Warning: Google Maps and AllTrails will lead you astray! The best starting point is Montclair…read moreParking Garage - 6235 La Salle Ave, Oakland. However! Maybe drive to this area and then drive around nearby to find residential parking instead IF you don't want to pay for parking. OR I have a 1-time free parking promo code for ya haha. Paying for parking at this parking garage is a tad annoying because you have to download an app (ParkMobile), register an account, select the right parking zone (6501), provide your license plate number, and pay... it was a lot slower than grabbing a ticket and proceeding to park. The good news is that at the time I went, the parking attendant gave me a promo code: FreeMV. Since this promo code gives you a whole day of free parking, I may recommend doing the trail and then walking around to enjoy Montclair Village! Haha take your sweet time and enjoy that free parking! There are many cute shops, grocery stores, coffee, and restaurants in the village. When you exit the garage by foot, turn left and you'll see a sign for Montclair Railroad Trail. This is definitely the "start" of the trail because the trail markers increase from 1/4 mile .. to 1 mile at the end of the trail, and then 2 miles total when you return (it is an out and back trail). It is a pretty easy walking path. There will be a few others but lots of space to keep distanced. The history of the spot is cool - it used to be railroad tracks (lol yuppp hence the name!). There is a sign speaking to this history along the trail. Get some fresh air, check out a new trail, enjoy the village, and take advantage of free parking!

Very nice walk , good for people with walkers. Fairly flat and level. Lots of dogs on and off leash…read more, although leashes are required.

Love this as a short hike! It starts in Lot E of Merritt College. Pretty tucked away (this is the…read moreback parking lot). Parking is $2 for the whole day if you don't have a student pass. Dogs are allowed off leash. +1 just for that! My dog loves this trail! It's not extremely long and does have some fairly steep inclines. The middle of the trail is covered by trees, so on a sunny day you have some protection. There's also a stream that runs along part of the trail that I've seen some dogs splashing around it. Not a crowded trail. Good if you want some peace and quiet and a nice view.

Great hidden trail that is part of the East Bay Parks system. I take my dog here, sans leash This…read moreis a great alternative to the crowded scene at nearby Redwood Park where hikers, dog walkers and bike riders sometimes fight it out for trail supremacy. Perhaps this place is a hidden gem because it's a little hard to find. Take Keller up the hill heading east, pass Skyline Pizza and a little shopping center off to your right then make the first left on Campus Drive. Make your first right into Shadow Woods condo complex and head left or all the way to the back of the condo complex and you will find the trail parking lot. It's about 2 miles of moderate up hill and connects to the Merritt College campus. A creek runs along the trail the whole way. Dogs love it because they can run around and take cooling dips when they want. Even on weekend it does not get that crowded.

A sweet experience that's more of a nature walk than an actual hike, though it starts with steps…read morefrom the Monterey Boulevard side of things. It took about an hour and was mostly flat with a few slight uphills here and there. Plenty of off-leash dogs, if that kind of thing bothers you. It doesn't bother me as long as they're friendly, and they were.

Perfect trail for city folk or children. If your a real outdoors person or have needs for longer…read moretrails for physical fitness - there are better places. The trail is peppered with numerous trolls. Kids and young at heart adults would love this sort of thing. The trolls are made of all different materials and so have varied personalities. There were countless trolls but I took a few photos of my favorites. City folk would love this place. If you are cooped up in a tiny two bedroom apartment with no back yard and no privacy this is just the place to go. Even though I've got a massive private backyard diligently maintained with lush landscaping I still enjoy this place. Came around sunset and the way light filtered through the branches of soaring redwoods was majestic. Lots of shady paths but they were a bit muddy - so don't wear your favorite Dunks. The entrance is hard to find and parking is mostly street. People walking here were friendly and many took their dogs. Kids seemed to enjoy the swing area toward the back best. Rocky's market area would be a perfect place to park. Then walk up the hill and look for the public hidden staircases. Elderly might have trouble with stairs. Wheelchair people I didn't see here. Moms with strollers - I'm not so sure - there are lots of roots and hills and parking might be a little ways away. If your blind be sure and bring a person who can tell you how beautiful things are. If a person was blind from birth I wouldn't know what to say. I once met a person as such and had a hard time describing anything as there is no point of reference ever. If you want to recreate this kind of feeling in your own backyard do as I do: Plant narrow evergreens around the entire perimeter of your yard. Then add some bird of paradise and palm trees. Presto! every time you enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning in your yard you have privacy and even in the winter it is green and beautiful.

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.

A pretty awesome workout at this trail. We did about six miles in a little bit over two hours…read more(1300 elevation). There were mixed shades and sun. There were some rocky paths here and there. Overall it's a moderate and enjoyable hike with some great views along the way.

I am smitten. Been hiking all up, down, and around Tilden Park lately, and I have to admit that…read morethis is definitely one of Tilden's most gorgeous trails! Probably like top 3 in my book. It's also one of the most crowded hiking trails, but it makes sense. That still shouldn't stop you from visiting (even during the pandemic). I've hiked this trail from the entrance of Inspiration point and from the entrance of the Steam Trains, and both ways are absolutely stunning. But, I would definitely recommend the entrance from Inspiration Point if it's your first time. You'll get the best views this way. You can do an out and back on this trail or you can turn it into a loop by connect to the Big Springs Trail. I did the loops and it was about 6 miles round trip. The trail itself isn't difficult but it's filled with lots of gradual inclines. The main pathway is wide and paved. Many families with strollers use this trail. The Sea View Trail meanders through tall Redwood groves and lush meadows. It's also filled with so many amazingly colorful wildflowers! Probably the most that I've seen on a trail that wasn't centered around flowers. Lots of wildlife is present. The surrounding views of the Briones and San Pablo Reservoir are truly breathtaking! Couple that with the stunning views of San Francisco and its' iconic landmarks, and you'll be in for a real treat. This trail exposes the true beauty of the Bay Area. What I love about this trail is that it stays lush and green all year around. But you just can't beat the bright blue skies and charming spring and summer sunsets. This trail is also very dog friendly for those with furry friends. It's so easy to connect to several other trails within Tilden Park from Sea View, but you may not want to venture off from this trail at first because it's just that beautiful.

Shady trail, water streams and a cool tunnel midway through. Some areas are overgrown and some…read moresections require being able to reach 2-3ft cement blocks to continue. Some pathways can become muddy so be mindful if walking in cold or post rainy weather. Other walkers were nice and answered questions when my party and I got turned around. Friendly dogs with owners (some poop on the trails).

I think I got confused about what I was reviewing here. Initially I thought it was the well-trodden…read moreBridgeview Trail which appears favored by dogs and their passive-aggressive owners and apparently DIY gnomes. Then I realized I've also been exploring all the less taken trails hidden in the foliage within Dimond Canyon, but I didn't see an entry for the canyon. I saw this one for Sausal Creek, which has basically shaped the canyon and runs through it in theory. And so here I am writing about it. I would be dismissive in calling this area Oakland's hidden gem because I presume everyone in the Dimond district already knows about this gem. Besides, the omnipresence of graffiti-saturated concrete and partially blocked switchbacks prevented me from going completely gaga over the canyon. However, many pleasures abound with the redwood grove at the northern end of the Bridgeview Trail where it just sorta stops because Highway 13 is in the way. There are random swings along the way and a distant view of a much-used driving range below. Steep switchbacks from Bridgeview lead you down to the creek, and the absence of others makes the area feel like an unused movie set. That movie is either "Swamp Thing" or "The Wizard of Oz" depending on what time of day you're here and what the weather is like. The trails go southward and lead you back to suburban civilization on El Centro Avenue. Immediately south is Dimond Park, which appears focused on the kiddies. I usually leave that area alone lest a micromanaging parent taps 911 on their iPhone. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

This was a wonderful trail! Anyone and everyone you ran across was very polite and shared the…read moretrails easily. Lots of side trails in the area that'll take you out to different starting points so be mindful. The area was so green with all the trees, its a nice break from the cities. Trail was dog and bicycles friendly. Bicyclist were nice enough to ring their bells or make you aware of them as they got near.

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.