Of the 73 parks in the East Bay Regional Park District, Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park is certainly one of the best-known and most-visited. Sure, part of that is convenience and close proximity to the bustling hubs of Berkeley and Oakland. But the real draw of this scenic stretch of the Berkeley Hills—bounded by encroaching development to the west and the high San Pablo Ridge to the east—is its exceptional botanical diversity: scrubby chaparral and windswept pastures, dense eucalyptus and redwood groves, Monterey pine stands, bay/oak woodlands, and a craggy, riparian gorge carved by Wildcat Creek, a historical water source for the area. To be fair, much of this diversity is non-native. (Many Bay Area residents, for example, will know the story of the fortune seekers of the early 20^th century who planted thousands of Australian eucalyptus in the area because of its quick growth—only to find that it made for horrible furniture.) But time and careful management—Tilden Park was established in 1936—has helped restore some of the native flora, coexisting with the invasive but tolerated additions.

There are still plenty of human alterations, including a historic merry-go-round, a botanic garden, a petting zoo, a golf course, and the kid-friendly steam trains. But the system of fire roads and singletrack trails affords some solitude in this wondrous city escape. My past three posts have catalogued 25 hiking routes, ranging from short strolls to more challenging traverses, with separate posts for the North/Tilden Nature Area, Central, and South sections of the park. In this post, I highlight the best of the best—a (subjective) Top 10 list—to help narrow the choices.

10. Lake Anza Long Loop (Easy; 1.3 mi. loop; Lake Anza Trailhead)

Named for an 18^th century Spanish explorer, Lake Anza was dammed in the Great Depression and has since been used largely for recreation, with swimming and picnicking continuing up to today. A short, 1.3-mile hike encircles the lake and follows a stretch of Wildcat Creek upstream, traversing surprisingly rugged terrain with several rocky outcrop views. The stonework on this track is impressive, although in other spots the trail fans out into several crisscrossing paths that make navigation slightly challenging. Nonetheless, never venturing too far from civilization, this makes for a relatively easy and intriguing stroll in the heart of Tilden Park.

See my post on January 28, 2024 for a full trail description.

9. Lupine – Vollmer Peak Trail Loop (Moderate; 1.5 mi. loop; Seaview Trailhead)

I have an admitted fondness for the hightop views of the park’s southern section (between Oakland and Orinda), and this short loop hike includes terrific open vistas that make up for a rather arduous and unattractive roadside section. The Lupine Trail in particular includes some of the park’s most rewarding views of the San Francisco Bay, Mount Tamalpais, and Richmond. Expect to also get a workout on this jaunt, with 400 feet of elevation gain and loss.

See my post on January 31, 2024 for a full trail description.

8. Meadow Canyon – Curran – Wildcat Gorge Trail Loop (Easy; 2.9 mi. loop; Lone Oak Trailhead)

The mile-long stretch of Wildcat Gorge below Lake Anza is easily one of the most charming parts of Tilden, with wily bay trees leaning wildly over the babbling (seasonal) brook. There are also a couple small redwood stands and a small natural pool and waterfall. This nearly 3-mile hike combines Wildcat Gorge with a mild up-and-down on the Meadows Canyon and Curran Trails to make for a diverse and scenic loop.

See my post on January 28, 2024 for a full trail description.

7. Laurel Canyon – Nimitz Way – Curran – Wildcat Gorge Trail Loop (Moderate; 4.3 mi. loop; Tilden Nature Area)

This extension of the preceding hike includes Wildcat Gorge while adding a traverse of Laurel Canyon and a stretch of Nimitz Way, which boasts Monterey pine stands and open views to San Francisco Bay, Mount Diablo, and the Tri-Valley area. Another highlight is the Curran Trail, which drops down a steep ridgeline through one of the park’s largest eucalyptus groves. At 4.3 miles, this is longer than a quick stroll but can be completed easily in 2-3 hours.

See my post on January 28, 2024 for a full trail description.

6. Selby – Wildcat Gorge Trail Loop (Moderate; 4.2 mi. loop; Tilden Nature Area)

A sort of “grand tour” of Tilden’s central section, this moderately-difficult circuit traverses Wildcat Gorge, rounds Lake Anza, and follows the higher-elevation Selby Trail. The section between Brook Picnic Area and Lake Anza sometimes has a seasonal waterfall that is quite nice and adds to the allure of this 4.2-mile hike.

See my post on January 28, 2024 for a full trail description.

5. Big Springs – Seaview Trail Loop (Moderate; 3.0 mi. loop; Big Springs Trailhead)

Ascending from South Park Drive to the top of San Pablo Ridge, the Lower Big Springs Trail brings hikers to the scenic Seaview Trail, a wide, dusty track with far-reaching views of the Bay, Diablo Range, and beyond. A mix of sun and shade, the Seaview Trail gradually rises to 1,600 before the Upper Big Springs Trail returns hikers to the lower terrain of the Wildcat Creek watershed and South Park Drive (closed seasonally to protect migrating newts).

See my post on January 31, 2024 for a full trail description.

4. Vollmer Peak – Seaview Trail Loop & Vollmer Peak Summit (Easy; 1.4 mi. stem-and-loop; Seaview Trailhead)

At 1,905 feet, Vollmer Peak is the highest point in Tilden and is encircled and summited on this mild stroll in the southern reaches of the park. The views westward on the narrow Vollmer Peak Trail are matched in scale by the easterly vistas on the wide and paved Seaview Trail. A short spur ascends to the summit, occupied by communications towers.

See my post on January 31, 2024 for a full trail description.

3. Arroyo – Lupine Trail Loop (Moderate; 1.5-mile loop; Arroyo Trailhead)

A better variant of the #9 hike above, the combination of the Arroyo and Lupine Trails explores one of the headwaters of Wildcat Creek and affords fantastic Bay views. The scrubby chaparral pairs with thick eucalyptus and pine forests, while the highlight is a spot, just below the power lines, where one can (at least on sunny days) gaze out at the Bay, Angel Island, and Mount Tamalpais unobstructed.

See my post on January 31, 2024 for a full trail description.

2. Laurel Canyon – Wildcat Peak Trail Loop (Moderate; 3.2 mi. loop; Tilden Nature Area)

This hike ascends wild Laurel Canyon to San Pablo Ridge and Wildcat Peak (1,211’), the highest point in Tilden Nature Area. From here, one gets arguably the park’s best views of downtown San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay, in addition to a peek eastward to Mount Diablo and the San Pablo and Briones Reservoirs. After descending back to the Wildcat Creek drainage, hikers also can see Jewel Lake and the surrounding marshlands that are often teeming with local fauna.

See my post on July 4, 2021 for a full trail description.

1. Southern Park Loop (Moderate; 7.2 mi. loop; Seaview Trailhead)

Saving the best for last, this more ambitious jaunt covers a lot of terrain, including the Selby Trail, Lake Anza, and Wildcat Gorge and the hightops of the Seaview Trail. So it’s effectively a “greatest hits” reel in the best part of Tilden Park and makes for an excellent half-day (3-5 hour) hike that will get the heart pumping and offer a good chance of observing native wildlife. If there is one walk to do in Tilden, this one is it.

See my post on January 31, 2024 for a full trail description.