Ridgetop Rolling

Bicycle Ride the Nimitz Way Trail in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park

07.22.2020
Bicycle Nimitz Way Trail Tilden Berkeley

Tilden Regional Park is the flagship of the East Bay Regional Parks system. And its best views? Find them along Nimitz Way, a paved, multi-use ridgetop trail. We recommend biking this trail for about 4 miles (one-way) because, well, it’s fun!

You’re high up on a ridgetop without having to worry about cars, so you get to focus on the views, which are plentiful, and pretty damn great! The trail starts at Inspiration Point on Wildcat Canyon Road, and it’s popular with walkers, baby strollers, and runners. After about a mile, the people thin out and you’re left with wide-open views of the bay, San Pablo Reservoir, the surrounding hills, and ta-da: Diablo, sparkling views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Pacific. Stop at one of the many benches en route to take in the scenery from east to west.

Bicycle Nimitz Way Trail Tilden Park Berkeley

Early in the ride, or on your return, detour to the Rotary Peace Grove, honoring people who have contributed to world peace. We recommend riding about 4 miles to where the pavement ends. You’ll pass through a couple of cattle gates and likely say hi to a few cows relaxing in the hills. The route is mostly gentle with just a few ups. If you have a mountain bike, you can continue on the dirt road where the ups and downs get a bit more dramatic, and so do the views.

TIP: Summer mornings can be foggy and breezy here, so if you have some patience, wait it out until later morning for the best chance of the marine layer dissipating. Parking fills up fast.

From Berkeley, take Grizzly Peak Blvd. to Wildcat Canyon Rd. and follow it all the way to the parking lot at Inspiration Point (map). Ride the Nimitz Way Trail north 4 miles to pavement’s end. Continue half a mile or more if you have a mountain bike and want more views! Dog-friendly.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View