Best trails in Oakland, California

This hike begins at the top of Skyline Dr and starts off relatively flat with good views of the East Bay hills and surrounding forest. Eventually, it descends down towards the creek where you will walk by countless tall redwoods. Once you reach the Bridle and Stream trails, the path flattens out again and is even paved in a few areas. There are several picnic areas to stop and rest before you continue the trek back up to the parking lot.Show more

The Sequoia Bayview trail is a wide, level trail, very popular at the Joaquin Miller Park. There you will find lots of joggers, mountain bikers and dog walkers. You will run through a few patches of redwoods, but the trail is mostly non-redwood forest. If you’re looking for a shorter distance route that doesn’t have much elevation gain or loss, this trail is for you. Nonetheless, the Sequoia Bayview Trail connects to many other trails in Joaquin Miller Park and Redwood Regional Park, so you can explore for as long as you want. You can Park on the side of the road at the Sequoia Bayview Trailhead. Show more

This trail network offers a plethora of options. Explore the Palo Seco Creek and Cinderella Creek while looking for wildflowers and the occasional deer. A popular option is to take the Sinawik Trail to the Castle Park Trail, and return via the Sequoia Bayview Trail and the Sunset Trail. There are mountain bikers, dog walkers, runners, and hikers together on this trail, please be careful of others!Show more

A short loop option that explores the beauty of the botanic regional preserve. Start from the Skyline Blvd staging area and loop around on the Huckleberry trail.Show more

The Lake Merritt multi-use path circles the lake and is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. It is extremely family-friendly, a great place for a dog walk and is often used by runners and cyclists. There is not a designated parking lot for the Lake so you will likely have to park on the street. The lakeside park features a bird sanctuary, a boathouse, a great restaurant - Lake Chalet - with fabulous outdoor space, amphitheater, and a gorgeous botanical garden that includes a bonsai section, and a butterfly garden. At the boathouse, paddleboats can be rented hourly and daily for the whole family. The lake is a great place for picnics and gathering as there are many shady and sunny spots to relax. The park is also home to Fairyland, the first children’s amusement park (after which Disneyland was modeled). Fairyland is $12 for visitors ages 1-100 and is open Friday thru Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM. The majority of the path has restaurants, cafes and markets nearby and there are toilets located near the Oakland Courthouse. Accessibility: This trail is paved, smooth, typically at least five feet wide, and gentle with an estimated max grade of 3%. Most wheelchair/mobility equipment and stroller users will likely find this trail navigable.Show more

There are plenty of beautiful trees for cool shade. There are steep obstacles along the way to keep you focused. The trail is well maintained and varies in width from time to time. It can be vast to narrow enough for only one person. Be cautious of the roots and large rocks that are on the trail.Show more

Park at the Skyline Gate Staging Area. Show more

This hike showcases every aspect of the park. It begins above a large meadow, then drops down into oak and bay woodlands before climbing over streams and through redwoods, with views of the valley along the way. Golden Spike Trail and Tate Trail in particular have gorgeous valley views. After descending from West Ridge Trail to parallel Redwood Creek, enjoy the picnic areas and redwood groves along the Stream Trail. Additionally, Graham and Dunn Trails at the end of the hike both have points at which they overlook the bay. Trail Directions: Park at the Trudeau Center parking area and head right, to the Serpentine Prairie trailhead. Follow Serpentine Prairie Trail to the left for about 200 ft, then turn left to connect with Dunn Trail. Go right on Dunn Trail, and then make a left onto the Golden Spike trail. Follow Golden Spike Trail for 1.04 mile, continue past the intersection with Montiero Trail, and turn left onto Tate Trail. Climb for .57 mile, then turn right on West Ridge Trail. After .09 mi, turn left onto Orchard Trail. After .55mi, turn left on Bridle Trail. Follow Bridle Trail for .2 mile, then cross the bridge to Stream Trail. Turn left and follow Stream Trail for almost 2 miles, until you reach Tres Sendas on your left. Follow Tres Sendas over two stream crossings; after the second crossing, take the left fork for Starflower Trail, which climbs for .38 mi until it intersects with Madrone Trail. Turn right on Madrone and climb for about a half mile to reach West Ridge Trail, then continue on Madrone towards Redwood Peak. About 200 ft before the peak is another fork; take the left trail, which leads uphill past an archery range, to reach the peak (do not descend on Redwood Peak Trail). To return from the peak, turn around and follow signs for West Ridge Trail, to your right. After about 800ft, take a right on to West Ridge Trail, continue for about 600ft, then take a sharp left on Graham Trail. Stay on Graham Trail for 1.06 mi, then turn right on Dunn Trail. Take Dunn Trail for .47 mi to return to the Trudeau Center parking lot.Show more