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Yosemite Steps (Path #4)

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Meet the Paths:
An Exploration of Yosemite Steps by Lori Kohlstaedt
Berkeley Path Wanderers Association Newsletter -- Summer 2006 -- Vol. 9 No. 2

You might begin your exploration of Yosemite Steps at the corner of Solano and The Alameda, where it changes abruptly from a busy thoroughfare to a quiet residential street. As you walk north along the east side of The Alameda, traffic noise abates and shortly you will notice a whitewashed cement railing on your right. This marks the presence of Blackberry Creek, which you can see running in a narrow bed between the houses at numbers 815 and 817.

Look for the beginning of Yosemite steps as The Alameda begins to rise again. Just as you turn onto the path, notice a giant clump of calla lilies on the right. This first section of the path is a little wild with encroaching vegetation and looming fences from the neighbors on each side.

As you approach Contra Costa Avenue, you may hear music. The sounds of a violin are likely to come from the house on your left whose front walk joins the path. This is the home of a distinguished luthier (violin maker), Peter van Arsdale.

Contra Costa Avenue is a narrow, quiet street, like many in the Berkeley hills. The majority of the houses here were built between 1912 and 1920 when the streets were added in this area of rolling meadows and large boulders.

You may want to turn right on Contra Costa and cross the creek to Contra Costa Rock Park. The steps carved into the rock surface lead to the top, where there is a panoramic view of the Bay. Return to Yosemite Steps by the same route.

Continue on the upper segment of Yosemite Steps, which is slightly north of the lower segment. Here the path immediately begins a steep rise. As you climb, a view of a charming garden opens on the left. Stop to smell the roses on the fence and to peek into this garden.

On the left, as you continue up two more sets of steps, you will find a literary treat. Local poetry lovers maintain a tradition of posting poems on the wooden fence here. The collection is ever-changing. On a recent visit, offerings included poems by ee cummings and Pablo Neruda

Yosemite Steps ends at Yosemite Road. Directly in front of you is another of Berkeley’s many miniparks, Frederick Park. To your left, Yosemite Road angles back downhill. This short street boasts several houses of architectural interest. At 1962 Yosemite is an English country cottage designed by Julia Morgan. Further down the street, at number 1941, is an “English village” designed by John Hudson Thomas. If you continue past the corner of Yosemite Road and Contra Costa Avenue, there is another park, Great Stoneface Park, and the boulder that gives it its name.

Return to the top of Yosemite Steps. Arlington Avenue is to your right. To return to where you began, walk along Arlington to Indian Rock Path. Follow the three segments of this path back down to the corner of Solano and The Alameda.

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Architectural and historical information courtesy of the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.