Tilden Regional Park

All nature lovers are invited to make a walk in the Tilden Regional Park of Berkeley. This is an extensive 2,079 acre land of forest mountains ringing the eastern cusp of San Francisco Bay.

As one of the “OG” parks of the East Bay Regional Park District, Tilden occupies a special place in the heart of many Berkeley residents, a sign of the city’s openness to nature and dedication to the environment.

Tilden Park is situated mostly in the unincorporated regions of the County of Contra Costa and in part in the towns of Oakland and Berkeley. The steep valleys and thick timber stands give a remarkable view of the wilderness so close to town. The high ridges and peaks give a large view of San Francisco Bay and inland onto Mount Diablo, which is conserved among other properties.

Parts of the park grounds had been cleared for farm use previously. Exotic trees like eucalyptus have been planted in many areas. Some of the giant sequoia are also recently planted. Recent attempts at restoration, however, are intended to preserve as much natural vegetation as possible and large parks are protected by tropical coastal scrub. As a vegetation reduction, grass is used by the East Bay Regional Parks District, with one herd of goats in Tilden every summer.

The park includes many established facilities, in addition to large wilderness areas, including environmental education areas, extensive botanical garden, swimming lake, golf course, model farm, miniature train, merry-go-round, and event venue.

Little Farm and the Environmental Education Center are just south of Tilden Nature Park. Education activities and permanent displays on the biodiversity of the region are held at the Environmental Education Centre. The Little Farm is a model farm with a vegetable garden, cattle with shorthorns, sheep, goats, rabbits, pigs, and poultry. Visitors are permitted to feed the animals and hear from farm workers about the working farm.

The Lake Anza is located in the middle of Tilden Regional Park and is open from May to September for swimming. Nearby picnic areas and hiking trails are open throughout the year.

The Regional Parks Botanic Gardenhas a large collection of California native plants, spread over 10 acres, and includes many rare and endangered California flora.

The Redwood Valley Railway is a miniature (15 in (381 mm) gauge) rideable train. Established in 1952, it provides about a 12-minute trip on its 1.25 mile track and carries 160,000 passengers a year.

The Brazilian Room , in the central part of the park, is a venue for events and banquets.

The Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round is an old Merry-Go-Round, which was built in 1912 and is included in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Tilden Park Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course. Architect William Park Bell designed it and it was constructed by WPA workers. It was officially opened to the public on November 11, 1937, although the opening for various groups including WPAs, golfers and local officials began on November 6 to November 11.

The park has numerous trails, offering hiking, horseback riding and bicycling facilities. Dogs are not allowed in the Tilden Nature Area, which is north of the park, although most of the trails are dog-friendly.