There are so many options for walking, or hiking with dogs in the East Bay. In honor of National Dog Day, Aug. 26, we asked our staff members who share their lives with dogs to nominate some of their favorite trails. Always check at the park itself or on its website to clarify which areas allow dogs and whether they need to be kept on-leash.
1. Albany Bulb
There’s usually a pack of water-loving dogs on Albany Beach, many of them swimming, while sculptures and artworks, including a gigantic marble-run, can be spotted on walks through the Bulb, which is a former construction debris landfill. Off-leash in designated areas. An active Facebook group, “Dogs of Albany Beach and Bulb and ALDOG,” is used to discuss canine-related news, including posting about missing dogs.
Parking: Far western end of Buchanan Street. Albany Bulb
2. Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park
The East Bay Regional Park District as a whole comprises 73 parks, 1,330 miles of trails and 55 miles of shoreline and describes itself as “one of the most dog-friendly organizations in the nation.” Tilden offers many great walking options. Some favorites include Lone Oak Drive to Lake Anza; Quarry Trail; Wildcat Gorge, Meadows Canyon and Curran Trail; and the Grizzly Peak, Tower and Golf Course loop. Check out EBRPD’s dog rules.
Parking: Various entrances; see Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park
3. Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
There are many trails to hike in this huge, beautiful park east of Oakland which includes the largest remaining natural stand of coast redwood in the East Bay. In the winter, look out for the astonishing sight of thousands of ladybugs that congregate on the plants, benches and fence posts along the stream trail. The East Ridge trail, accessible from the Skyline Staging Area, is particularly dog-friendly. Off-leash in designated areas.
Parking: Various, including on Redwood Road and Skyline Boulevard. Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
4. El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area
The Hillside Natural Area (pictured, top) has 102 acres of open space that includes woodlands and grasslands that surround an old quarry. It was two separate open areas until 2014 after a group of community members encouraged the city of El Cerrito to buy the 8-acre Madera Property to expand the Hillside Natural Area and connect the North and South areas of the existing HNA.
Parking: The entrance to the Hillside Natural Area is just below the El Cerrito Recycling Center, on the north side of Schmidt Lane, east of Navallier. If mapping, the closest address is the Recycling Center at 7501 Schmidt Lane. El Cerrito Hillside Natural Area
5. Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Reserve
There are 6,050 acres of remote and rugged wilderness to explore at Las Trampas, including an expanded trail system. Dogs should be kept leashed because cows graze in the area, and it’s not necessarily an ideal summer hiking area as there’s little shade. Kari Hulac, Richmondside’s Editor in Chief, has climbed the Rocky Ridge View Trail many times, which is accessible from the Bollinger staging area. “Not very many people want their calves to hurt this much, but if you make it to the top, you can enjoy easier rolling paths with unencumbered views of Mount Diablo to the east and expansive vistas to the west.”
Parking: Main entrance is 18012 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon. Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Reserve
6. Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline
This 307-acre shoreline area includes a picnic area, a secluded cove with swimming beach, a fishing pier, a pond, a model railroad museum, as well as a hilltop with panoramic views of the North Bay. Keller Beach and Ferry Point are official San Francisco Bay Water Trail sites.
Parking: 900 Dornan Drive Richmond. Miller Knox Regional Shoreline
7. Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline
You might see marsh hawks, black-shouldered kites, red-tailed hawks, and many varieties of shorebirds at this shoreline park under development just south of Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. The Oaklandside’s senior news editor Darwin BondGraham enjoys the fact that many parts of the park, which offers great views of the bay, are open to dogs, but warns to look out for the frisbee golf course, “where a stray pooch might uncontrollably chase a flying disk.”
Parking: 600 Neptune Dr., San Leandro. Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline
8. Berkeley Waterfront Park
Known until March 2026 as Cesar Chavez Park, you’ll find a friendly dog-loving community here, including “Friends of North Waterfront Park and the Off-Leash-Area,” which organizes regular working groups to tackle poop clean-ups, mulching and foxtail prevention. The park, which began as a landfill dating back to 1957, offers 90 acres of open grassy fields, paved trails, picnic areas, kite flying and great bay views on a peninsula to the north side of the Berkeley Marina.
Parking: 11 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley. Berkeley Waterfront Park
9. Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
It’s not surprising that well over 1 million visitors come to Point Isabel each year, most of them with their dogs, as this is arguably the ultimate place to walk your pooch. The whole area is off-leash, as long has your dog is under voice control, there’s a small beach where dogs can swim at higher tides, and a walking loop that takes you alongside the Hoffman channel and across a bridge to the north section of the park which offers beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin and Brooks Island. Mudpuppie’s “tub and scrub” grooming spot is on site, and you can grab a coffee or a bite at Sit and Stay Cafe while your dog is beautified, and where dogs are also welcome.
Parking: 2701 Isabel St., Richmond. Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
10. Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Trails at this 2,432-acre parkland right next to Pinole lead through wildflower-strewn meadows in season, aromatic eucalyptus woods, or along bluffs and beaches on San Pablo Bay. Hikes offer beautiful views of Mt. Tamalpais and the Marin shoreline as well as the bay. In 2017, the park district completed major restoration and public access improvements, including the Dotson Family Marsh, the Atlas Road Bridge and a 1.5 mile raised extension to the Bay Trail. Dogs are not allowed on the pier.
Parking: 5551 Giant Highway Richmond and 3000 Atlas Rd, Richmond. Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
11. Shoreline Drive, Alameda
Fun fact: from the late 1880s until just before World War II, Alameda Beach was the largest beach in San Francisco Bay and a popular amusement park. Now it is operated by the EBRPD, no longer has rollercoasters and rides, and is used for swimming, kayaking, beachcombing, and birdwatching — as well as dog walking. Berkeleyside senior reporter Alex Gegan likes taking the paved path with its views towards San Francisco, and recommends the dog park at Crown Beach.
Parking: Either the dead-end at Veterans Ct., Alameda or at the at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal. Shoreline Drive, Alameda
12. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Sibley, along with Temescal and Tilden, is one of East Bay Regional Park District’s original parks and home to an ancient volcano. Originally called Round Top Park, it was later named in honor of Robert Sibley, who helped found the district. Dogs and their humans can dash up the park’s hills and cut through shaded woods on a scenic loop. There are also cow bells to be rung and great vistas towards Mount Diablo.
Parking: Skyline Boulevard staging area. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
13. Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve
For the past century this 6,859-acre wilderness was ranch land, and cattle continue to graze in the EBRPD park. Hikes are particularly beautiful from the end of March to the beginning of May in wildflower season. Swimming or wading is not allowed at the Alameda Creek Overlook, a scenic gorge formerly known as Little Yosemite, about two miles upstream from the Old Green Barn Visitor Center. There is little drinking water available in the park beyond the Visitor Center, so be sure to bring adequate supplies with you on the trail.
Parking: 1895 Geary Rd, Sunol. Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve
14. Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park extends from the Tilden Nature Area above the Berkeley hills in the south to historic Alvarado Park at the north end in Richmond, and includes a significant portion of the paved Nimitz Way extending from Inspiration point in Tilden. Hulac recommends the Wildcat Creek Trail, reached from the Alvarado staging area. “It offers a great, short-ish shady loop, not too hilly, with the creek access, which pups love,” she says. “If you get more ambitious you can take the Bonita, Monte Cresta and Belgum trails, which connect to others up to the top of the ridge. They’re more advanced: longer, steeper and have less shade. Keep an eye out for cows!”
Parking: 5755 McBryde Ave. Richmond. Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Other recommended spots: Joaquin Miller Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, both in Oakland; Olde School Trail in Kensington; UC Berkeley’s Strawberry Canyon fire trail; and Bay Trail Vista Point and Encinal Boat launch to the Hornet, both in Alameda.
Do you have any favorite places locally where you take your dogs for hikes? Share them in the comments.
The following dog-loving Cityside staff contributed ideas for this list: Oaklandside’s Roselyn Romero, Tasneem Raja, and Darwin BondGraham; Berkeleyside’s Alex Gegan; Richmondside’s Kari Hulac; and Cityside’s Erica Kisel.
