Trail Highlights:
In spring, you are rewarded with a myriad of wildflowers and green rolling hills. At any time of the year there are panoramic vistas on this loop, including sweeping views of San Francisco Bay and the Marin Headlands to the West, and Mt. Diablo and beyond to the East.
Trail Directions:
Start at the Quarry trailhead on Wildcat Canyon Road. There are portable toilets here. Take the Quarry Trail away from the parking lot. The trail starts with a gradual climb. At .4 miles, continue straight ahead onto Lower Big Springs Trail, heading uphill to your right. Follow the trail along the hillside until you meet South Park Drive and the small Big Springs parking area. Bear left through the parking lot and continue on Upper Big Springs Trail, just ahead. At the top of the long hill, turn left onto Seaview Trail and continue climbing. At the top, you’ll find a memorial bench and picnic table at a vista point overlooking the Bay. Continue by descending steeply on Seaview Trail. Near the bottom of the hill, where the trail makes a hairpin turn to the right, continue straight, down through the Eucalyptus trees on the single-track trail that descends back to Quarry picnic area where the hike began.
Park Features:
Tilden Regional Park, one of the District’s original parklands, contains something for everyone. An extensive trail system offers visitors a chance to explore over 2,000 acres of varied terrain, and the park’s many attractions include the Merry-Go-Round, Little Farm, Lake Anza, Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Golf Course and Visitor Center.
Driving Directions:
From Oakland: Take Highway 24 East to the Orinda exit. Left on Camino Pablo. After 2.9 miles turn left onto Wildcat Canyon Road. The Quarry parking lot can be found on the left (east)side of Wildcat Canyon Road, about ¼ mile past the Inspiration Point parking lot. From Berkeley: Drive up Marin Avenue to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Right onto Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Left onto Shasta Road and stay left to continue on it. At the T-intersection at the bottom of the hill, right on Wildcat Canyon Road. Continue on Wildcat Canyon Road past the Botanic Garden and the intersection with South Park Drive. The Quarry picnic area and dirt parking lot are on the right (east) side of the road
