FRIDAY FIVE
In the Bay Area, dogs are basically next of kin. They’re more than pets. They’re family members, and sometimes, they replace having kids — partly because they make great hiking partners at the sprite age of one. Lucky for us, we have most of the year to go on adventures with our beloved companions. Yes, it’s been a little rainy this winter, but it’s clearing up — which means it’s hiking season.
It’s time to put our hiking boots on, leash up your dog (or preferably not), and enjoy the good weather. Even if you live in SF or elsewhere in the Bay, these East Bay strolls are (dare we say) worth the hike.
1. Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Did you know that there used to be a volcano in the East Bay? Okay, it was about 10 million years ago, but still, pretty cool. Stretching across both Oakland and Contra Costa county lines lies this gorgeous park in the East Bay hills. It’s incredibly dog friendly; pups are allowed off leash on most of the trails. The best part: You won’t find this park too overcrowded, just a few friendly faces and doggos to say hello to along the way. There are also a few rock labyrinths you can walk around and get all zen with your dog. Once arriving at the parking lot, we recommend taking the Round Top Loop trail which circles the volcano. This park has running water and faucets to fill your dog’s bowl if it gets too hot.
6899 Skyline Blvd (Oakland) | Website
2. César Chávez Park
Everyone knows about Point Isabel dog park. In fact, The Bold Italic holds it in high regard. But do you know about nearby César Chávez Park? It’s like cooler, lesser-known alternative to Point Isabel. Located in Berkeley, this flat loop along the water gives you gorgeous views of Angel Island and the Berkeley Hills. While this isn’t a hike in the hills, it can be an easy 1.7 mile walk — unless your pup has a lot of energy to burn off, keep walking toward the Berkeley Marina. Dogs at Cesar Chavez can be off leash.
11 Spinnaker Way (Berkeley) | Website
3. Redwood Regional Park
Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland is a two for one deal: There’s an off leash dog park, and there are hiking trails for your dog which are off leash, too. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can hit up both. But Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park can be an intimidating place: there are a lot of trails, and it’s understandable if you’re hesitant to let your pup off leash among the 1,800 acres of forest. A route we’d suggest is to start by the Redwood Bowl where there is a free parking lot. From here you can walk down the Madrone trail, up to the French trail, pass over to Tres Sendas and take the West Ridge Trail back to where you started. Your dog can be off leash on this route. This is an easy 2.5 miles loop that is mostly shaded.
10199 Skyline Blvd (Oakland) | Website
4. Coyote Hills
If you’re really up for an adventure, as in willing to go beyond Berkeley and Oakland, we highly recommend checking out the Coyote Hills in Fremont. This 978-acre park is full of plenty of trails with 360 views of your surroundings. It also used to be home to the Ohlone Tribe. Similar to Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, this park is big and it can be hard to know where to begin and where to stop. We recommend parking at the visitor center, and hiking up the steep Glider Hill Trail for the views. It’s an out and back trail just under five miles. Since it includes a bit of an incline, this trail isn’t for the faint. Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
8000 Patterson Road (Fremont) | Website
5. Shoreline Park
Located on the island of Alameda, this trail is a gem in the East Bay where you can walk along the Bay and not freeze your ass off from the fog. While it’s not a hike in the hills, it’s next to the Bay with gorgeous views of San Francisco as a backdrop. This trail is also a running and walking trail for many East Bay residents. It can get busy on the weekend, and your dog must be on leash. We recommend parking at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal and just walking along the shoreline.
215 Adelphian Way (Alameda) | Website
