Revised and Updated in November 2020! The hills of the East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California—more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases lattice up and down the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone. Rising high above the city centers, with towering views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco itself, these elegant civic walking trails—many of them shaded in oaks and redwoods, and many unknown even to local residents—present a unique landscape for both the casual walker and dedicated hiker. Charles Fleming, the Southern California author whose bestselling 2010 walking guide Secret Stairs turned the hidden public staircases of Los Angeles into popular hiking trails, now turns his eyes northward. For Secret Stairs: East Bay, Fleming has designed more than 30 individual hiking loops. Linking multiple staircases into one-to two-hour self-guided strolls, these urban treks will delight the tourist, newly arrived Berkeley undergraduate, and veteran Bay Area resident alike. The circular walks, each calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration—and each accompanied by a detailed, easy-to-follow map—are sprinkled with fascinating facts about the historic staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Walk the walks of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir! Climb Berkeley’s massive Fred Herbert and Tamalpais Paths, hike Easter Way, and summit Sunset Trail! Mount Oakland’s Oakmore stairs, then tackle the hills of Upper Rockridge and Crocker Highlands via the public staircases. And do it all within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and excellent Bay Area cafés.
Now, Secret Stairs puts these hidden stairways back on the map, while introducing urban hikers to exciting new “trails” all around the city of Los Angeles.
sidewalk starts veering toward the lake, look for S Ferdinand Street dropping down the hill from the right and angle to it, across the grass. BEFORE GENESEE PARK: WETMORE SLOUGH Before 1916, the surface of Lake Washington was 9 feet ...
The most complete, up-to-date guide for Alameda and Contra Costa counties with over 50 trips in 31 parks, and photos and maps throughout.
A comprehensive appendix lists every one of the City's 600-plus public stairways. Long-term residents and tourists alike have used the book for over 25 years to adventurously uncover San Francisco's unexpected details.
The book also highlights the people who made the landmarks famous: the infamous water engineer William Mulholland; the convicted murderer and philanthropist Colonel Griffith J. Griffith; Charles Lummis, who walked from Cincinnati to Los ...
Oakland is in the middle of a renaissance and, in the past five years, has quickly become a melting pot for hipsters, techies and aspiring artists escaping the San Francisco fog.
The native Huchiun people once traversed the lush greenery of the Oakland hills, glimpsing breathtaking vistas as they followed the creeks down to the bay.
The remainder of the York Trail proceeded south above the eastern side of Leona Canyon, according to Lloyd Graham. It continued along the Rifle Range Branch of Arroyo Viejo Creek to the gun range that was once used by the 143rd Field ...
Beyond the play area, you descend the short stairway to the corner of San Bruno and 20th St. Here on top of the low ... 636, has pleached ficus street trees in front and around the corner. ... Continue on Mariposa toward Rhode Island.
Historic Photos of Oakland collects a small fraction of the record the cameras have left behind, providing a compelling view of the colorful past of the ?second” City by the Bay.