Tilden Topoff

Hiking Tilden Regional Park in the East Bay

06.15.2017

With a name like Seaview Trail, expectations run high. And this 3.5-mile loop in Tilden Regional Park delivers. You won’t have to find the viewpoints; they find you … in abundant panoramas.

Starting from Inspiration Point, take Seaview Trail, cross Wildcat Canyon Road, and continue on Seaview for a steady ascent past eucalyptus trees and up to the highlight: 360-degree views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate, and the East Bay hills.

Benches along the way mark perfect points for contemplation. Return along the Upper Big Springs Trail and then Lower Big Springs Trail.

Bonus Food & Drink: Five miles down the road in northwest Berkeley, stop by Bartavelle Coffee & Wine Bar. Nestled next to Kermit Lynch and Acme Bread Co., the coffee shop has a small outdoor patio, as well as some of the bay's best avocado toast, served on Acme’s pain au levain. Try it with an olive oil egg; it comes nearly hard-boiled with Pacific Sun olive oil, lemon, Celtic Sea Salt, and marash pepper.

Inspiration Point is located in Tilden Regional Park at Wildcat Canyon Rd., Orinda. Bartavelle Coffee & Wine Bar is located at 1603 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. Free parking at both. Both the hike and patio at Bartavelle are dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

    View

  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

    View
  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

    View
  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

    View

  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

    View

  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

    View