Hiking by Transit: Berkeley to Orinda via Siesta Valley
Overview: Many know the East Bay Regional Parks system, but few are familiar with the massive trail systems of other organizations that connect with it, or with the regional hiking possibilities that those connecting trail systems open up. On this hike, we’ll head up through East Bay Parks’ Claremont Canyon preserve, taking in the magnificent views of Berkeley, the Bay, and San Francisco on the way up. We’ll cross over Skyline Boulevard into East Bay MUD’s Siesta Valley, home to a beautiful eucalyptus grove and sweeping grassy hills. We then descend into Orinda.
Itinerary:
10:45am: Meet at Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza. Look for the Hiking by Transit sign!
11:06am: Catch the 79 bus from the northwest corner of Shattuck & Allston Way
11:18am: Arrive at Claremont & Derby
Hike 4.8mi up Claremont Canyon, through EBMUD’s Siesta Valley, to Orinda
1:30pm: Arrive in Orinda. BART back, or stay for ice cream at local classic Loard’s Ice Cream!
For those coming from Rockridge elsewhere on the BART Yellow Line, you can take the 79 north and meet at the Stonewall-Panoramic Trailhead. Please coordinate in advance so we can make sure we meet up.
This is a 4.9mi hike with 1500ft of elevation gain. Please be aware some spots on the way up are quite steep; we will go slow, but be prepared with good footwear.
Please be advised the crossing between the De LaVeaga Trailhead and downtown Orinda is sketchy but I’ve had good success crossing there. We’ll take it slow and wait for a safe opportunity.
Click here to see the trail map on AllTrails.
What to bring: Your Clipper card and water, snacks, sunscreen, hat/sunglasses/sunshirts as needed. Sturdy shoes as a must, as the trail does get quite steep in places.