Tilden Regional Park

     Running along the Berkeley Hills, Tilden Regional Park is a Bay Area gem that spans parts of Berkeley, Oakland, and unincorporated Contra Costa County. The park offers visitors not only an escape from the city but any and every summer activity they could hope for. So many activities, in fact, that you can't do them all in a day or even two days.

     Our visit started at Little Farm, located on the west end of the park not far from Jewel Lake. Free parking is available a short walk from the farm, or you can take AC Transit #67 from Berkeley BART on the weekends. Little Farm is open every day of the year, 8:30 to 4, and is free. You can bring celery and lettuce to feed to the Shorthorn cows, French Alpine goats, Black Welsh mountain sheep, pig, and ducks and chickens (who prefer lettuce). You can also visit but not feed Dutch rabbits. Turkeys roam the farm as well, though we didn't see any this time. We took one bag of celery, which was soon gone, and the animals' attention quickly turned to new arrivals, hands full of fresh produce.

     After Little Farm, we decided to take advantage of Tilden Nature Area's 10+ miles of hiking trails. We chose the Jewel Lake Nature Trail to Jewel Lake, traveling much of the way on a magical boardwalk. Trees and brush enclosed us, forming a green roof over our heads. When we arrived at the lake, a tree that had fallen into the water was covered with turtles sunning themselves. As we were walking away from the turtles, my sister noticed a crawfish in the brush at the side of the trail. This remains the coolest creature I've seen in the wild in California. If you enjoy hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, there are nearly 40 miles of trails in Tilden Park proper. Nimitz Way is wheelchair accessible and paved.

     Our next stop was the Botanic Garden, open year round, 8:30 to 5:30 during the summer. The garden is 10 acres and is divided into 10 geographic regions, and the paths wind down into Wildcat Canyon. It felt like wandering into a secret world, and as the gate disappeared from site, my sister and I joked that we might possibly get lost, which didn't bother either of us much. According to the East Bay Park's website, the garden "contains the world's most complete collection of California native plants," including a large collection of manzanitas. We walked along a creek, and as my sister crossed a bridge, I noticed a tiny creature zip under her. It stopped on the side of one of the bridge's boards, and I noticed it was a lizard. We blinked at each other as I leaned close for a better look. As we made our way through the garden, we could hear other creatures zipping off among the plants, and I assume they were more gorgeous lizards.

     We called it a day after the Botanic Garden, but there is so much more to explore. At Lake Anza, you can swim for a small fee, and there are lifeguards on duty during the summer. There's also a carousel (small fee), steam trains (small fee), camping, horse camping, picnicking areas with barbecues, and even a golf course.

     Tilden Regional Park is hands down one of the most enjoyable, affordable places in the Bay Area. Perfect for families, for individuals wanting to get away from the crowd, for birdwatchers, plant enthusiasts, animal lovers, photographers...there's something for everyone. This park is definitely at the top of my Bay Area Miss-Me-Nots.

 

 

 

Jewel Lake Natural Trail

The Crawfish 

 

Muir Woods

     Life in the Bay Area is busy and often crowded, and any opportunity to escape from city life and enjoy the natural wonders of northern California is always welcome. Though Muir Woods is a popular tourist attraction that can overfill with crowds and traffic, it can be the ideal quiet getaway if done right. Even if you arrive to find it crowded, the chance to get up close and personal with coast redwoods is worth a little jostling.

     Muir Woods, about 560 acres of old-growth redwoods and six miles of walking/hiking trails nestled within Mount Tamalpais State Park, was declared a National Monument in 1908 and was named after the naturalist and preservationist John Muir (although he only visited the park once). There are four bridges that cross Redwood Creek along the Redwood Creek Trail (the easiest trail and fully paved or boarded). Many of the trails cross into Mount Tamalpais State Park, and the Dipsea Trail provides views of the ocean. There is a visitor's center, gift shop, and café on site, and the park is open 8 a.m. to sunset all year long. Tickets are $10, and yearly passes are available, but there are also many opportunities to enjoy the park free of charge (National Park Week, for example, which runs until April 24th this year).

     The proper planning can make Muir Woods a pleasure, but poor planning can make it feel like a tourist trap. There are signs all over the park to please keep as quiet as possible to not disturb the natural environment and its inhabitants, but crowds of people inevitably mean noise (not only talking but the sound of feet on the boarded sections of the path), and that noise can drown out the beautiful birdsong and gurgling of Redwood Creek. I've found the best time to go is right when the park opens (8 a.m.). For the first two hours, the paths remain relatively empty and quiet. By 11 a.m., the park starts to fill, the cars line up on the road into the parking lots, and the people form lines in the gift shop, café, and restroom. Quiet, unhindered photo ops turn into patient waiting for a chance at those same photo ops.

     To get to the park this early, driving is really the only option, and there is free parking. However, parking is limited, and later starters will want to opt for the Muir Woods Shuttle (which is $5 round trip) to avoid waiting for parking: http://marintransit.org/routes/66.html. But be warned that the drive in can be hair-raising. The road is full of sharp turns, high drops (but gorgeous views!), and has no shoulder in most places. Plus, the road is very popular for bikers, who must ride in the lane due to a lack of shoulder. The nervous driver might describe the drive as treacherous.

     Hiking in the early morning means only the occasional passerby, but hiking from about 11 a.m. on can mean waits for access, passing, and photos. However, the variety of trails cater to many stamina levels and preferences. Redwood Creek Trail is perfect for a leisurely walk. The Hillside Trail is my favorite. It provides great views of the Redwood Creek trail, the creek itself, and the park, and it's challenging without being exhausting. At the point where the Ben Johnson Trail splits off, there is a small tree bridge you can cross and climb higher for a better view. For the adventurous, the Dipsea and Canopy View Trail are ideal with steep grades and longer distances.

     After a couple hours of hiking, you can stop by the café for a sandwich, soup, or pastry. The honey-glazed cornbread is popular, and coffee and hot chocolate are also available. People rave about the cafe's Marin Melt, a grilled cheese sandwich made with Cowgirl Creamery cheese. My sister and I enjoyed the sandwich, but we both agree the sandwich doesn't live up to the hype, and the tomato soup that's a recommended companion is a little bland. I also have to warn that the café is a little chaotic. A person is supposed to take your order at one end of the counter, and then you pay at the other, but a person is not always there taking orders, and you might face a lecture at the cash register for trying to place your order there. After a strenuous hike, however, the café is a welcome sight.

     The gift shop has a good selection of redwood souvenirs. There's even a chocolate banana slug you can frighten friends with. The visitor's center has a selection of books and maps about the park, California, and John Muir.

     If you want to learn more about the park and its giants, you can take a self-guided or guided tour, and there are tree talks that occur throughout the day where you can learn such trivia like the clover-looking plant throughout the park is actually redwood sorrel. There is also an excellent history of the park you can download from the website: https://www.nps.gov/muwo/learn/historyculture/index.htm.

     After Muir Woods, you can take a short drive to Muir Beach and Sausalito. Or you can take a little longer drive and visit Stinson Beach, all Bay Area miss-me-nots.

Whoa, a payphone! Warning: poor cell reception in Muir Woods.

My sister identifying our location.

Gift Shop Views

Café Views

The Famous Marin Melt

This tree's life span: 909 A.D.-1930.