Simone's Spotlight

Best East Bay Hikes Part 1

January 31st, 2022

🎉 Hey East Bay 🎉
Wildcat Gorge to Meadows Canyon Trail Loop, Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley

Distance: 3.3 miles

Time Required: 1 hour 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Parking: Free, available at Lake Anza parking lot

Directions: Follow Lake Anza Trail and turn left onto Wildcat Gorge Trail until the Meadows Canyon Trail. Follow onto Curran Trail and descend back to Wildcat Gorge Trail

Tilden Regional Park is one of the original regional parks in the East Bay and a classic hiking spot in Berkeley. 

Beyond some amazing trails, the park has a carousel and farm, and Lake Anza offers seasonal swimming, making it a destination for families in particular. Tilden is just a short drive from downtown Berkeley but once you’re there, you’ll feel far removed from the bustling college town.

There’s plenty of shade on this beautiful East Bay hike, and a creek and lake along the way as well. If you can, go early. 

Beyond avoiding the crowds, hiking in the morning as the fog is lifting gives Tilden an unreal and enchanted feel. 

Huckleberry Nature Path, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland

Distance: 1.7 miles

Time Required: 1 hour 45 minutes

Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Parking: Free, available at Skyline Blvd. staging area. If the parking lot is full, park along the road

Directions: From the staging area, follow Huckleberry Path

A gem nestled in the Oakland Hills, the preserve is abundant with plants and flowers found nowhere else in the East Bay. 

This path is a self-guided tour within the reserve – think of it as a two-for-one nature walk and learning adventure (there are plaques throughout the trail explaining the different plants). 

This beautiful East Bay hiking trail is shaded with a canopy of evergreens with some views of the valley, and you’ll gradually encounter a mild incline. The path has an upper and lower trail – stay on the upper if you want to take it easy, take the lower if you’re up for a little more of a workout. 

Besides the namesake huckleberries, you’ll wander through many kinds of ferns, bay laurels, and manzanitas, just to name a few. Each season will showcase different plants and flowers, so don’t limit yourself to just a one-time excursion.

For more information, see the park website.

Stream Trail to French Trail, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland

Distance: 5.2 miles

Time Required: 3 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Parking: Free, Skyline Gate staging area

Directions: From the staging area, take the Stream Trail, make a right onto Fern Trail, and continue onto French Trail. Make a right onto West Ridge Trail.

The name says it all – come here if you want to see California’s coastal redwoods, right in Oakland! 

It’s a great and quieter alternative to going to Muir Woods north of SF, which gets crowded with tourists and locals alike. 

Redwood Regional Park is filled with many trails to choose from, and this one is moderate enough that you can admire the abundance of 150-foot redwoods and ferns as you go. 

This park is also a great place for spying animals such as deer, rabbits, and even the rare golden eagle. Once you’re deep in the heart of the forests, you’ll notice the air around you is cooler and milder thanks to a refreshing stream of air flowing in, making this spot great for the summer months.

Mt. Diablo Falls Trail, Mt. Diablo State Park, Clayton, East Bay

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 4 hours

Difficulty: Advanced

Parking: free, limited parking available on Regency Drive

Trailhead: Regency Gate at the end of Regency Drive

Directions:  Follow Donner Canyon Road, following it until Meridian Ridge Fire Road and make a right. Continue until Middle Trail, make a left and follow until you reach Falls Trail.

A little further east in Clayton, Mt. Diablo State Park offers over 40 trails to explore, some of which offer the most spectacular views of the East Bay. 

Hikers clamber to Mt. Diablo for these panoramas, but if you’re looking to chase waterfalls, the Falls Trail is your best bet!

You’ll meander through grasslands and oak savannahs with waterfalls (yes, plural) along the way. The waterfalls are of course best after rainfall, so going in the winter or spring means the waterfalls are flowing and the hills are at their most vibrant. 

The path can be quite muddy and slippery after rainfall, and once you hit Falls Trails, there are some steep sections, so take care. If you go during the summer or during dryer months, the landscape won’t be as lush but you’ll still spy some gorgeous wildflowers and amazing views of the valley. 

A word of caution, especially to any arachnophobes out there: Mt. Diablo State Park is known for its tarantulas, which come out in full force for mating season in late August through early October! If you spy a tarantula, they’re not out to get you and they’re actually harmless – their venom isn’t poisonous to people.

For more information, check the park website.

Springhill Loop, Briones Regional Park, Berkeley

Distance: 3.9 miles

Time Required: 2 hours 30 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Parking: Free, available at Springhill Road

Directions: Follow Springhill Road to Springhill Trail and follow to Lafayette Ridge Trail. Turn right onto Briones Crest Trail and keep right and follow to Sunrise Trail. Turn left onto Buckeye Ranch Trail to finish.

Northeast of Berkeley, Briones Regional Park is 6,000 acres of open space with miles upon miles of rolling hills. The park has grazing land with cows and horses, and a research center for UC Berkeley. 

This loop is a series of trails with some uphill sections interspersed and is mostly unshaded, so make sure to pack a hat and sunglasses. Be prepared to climb and work up a sweat, but the steep inclines are well worth it for the views. 

Once you get to the ridge, you’ll be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of Walnut Creek and the surrounding areas, as well as unparalleled views of Mt. Diablo.

There’s a bench right where Sunrise Trails starts, a perfect spot to enjoy the views and munch on a snack before finishing the trail. In the springtime, the hills are an unbelievable green and the wildflowers are in full bloom. If you want to make the most of the sweeping views, go during sunrise or sunset!

For more information, check the park website.