Jewel Lake

Jewel Lake, California 94708, USA

There are miles upon miles of trails and hikes to choose from in Tilden Park, high up in the Berkeley Hills and I always love to start and finish many of the classic afternoons here by swinging through the Redwood groves that are on the western end of Jewel Lake. You’ll feel the temperature drop once you’re in the shade of those big, beautiful trees and be sure to breathe in deep, all that extra oxygen. If you park near the Little Farm entrance to the Nature Area, grab one of the free Tilden trail maps at the kiosk and start following the foot patch called Wildcat Creek Trail down to Jewel Lake.

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Rising Redwoods in Tilden Park

There are miles upon miles of trails and hikes to choose from in Tilden Park, high up in the Berkeley Hills and I always love to start and finish many of the classic afternoons here by swinging through the Redwood groves that are on the western end of Jewel Lake. You’ll feel the temperature drop once you’re in the shade of those big, beautiful trees and be sure to breathe in deep, all that extra oxygen. If you park near the Little Farm entrance to the Nature Area, grab one of the free Tilden trail maps at the kiosk and start following the foot patch called Wildcat Creek Trail down to Jewel Lake.

Jewel of a Sunset

My favorite place to slow down after a big hike or walk in Tilden, is a shaded area next to the water on the Northwestern side of Jewel Lake. If you time it just right with the sunset, and the wind isn’t too strong that night, the reflection of the sunset colors on the water can be stunning. To get there, park near Little Farm and Tilden Park Indian Camp and then follow the trail called Wildcat Creek Trail to get to the lake. Then, be sure to loop all the way around the lake and follow the Lower Packrat Trail that is a much more secluded trail to get you back to the parking lot.

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