to the public since 2010…read more As part of the John Muir Land Trust (and not East Bay Regional Parks), the trail is just south of Highway 4 between Hercules and Martinez, definitely an isolated area of grassy hills with the added challenge of Highway 4 speed demons who believe the speed limit doesn't apply to them. Heading east, I had to slow down to take a minor exit onto Christie Road. The trailhead is only 0.7 miles down a paved road, though the parking lot itself is on gravel. There's a restroom and a suspension bridge they built as the starting point of the hike. I followed the Windmill Trail and failed to see the windmill. I did see the old dairy farm and a herd of cows who had little interest in my presence. The trail climbs a bit to a locked gate protecting the Pinole Valley Watershed. That was my cue to follow the woodsy Woodrat Trail and then the Whipsnake Trail for the elevated views. Luckily I didn't run into either woodrats nor whipsnakes, but I did see young deer jumping in a large meadow next to the concluding Black Phoebe Trail. The entire loop was less than four miles but still a reasonable workout if you need the steps RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

I am not a local around here but my in-laws are. I needed to find a nice decent trail to hike in…read morefor my weekend hikes. I did the 'Black Phoebe to a Windmill Trail' loop which was only four miles and around 680ft. Make sure to go clock wise on the loop. I would consider this an easy trail; zigzag trails to higher elevation so it's good for beginners and kids. On 'AllTrails' app they considered this a moderate trail. Plenty of shade for those hot summers. Nice loose dirt but not good once winter hits and it rains. Some horse poops, some cows and their poops and was dry when we hiked. This place has a good amount of private car parking and a place to have a day picnic. There is no garbage cans or water access so bring your own. There is two other longer trails in this ranch so I will be back when I get a chance. Definitely, a nice trail to come to for a nice hike. [62/100]