Oakland: Halloween Rockridge to Orinda Hike

This Halloween, join us for a BART-to-BART hike from Rockridge in Oakland over the East Bay Hills to Orinda. From the Rockridge station, we’ll head up College Ave to the Berkeley campus where we’ll hop onto the fire trails that wind along Strawberry Canyon up to the ridge at Tilden Park. From there, we’ll descend into peaceful, protected watershed territory on the De Laveaga Trail into Orinda and end at the BART station. This challenging hike delivers big rewards with sweeping views on both sides of the East Bay Hills from the Golden Gate to Mt. Diablo. And don’t worry, the only spirits we’ll encounter are the friendly, pilgrim kind!

Schedule: This is a Friday hike. Meet us at 10:00 AM at the Rockridge BART station in Oakland in front of the Rockridge sign at the bottom of the stairs/escalators. If you arrive early and want a snack and coffee, there’s Market Hall kitty corner across the street on College Ave. We’ll have a quick lunch in Tilden Park at the Steam Trains and expect to arrive at the Orinda BART station by 4:00 PM so you can be home in time to hand out the Halloween candy. For those interested, we’ll continue on for food and drinks at the Fourth Bore Taproom and Grill across from the station.

Level of Difficulty: This is a very difficult hike! In fact, this is one of our most strenuous with several steep and rocky sections on both sides of the hills. Total distance is about 8 miles and total elevation gain is about 1,100 feet.

This hike is not suitable for those who are new to hiking or have not been training regularly. To participate, you must have recent experience completing hikes of similar distance and elevation and be able to sustain a consistent pace of ~3 mph. Participants who are unable to keep up may be asked to turn back in order to prioritize the safety and cohesion of the group.

If you’re not at this fitness level yet, please do not sign up. Instead, focus on building your endurance on your own with less demanding hikes or on our monthly Lake Merritt walks.

Advance online registration is required. Click the Register Now button below to sign up. Please register if/when you are certain you can attend. Thank you!

Cancellation: Rain or severe weather cancels. If you are unable to attend, please email us as soon as possible at norcal@americanpilgrims.org so we can update our list.

Getting There: The Rockridge station is on the (yellow) Antioch-San Francisco Int’l Airport/Millbrae line. Transfer at MacArthur if traveling on the Richmond-Berryessa line or at West Oakland if on the Dublin/Pleasanton line. If you park at a BART station, parking fees will apply since it is a weekday. See the BART Parking FAQ page for details and how to pay for reserved parking.

Carpooling: On the registration form is a link to an online “Carpool Bulletin Board” to post a message if you need a ride, can give one or want to rideshare.

What to Bring: A day pack with plenty of water, snacks, and a bag lunch. Sun protection (hat, sunscreen) as some sections have little to no shade, and a jacket or sweater in case it’s cool. Good hiking shoes and hiking poles will be indispensable, especially on the steep sections. Your Clipper app or card with enough funds for the transit rides. And cash for the group bill if you plan to join us afterward at the Fourth Bore.

Leader: Merula Furtado

The Ruff Stuff: For insurance purposes, we are unable to welcome dogs, except service animals, at our events.