Top 5 Dog-Friendly Hikes in Berkeley, California

Berkeley is a great place to visit because it has some of the best food, people, cannabis, and hikes in the Bay Area.

• Tilden Regional Park

Tilden Park, one of the District’s three oldest parks, has been dubbed the system’s gem, and its recreational activities have been a joyous tradition for generations of East Bay kids. Tilden has something for everyone, from a carousel ride to a picnic to a swim in Lake Anza and a tour around the Botanic Garden. Tilden’s 2,079 acres, however, provide plenty of quiet spots to protect wildlife and preserve natural beauty.

Tilden Park has 39.41 miles of trails that run through a variety of terrain. Hikers, cyclists, and horses are allowed on the bigger multi-use routes, whereas hikers and horses are only allowed on the smaller single-track routes. For more information, see the legend and path designations on the trail map below. Trail mileages are indicated in portions of the paths, while topographical lines indicate the terrain’s steepness. Trail maps are available at most of the park’s trailhead bulletin boards, or you can print one yourself (see the Park Info tab above on the right).

• Seaview Trail At Inspiration Point

With panoramic vistas of the San Francisco Bay to the west and Mount Diablo and the San Pablo Reservoir to the east, Tilden Regional Park’s Seaview Trail comes true to its name. Hikers, runners, bikers, equestrians, and canines can all enjoy this renowned ridge pathway.

The trail is paved for the first half mile and is shaded by tall Oak Trees. The track is fairly exposed until you reach the high point after the fire road ends and the dirt begins. A clearing with a picnic table and benches may be found here. The San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge gleam in the distance on a clear day. Red-tailed hawks can often be seen soaring overhead, making this a great spot for bird watching.

• Berkeley Fire Trails

These routes will reward you with magnificent views of the Bay and EastBay cities if you don’t mind ascending steep hills. Don’t forget about the bridges. Yes, go on walks when the weather is nice. In the sun, it can get quite hot.

It’s a terrific area to work out with a beautiful view from the top of the hill.

Clark Kerr Fire Trail is the place to go if you’re seeking a local medium hiking/workout spot in Berkeley. It’s peaceful, surrounded by nature, with an easy route to the track and a pleasant sitting spot with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Area.

If you enjoy riding, this may be the best option, but choose the southeast route.

If you want to see as far as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Area, hike on a clear day.

• Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

The Berkeley Hills of the East Bay section of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, is home to the Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. The park, which is part of the East Bay Regional Parks District, is 928 acres in size and is located east of Oakland, in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

The preserve has a number of trails. Only a few are suitable for multi-purpose use and most are restricted to hiking and equestrian riding. From the visitor center to the summit of Round Top, Round Top Road is paved. The preserve does not have any campers or picnic sites. The unstaffed visitor center at the Skyline Boulevard entry has booklets for self-guided excursions. It also includes geological maps of the area.

Hiking Trails in the Preserve

• The East Bay Skyline Regional Trail, which runs for 31 miles (50 kilometers) along the ridgeline that separates Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Anthony Chabot Regional Park, passes through the Sibley preserve.
• The Sibley visitor center is located on Round Top Road, which leads to the summit of Round Top. The CLOSED Round Top Loop Trail rounds the summit of Round Top.
• Most of the stations on the self-guided volcanic tour are located along Volcanic Trail, which was previously a quarry haul road.
• Quarry Trail runs from the middle of Volcanic Trail to a place on Quarry Road that is lower down.
• Pond Trail is a small trail stretch on the preserve’s north side that leads to a couple small ponds.

• Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

The East Bay Regional Park District manages Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, a small regional park primarily located in Oakland, California.

Apart from two hiking paths, Stonewall Panoramic Trail and Gwin Canyon Trail, the Preserve is relatively undeveloped and offers almost no services to tourists.

The Stonewall Panoramic Trail begins behind the historic Claremont Hotel, at a parking lot on Stonewall Road. The trail is 1.6 miles long (2.6 kilometers) and climbs 700 feet (210 m). The steep climb up to the summit provides spectacular views of Berkeley and Oakland, as well as San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the city of San Francisco.

Gwin Canyon, a side canyon within the Preserve, has a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) route that may be reached from the end of Norfolk Road at Strathmoor Drive in the Oakland Hills. The trail finishes 0.6 miles (0.97 km) from the trailhead, just before Claremont Creek.