Redwood Regional Park - West Ridge Trail, Stream Trail, East Ridge Trail

Distance: 3.5 miles

Elevation Gain: 690 feet

High Point: 1,330 feet

Difficulty: Moderate

Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Fitness: Hikers, walkers, runners

Family Friendly:

Dog Friendly: Dogs are allowed under voice control on park trails. There is a dog fee of $2 per dog. (No fee for guide/service dogs.) Fees are collected on weekends and major holidays.

Amenities: Numerous restrooms and picnic areas throughout the park.

Contact: East Bay Regional Park District

GPS: 37° 49' 53.9544'' N 122° 11' 5.6616'' W

Map to: Redwood Regional Park Skyline Gate Staging Area

Strava Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1526132512

There is just something so calming about hiking through redwoods. Perhaps it’s because as the tallest trees in the world, they make us realize just how small we are. Perhaps it’s because their thick canopy seems to block out the noise and chaos of the the outside world. Whatever it is, whenever I see them, I feel very lucky to live in the Bay Area—one of the few places on earth where these trees grow and thrive.

Redwood Regional Park is a treasure and gives you access to a redwood forest that’s close to the city, but free of the Muir Woods crowds. These redwoods aren’t nearly as large as some of those in Muir Woods, but they are still tall, majestic, and plentiful.

Redwoods are native to this part of the East Bay, however, all of the area’s old-growth trees  were chopped down between 1845-1860 as people flooded into the Bay Area during the Gold Rush. After that time, trees began to grow back and it was thought that many of them grew to be over 100 feet tall. But these second-growth trees were logged again—this time to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. While some second-growth trees remain, many of the redwoods you see in the park today are third-growth trees. They are far from ancient, but they’re still over 100 years old, tall, and growing more with every passing year.

There are seemingly limitless possibilities for hiking in Redwood Regional Park. I like this particular route, which includes the West Ridge Trail, the French Trail, the Stream Trail, the Prince Trail, and the East Ridge Trail as it has a nice variety of scenery (exposed sunny trails, redwoods, creeks, etc.)—and because it comes with a special bonus in winter—thousands (hundreds of thousands? millions?) of ladybugs converge here in the months of November through March. The beetles fly into the park seeking a place to mate and to feast on aphids, using pheromones left by previous generations to return to the same spots year after year. Center stage for this annual phenomenon is the junction of the Stream and Prince Trails.

But there’s no need to wait until winter to do this hike. Whenever you do this route, it’s an excellent escape from urban life just miles away from the city.

Get Moving

Start the hike in the Skyline Staging Area and head right. When the trail splits almost immediately, head right to pick up the West Ridge Trail, a wide fire road above a canyon. Be aware that trail is bike friendly, so you may be sharing the trail with cyclists. You will also want to be on the lookout for poison oak.

After one-half mile, see a first stand of redwoods on your left. 375 feet later, turn left on the French trail, a single-track trail heading downhill. The trail is shaded and lined with bay laurel trees, ferns, and abundant amounts of poison oak. Watch your step as you descend—the trail is dotted with rocks and roots and there are sometimes downed trees here.

After 0.6 mile on this trail, turn left onto the Tres Sendas trail (a “senda” is path or route in Spanish), a wide trail full of redwoods and running along Redwood Creek. Continue 0.25 mile on the Tres Sendas trail, walking through a fallen tree and bearing left to stay on this trail at its intersection with the Star Flower Trail. After another 425 feet, cross Redwood Creek and turn right onto the Stream trail. This is a wide, relatively flat trail, and due to the creek’s sensitive habitat, dogs must be on leash here.

After 0.45 miles on the Stream Trail, reach the Prince Trail. If you’re visiting during ladybug season, feel free to take a little detour to continue farther on the Stream Trail to catch more glimpses of the colorful beetles. Otherwise, head left and uphill on the Prince Trail. You’ll be on this trail for 0.4 mile, half of which is shaded and half of which brings you up and out of the trees. Take your time on this steep trail as this is where you’ll gain back 300 of the 550 feet you lost on the first half of the hike.

Turn left on the East Ridge Trail, a wide fire trail with no tree cover. After 250 feet, look for a bench with views of the tops of redwoods. Stay straight on the East Ridge Trail when you pass a turnoff for the Philips Loop after 0.2 mile. After you pass this intersection, start looking behind you for views of Mt. Diablo.

From here, there are two ways you can finish the hike. The most straightforward way is to continue on the East Ridge Trail another mile to the parking lot where you started. Like the West Ridge Trail, this trail is bike friendly, so be aware that there may be cyclists here.

Another option if the East Ridge trail is crowded or you feel like changing things up is to turn left on the Eucalyptus Trail 0.3 mile after the Philips Loop turnoff. If you do this, you’ll head downhill on the Eucalyptus Trail 0.1 mile and then turn right on the Philips Loop. Follow the Philips Loop 0.65 mile, enjoying this partially shaded trail lined with eucalyptus and some madrone trees. This trail can get muddy after a winter or spring rain and can be lined with poison oak. If it’s recently rained when you’re visiting, the East Ridge Trail may be your best bet.

Then turn left on the East Ridge Trail and continue 0.2 mile on the East Ridge Trail back to the parking lot where you started.

Go Farther

If you’re up for more hiking, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve and Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve are close by. Or, if you’re done with hiking, feel free to check out the Chabot Space and Science Center, an observatory with exhibits, telescopes, a planetarium, and more.