Tilden Regional Park — Attraction in Berkeley

What a peaceful and pleasant way to spend a day. Tilden Regional Park is huge, I had absolutely no idea it was so large. I made time to visit the botanical gardens on Saturday and took the free guided tour by the docent guide, Irene.

The botanical garden area spans 10 acres, there wasn't any way I was going to experience all of the grounds in the one hour tour, I am definitely looking forward to a return visit.

This park is another must/see/experience place. There are different sections to this huge park, and a variety of activities. I didn't catch all the activities, but there is anything from hiking, to swimming, picnicking, camping, resting/relaxing, taking it all in, etc. In fact, on my walk through the gardens, I chose to see the redwood forests, the shadier part of the gardens. It was absolutely beautiful.

There were several people in the redwood forest area of the botanical gardens just sitting and relaxing, one couple had brought a picnic basket and a blanket. It was extremely peaceful and Introvert's dream. A writer's exploration, a thinker's adventure. I can't wait to have more time to explore and experience this beautiful park.

While the road to Tilden Park is quite beautiful and peaceful, there seemed to be a lot of bikers the time of day I went, be careful as the road is quite windy. Also, don't drive too fast, as parking areas and turnouts...

This place offers so much to so many that it's no wonder some consider it sacred. The hikes it offers range from challenging to meditative. The views are stunning. The peace and quiet offered by its Redwood dells and slow brooks are second only to places like Muir Woods or Yosemite.

But beware the errant mountain biker. There are some in this strata who believe that the park only exists for their speed and irreverent destruction of the peace and quiet this place offers. When they annoy the trails at more than the prescribed (and insane) 15MPH they cannot possibly stop fast enough to avoid a collision. If you cannot hear well enough to get out of their way they may run you down. If you have dogs they may run the dogs down; I've experienced too many near tragedies for this to be excused as a trivial complaint. There are mountain bikers who respect the trails and are willing to safely share them with the horses, dogs and their humans who enjoy them as well, but there are others who are not. Please take care.

Otherwise this place is a mecca for those of us who revere and respect nature. Please report any errant behavior so that this place may remain the haven it's been...

Grizzly Peak is one of my favorite top hikes in the Berkeley area. There are multiple trail passes to get up to the peak. I used neighborhood parking near the Claremont Hotel. There’s very limited spots, but I got lucky, & found one, it helped that I got there in the early AM. My hike was over 6 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain. It was a good workout, as there were some steep parts. The trail was mostly shade and just some sun. It is my favorite because I hike through woods for most of the trail. I saw a lot of different wildflowers, birds, & butterflies. It was very quiet, and there were not that many hikers. The more I climbed up, the better the view got, and the less hikers around me so it’s very peaceful. This is one of the best breathtaking views of the Berkeley Hills, the Bay Bridge, the SF Bay, the GGB, the Richmond Bridge, and even parts of the ocean in the distance. Too bad Grizzly Peak is locked behind a fence due to the tower on top. Anyway, I highly recommend a good pair of hiking shoes, trekking poles, water, some snacks, and sun protection. I plan to come back here at "Dusk" to catch the Sunset and the Lights coming on...