When temperatures soar, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland provides shady relief within its 1,833 acres and nearly 40 miles of trails. This 4.7-mile loop is mostly shady, with many redwoods and moderate climbs. It is an inverse hike, starting high on West Ridge and then descending to the French Trail before climbing back up, so be sure to save a bit of energy for the end. Leashed dogs are allowed.
A bonus cooling-off option is the nearby 25-yard SWIMMING POOL in Roberts Regional Recreation Area, an adjacent 87-acre park with redwoods, trails, and picnic areas. Hike a short 0.25-mile trail off of this loop or drive a half-mile east down Skyline Boulevard to reach it. The pool can close when it reaches capacity, especially on hot days; however, waiting and getting in when space opens back up is possible. See ebparks.org for details.
In 2019, Redwood Regional Park was renamed in honor of Dr. Aurelia Henry Reinhardt. The new name coincided with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment when women gained the right to vote. Dr. Reinhardt was an advocate for parks and redwoods and became the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors for the East Bay Regional Parks District in 1934. Born in San Francisco, she earned her PhD from Yale in 1905 and was president of Mills College in Oakland for 27 years.
A Wide and Partly Sunny West Ridge Trail
Begin at the Redwood Bowl Staging Area, a free parking lot off Skyline Boulevard. Take the paved trail at the edge of the parking lot, under tall Douglas fir. Then, in 350 feet, turn left onto a dirt feeder trail and arrive at the West Ridge Trail. Nearby, an interpretive exhibit tells the story of redwoods in the area over the past millennium. By 1860, the ancient redwood forest that once grew here was logged for lumber to build the Bay Area. The redwoods you see today are their descendants.
Continue past the exhibit on the West Ridge Trail, heading northwest. The dirt trail is wide, dusty, and partly sunny. Redwoods grow above grassy trailsides with bush monkey flower and coffeeberry. Reinhardt is a social park, so you’re likely to see dog walkers, trail runners, and equestrians on the trail.
Just over a quarter mile after the exhibit, the trail starts to descend. On your left is the Moon Gate parking area—an alternative parking area for this loop. Up ahead, a vista point faces Diablo Range peaks to the northeast.
Into the Canyon on the Tres Sendas Trail
At the 1.0-mile mark, turn right on Tres Sendas Trail, descending the shady canyon toward the French Trail. The trail smells dry and slightly sweet. Overhanging bay trees hover above, littering the ground with leaves. Poison oak leans into the trail zone, bugs buzz around, and birds scratch the leaf litter. You’ll find the trail traffic dies down a bit as you go deeper into the canyon.
It is quieter now and nearly fully shaded. Tall redwoods begin appearing on the hillsides with sword fern beneath them. It feels like you’re under a large tent beneath a very tall canopy with fluttering needles and leaves. There is a rockiness to the trail, and some trickling water beside it in early summer. Descending further into the canyon, trillium grows along the trail in spring.
The Prettiest Trail in the Park
At 1.4 miles, turn right onto the French Trail, heading southeast. Just past the junction, a small waterfall spills over a stone crossing in the rainy season. Sunlight beams through the redwood canopy, and the hillside falls away to your left, tumbling down to the Stream Trail below. The French Trail is considered one of the prettiest trails in the park.
Reach the Star Flower Trail junction at the 2.0-mile mark. Zigzag right, then left, to stay on the French Trail. Pass the Madrone Trail, and continue on some challenging uphill climbs. Several connector trails, like the Madrone Trail, link the French Trail to the West Ridge Trail, making it easy to shorten or lengthen your loop as you like. Over the next 1.4 miles, the French Trail snakes around the edges of the canyon, passing grouplets of redwoods, ferns, and huckleberry shrubs.
Redwood Circles on the Fern Trail
At 3.4 miles, turn right onto the Fern Trail, gaining a stiff 350 feet over the next 0.4 miles. Beautiful redwood circles along the trail make good pausing breaks. The dirt trail is somewhat rocky, though mostly shaded by bay trees and redwoods.
Reach the West Ridge Trail at 3.8 miles, and then turn right and head northwest. The wide, sandy trail is partly sunny in this stretch, with some shade from oak and madrone.
After another 0.7 miles, pass the Redwood Bowl on your right, a huge open field with picnic tables, restrooms, and a water fountain. When the East Bay Regional Parks District was created in 1934, the opening ceremony took place here, in the Redwood Bowl, in 1936. You can stay on the West Ridge Trail or hike through the Redwood Bowl back to the interpretive exhibit.
The Redwood Bowl and a Swimming Pool
Continuing on the West Ridge Trail, pass a junction with the Roberts Ridge Trail. If the swimming pool is your next destination, take this trail south for 0.25 miles to the Roberts Pool complex (www.ebparks.org). If not, then continue on the West Ridge Trail, reaching the redwood exhibit and the end of your loop. Then, take a sharp left, retracing your steps back to the Redwood Bowl Staging Area.
If you’d rather drive to the pool, it is a half-mile east on Skyline Boulevard. There is a parking fee and a pool entrance fee. See www.ebparks.org for details. As mentioned before, the pool can close when it reaches capacity, especially on hot days; however, waiting and getting in when space opens back up is possible.
Tags: east bay, natural history, redwoods, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, shade, swimming pool
