Beautiful views of the Bay! The trails are steep, with plenty of gravel and poison oak beside the path. Be careful to stay on the trail and wear pants. There are no bathrooms. They have benches along the paths so you can sit and enjoy the scenery. Parking is easy, with plenty of street parking. Saturday can be a little hectic because the recycling center is open and there is limited parking. My go-to hike for a peaceful, fast hike with beautiful views! Cuatro catorce dos mil viente cinco read more

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Great place with awesome views. Steep if you go west to east, can be muddy. But! Dogs on leash only and bicycles/ebikes/motorized vehicles NOT allowed. Only open sunrise to sunset. read more

How can nature get anything less than 5 stars? Since becoming mobile again I've decided to do more outdoor activities. It makes me feel good, it makes everyone feel good! There are too many scenic views of the Bay Area, and I wanna see them all! I parked at the top, so I started at the top so my trek was downhill then uphill. My pictures can leave a better review than I can in words, but it's a cute, small hike. There were a few families out on Sunday morning, as well as Dogs and their humans (LOL) when I went out. I wish I could take my dog but she's just too tiny and would tire quickly, but that's neither here nor there. This hike is about maybe 30 minutes up and back down. I ventured into the nature a few times, so it took me longer. There's a beautiful route along the way right after the sign informing us about Oak Trees. There's another area leading to a path down scenic beauty as well. There are a few small steps that you'll see, but if you have time and are interested in going down this route, you won't regret it. 10/10 view 10/10 for a light hike. Also, this is a nice area for an outdoor lunch. I JUST WANT TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSE AND I'VE BEEN WANTING TO BE OUT OF THE HOUSE SINCE MAY! For those of y'all who work from home AND go to school online, I know you can relate. Anyway, check this spot out. read more

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This is a beautiful little trail my friends told me about. I took a trail that started straight ahead of Schmidt Lane, and climbed uphill from there. It took about 15 minutes to get to the top of the hill where I was greeted with beautiful views of the El Cerrito skyline. read more

Hillside Natural Area - Parks Near Me - El Cerrito, California

It's really a big community backyard for El Cerrito that's literally on a steep hill. No argument from me whether it's a natural area either. There's nothing manicured about the gravel trails and Halloween-eerie trees that cover this contained patch of wilderness. It's paradise for the local canine populace and their owners who criss-cross the trails with great frequency. That means watching your step to avoid inconvenient fecal matter, presumably from the dogs. The trails are short in here as they end up at the surrounding suburban cul-de-sacs, but the higher-level ones are worth trekking just for the panoramic views of the bay, spectacular by anybody's standards. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here are the places around the Bay Area where I have trod: bit.ly/2OsCCsK read more

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Wow! This place is a hidden gem. Its easily accessible and near civilization, but once you get up on the trail, you feel like you are in a whole different world. Parking here is super easy. There is ample street parking right next to the trail head. We last went on a Saturday afternoon and there were only 3 other cars there. NOTE: This trail is open during COVID, but with reasonable restrictions. There are posted signs that require social distancing and masks. Every person we came across on the trail was in fact wearing a mask. The best time to go is sunset. After a 15 minute (~1.2 mile) walk, you come upon a crest that has panoramic views of the entire Bay Area. The sun sets over the water and creates an epic sight. Highly recommend for a COVID, socially-distanced nature getaway. read more

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A quick, short hike to the top for a nice view of the Bay. You can see both the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. El Cerrito is a prime spot for good views given its location. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a hike with a skyline view who is in the area. If I didn't live in El Cerrito, I probably wouldn't come here because it's a very short hike and the way to the top isn't too exciting. The best part is probably at the top to see the view. Some parts of this hike are steep but I thought it was pretty easy. My friend on the other hand needed to take breaks and found it strenuous. I would also add that the weather will impact the view you see at the top. Fog was covering a lot on the day we went, but that goes for a lot of hiking viewpoints. If we saw the same view that day in San Francisco, we would see nothing because we would be closer to the fog. However, the nice thing about being in El Cerrito is that you can see through some of the fog. Check this out for something quick, local, and low-key. read more

Hillside Natural Area - Parks Near Me - El Cerrito, California

This park has easy parking and short trails with beautiful, easily accessible views, however, it also has a huge amount of poison oak, some of which is very close to the path at points where the trail is extremely narrow, making it hard to avoid. Wear long pants and be careful. read more

I can't believe it. I've lived in El Cerrito for almost 5 years and never knew this trail was here. I happened to drive past and it didn't look like much but I was shocked by how beautiful this hike was. The trails were not packed I arrived around 12pm on a Saturday afternoon. The hike itself was moderate and was about 45 mins long. I really loved the tall tree, the beautiful flowers, and how green it was. It was something very charming about this hike I felt so free and good energy. It's dog friendly and I loved that the others on the trails were respectful and had their dogs on Leashes. The trail is very spacious and I can't wait to come back with my bike! Beautiful place read more

Hillside Natural Area - Entrance to park - Parks Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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So I HAVE inadvertently passed part of this trail before! When I ascend Potrero, it's off to the side ... At least part of it. In 2 hours time with breaks to catch my breath after particularly steep buggers of hills , I was able to enjoy sweeping , private views of the Bay at sunset. Truly a treat, and my glutes were treated to some punishment! Bring layers of dri fit, because even though it's windy at sunset, you'll be sweating- I can vouch for that. Too, poison oak and tick warning! Cover one's body for maximum protection. Bring water and take photos! Back to starting point if also hike the adjoining green area off of Potrero. Navellier St lets you back into the hillside area if one is aiming to do a full loop, as I did this fun evening. Talking, exercising, nature--- it's a tried and true satisfying formula! read more

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You know what? Sometimes I need a quickie. One that will work me out HARD, make me sweat, make my heart beat fast and give me total satisfaction in a short amount of time. When I get in this mood, I head out to the El Cerrito Memorial Grove. Located right next to the El Cerrito Recycling Center, it's a straight up hill hike. The kind of incline where you can't stand up straight. Once you reach the peak, you will be rewarded with 180 degree view of the SF Bay. Then it's straight downhill for part of the hill and if you are in the know, you will make left into the trees and wind down the hill until it drops you back to the original trail where you will continue straight downhill. It's a good half hour workout that will leave you panting and wanting more. So, like I said, if you want a quickie.... read more

Hillside Natural Area - Parks Near Me - El Cerrito, California

My sis found this cute nature area by doing a Google map search. Apparently, it's a natural open space that's smack dab in the middle of El Cerrito and somewhat serves as a "backyard" for the neighboring houses that surround the park. It's a great place for those who live close by to enjoy the views of the bay, for dog walking, or for a short trail hike without having to travel farther to Wildcat Canyon or Tilden Park. THINGS OF INTEREST: -Extravagant views of the bay -Lots of lush greenery, bristly & high grassy fields -Secluded area, great for a mini-getaway without having to get away WHAT TO SEE: ***** [Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, SF, Angel Island, Point Richmond, Berkeley Marina, GGB, & Marin Headlands] CONVENIENCE: **** [Several street entrances to the park include Schmidt Lane, Douglas Drive, or King Court] AMBIANCE: **** [Poop bags and trash cans available at the beginning of the trail on Schmidt, but no other trash bins located along the trails so dog owners may be inclined to leave without "cleaning" up, eventually causing a minor stench of feces] DIFFICULTY LEVEL: ** [2 out of 5, a few hills here and there, but the trail is short] PRICE: FREE! [Gotta love that!] OVERALL: **** [4-stars... cuz it's a small nature area, great for the those who live in the area, but really not worth the trip from those who live afar.] Definitely a neighborhood gem. Nuff said. [#34 of 100 YELP CHALLENGE 2013] read more

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This is one of my favorite locations to stop when I'm in the Bay Area in the East Bay! Easy parking, quick little run or hike with steep incline. Perfect for getting a workout in, with not a lot of time. I'd suggest going early in the morning before all the dog walkers if you plan to go for a run!! The view of all four bridges makes it allll worth it! read more

This is a wonderful dog-friendly hidden gem, reminiscent of Claremont Canyon (but minus the crowds). We managed to hike for a couple miles, through acres of hillside trails snaking through oak and eucalyptus forests. There are incredible, panoramic views of the bay area. One side of the park has great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin, while the other side has views of Oakland and SF. Although the trails are all unmarked, if you stay on the wider trails you won't get lost. Look for the cool swing hanging from a tree, overlooking the bay, and also the large labyrinth. There are perfectly placed benches at both of the peaks where you can enjoy the views. read more

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Discover for yourself why this place is known as the Hidden Gem of the East Bay (shhh!!!) . Easy-moderate hike up the hill (20-30 minutes) with one of the best views around. Go at sunset. You will probably have the place to yourself and you won't understand how it could be so. Perfect cheap date for the romantic. read more

Hidden gem in El Cerrito. Not very many people know about it, or maybe they're not willing to hike up steep hills, but the views are worth it. You can see Oakland, SF, Marin and all of El Cerrito/Albany/Richmond from the views up the hills. It's dog friendly and our number one choice instead of Point Isabel on the weekends! Watch out for poison oak though! read more