This staircase sunset hike will take us through the beautiful Thousand Oaks neighborhood, including three parks (ride down a concrete slide optional, but highly encouraged!), a dozen stairways, beautiful architecture (including a stop at the Spring Mansion), and Bay views at every turn. We’ll return at the starting point shortly after sunset.
We will check out 12 paths in the Elmwood/Claremont neighborhood, passing some grand houses and beautiful gardens. The four-mile walk includes a fair amount of up and down, including quite a few stairs.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
We’ll be exploring whimsical Point Richmond—a fun, hilly, bay-front neighborhood just south of the Richmond Bridge. The golden hour is the best time to check out the Point’s wonderful Wave Garden, a magical space with beautiful sculptures, landscaping, and views. We’ll also wander on hidden stairs and paths to Keller Beach and to “Little Point Richmond,” the Bay Area’s absolute BEST collection of fairy houses.
As part of our All-the-Parks-in-Berkeley series, this route packs in nine distinctive parks. We’ll stroll streets named for literary greats, admire some Victorian homes and 19th-century landmarks, and see how these neighborhoods have evolved over the decades. Dogs are more than welcome; they might just add a few new favorite spots to their sniff list as we explore green spaces and history together.
From the largest mural in Berkeley to a tiny handprint in Emeryville, this walk is full of surprises! In addition to lots of public art, we’ll pass chic new architecture, whimsical utility boxes, artist co-ops, and some fascinating light industry. We’ll walk the length of Aquatic Park and check out the enormous new Berkeley Commons.
Calling all early risers! Starting off in the dark, we’ll walk along the paved trail for two miles and then head up a short but steep fire road to Wildcat Peak. We’ll reach our sunrise spot about an hour into the hike and have a coffee break while we wait to greet the day.
On this strenuous hike, we’ll take stairways to reach Selby Trail and go past Jewell Lake to the top of Wildcat Peak for sweeping views of the Bay and East Bay hills. After a brief stop at Lake Anza, we’ll return to the Rose Garden. Allow ample time to park, as we’ll be leaving promptly at 8:35.
Think of this hike as one long UP and one long DOWN! This moderate hike takes us via many stairs, walkways, and paths up to Grizzly Peak Blvd. Then, we go even a little higher before our descent. On a clear day, we will see some nice views of San Francisco. Bring extra layers, hiking poles, and water.
Be sure to stop by BPWA’s booth, located on the north side of the street just east of Ensenada Avenue, at the Solano Stroll on September 14. We’ll have lots of fun merchandise for sale, including our 10th edition map, our new T-shirt, and more. Come say hello and share your path stories with us!
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available. To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
We will visit the set of walking paths in Kensington that go between streets and were originally created to facilitate access to streetcars and later buses. Rodney will talk about the history of the paths and efforts to secure public ownership by the Kensington Pathkeepers group he's involved in.
With apologies to those who missed July's hike because the wrong time was posted on our website, we’re reprising our hike through the beautiful city of Piedmont. The route goes through Piedmont Park and Dracena Park and, as we discovered on July's walk, by a bald eagle nest!
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available. To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
Millions of years before its first human inhabitants arrived, North Berkeley was strewn with fascinating rock formations. Today, the area includes a set of lovely parks where these remnants of its geologic past can be seen.
For most Americans, the term “suburbia” conjures single-family homes and uniform architecture in areas that are solely residential and reliant on car transportation. With its array of land uses and architectural styles, North Berkeley defies this stereotype; its differences are the qualities that make it great.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
We walk from the Berkeley Rose Garden on streets, stairs, and paths all the way UP to Grizzly Peak Blvd! We then start our way down, but take a few more stairs UP along the way for extra credit! We walk on some steep stairs (both UP and DOWN) so you will definitely get your heart rate up!
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
Take advantage of a unique opportunity to join a leisurely walk and a conversation with Shoshana O'Keefe, Berkeley District 5 Councilmember. The group will spend the first 15 minutes at the Great Stoneface Park for introductions and initial questions. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are allowed.
We will walk along the paved Nimitz Way trail for 2 miles and then head up a short but rather steep 0.25-mile fire road to Wildcat Peak. We’ll reach the peak about an hour into the hike and take a long break to watch the sun set and the full moon rise.
Millions of years before its first human inhabitants arrived, North Berkeley was strewn with fascinating rock formations. Today, the area includes a set of lovely parks where these remnants of its geologic past can be seen. We'll talk about the Native American presence in the area and how the rocks were used by these first inhabitants.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
Start at Live Oak Park and proceed to the Rose Garden and walk towards Grizzly Peak. Along the way we will experience great views of the Bay as well as see a mural and some pottery.
Think of this hike as one long UP and one long DOWN! This moderate hike takes us via many stairs, walkways, and paths up to Grizzly Peak Blvd. Then, we go even a little higher before our descent. On a clear day, we will see some nice views of San Francisco. Bring extra layers, hiking poles, and water.
For most Americans, the term "suburbia" conjures single-family homes and uniform architecture in areas that are solely residential and reliant on car transportation. With its array of land uses and architectural styles, North Berkeley defies this stereotype.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
For this month's installment of the sunset Friday hikes, we are headed into Piedmont. We'll check out Piedmont Park and Dracena Park and walk by redwoods, creeks, and mansions with magnificent gardens and views.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available. To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
Think of this hike as one long UP and one long DOWN! This moderate hike takes us via many stairs, walkways, and paths up to Grizzly Peak Blvd. Then, we go even a little higher before our descent. On a clear day, we will see some nice views of San Francisco. Bring extra layers, hiking poles, and water.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available.
To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
This area was largely developed in the early 20th century and features a variety of Craftsman homes and the College Avenue commercial district. Up the hill, we’ll see some large homes from before and after the disastrous 1991 fire, as well as views and some interesting public stairways. All the paths are paved but there are some steep sections.
Celebrate the summer solstice with a golden-hour walk through one of Berkeley’s most scenic areas! On the longest day of the year, we’ll enjoy bay breezes, sailboats in the marina, and panoramic views of the Golden Gate and San Francisco skyline—ending with a sunset over the water. Bring layers and your camera, as there should be beauty in every direction.
This walk traces the history of a largely forgotten piece of the circa-1900 East Bay urban landscape, the tank house. From the 1860s through the 1920s, windmill-topped water towers stood on nearly every city block. Only a handful remain of the hundreds of tank houses that once existed in Berkeley. We'll visit five surviving examples in South Berkeley and North Oakland.
This month's installment of the Friday sunset hikes takes us farther afield to Oakland and the beautiful Grand Lake and Lakeshore neighborhoods. Oakland has about 230 urban paths and staircases and this four-mile hike will cover 14 of them. We'll also visit the Morcom Rose Garden, a gem that rivals Berkeley's Rose Garden which we visited on last month's hike.
The work is mostly weeding, sweeping, raking, and clipping. We will have gloves and tools available. To receive the location information, RSVP path.maintenance@berkeleypaths.org.
This year’s long walk takes us to three lakes—Lake Merritt, Lake Temescal, and Lake Anza—via Oakland’s and Berkeley’s paths, trails, and parks. Grab your Clipper Card and join us for an East Bay fun day!
A fast-paced, strenuous walk from the Rose Garden up to Grizzly Peak Blvd and back.
