Grizzly Peak

Grizzly Peak is a peak above Berkeley , California, on the Berkeley Hills. The peak lies within the boundaries of Tilden Regional Park and directly behind the University of California, Berkeley campus on the boundaries of Alameda and Contra Costa.

This mountain has been named for the grizzly bear in California who lived there until the end of 1800. The last local sighting was a man who was reportedly killed by a grizzly bear in Strawberry Canyon below Grizzly Peak in the 1860s. The first local killing of a grizzly by a European occurred in 1772, also along Strawberry Creek just west of what is today the UC Berkeley campus, inside what is now Berkeley downtown. Father Juan Crespi reported the shooting of Spanish soldiers. In the Sierra foothills east of Fresno, in August 1922, the last grizzly in California was killed.

In 1932, when Grizzly Peak Boulevard was constructed along the ridge line of Berkeley Hills, Grizzly peak was made more accessible. Soon afterward, the name was applied to the earlier built ridge line section of Euclid Avenue to the north. This section, while the original stretch is largely undeveloped, was and remains a residential area of Berkeley. Grizzly Peak Boulevard currently stretches northwards from Kenyon Avenue in Kensington, across Berkeley and Oakland to the Skyline Blvd. intersection above Oakland.

Before the development of Grizzly Peak Boulevard, the site of its current intersection with Claremont (before 1892 known as Telegraph Road) and Fish Ranch Road was historically a significant pass through the Berkeley Hills, until the tunnel that preceded today’s Caldecott Tunnel was constructed through the hills in 1903; an inn and stage stop named the Summit House was located here. Today, Grizzly Peak is a popular spot to enjoy a fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the surrounding Bay area. Street luge enthusiasts can also be seen in this area and from Skyline Boulevard and Claremont Avenue across the canyon into Berkeley.

Grizzly Peak is the place to go if you do not like to go hiking, but want to have an amazing view. Panoramic views of San Francisco across the East Bay. Bay Bridge and Golden Gate views over a clear day. The magnificence of the city lights up at night.

A well-known East Bay sunset spot, and rightly so-Grizzly Peak ‘s views are breathtaking. You’ve got many pull-offs to choose from. Larger ones have logs on which to rest. The smaller pull offs offer sturdy rocks and benches. Take a pick!

You will share the sunset with certain strangers, but if you are alone, check the Northern hustle and bustle. They ‘re smaller, and thus quieter. Stay long enough to watch the sun plunge behind Marin County and the lights of the town come alive. You will definitely find some peace of mind up here.