César Chávez Park
Managed by City of Berkeley
92 acres3.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: pedrik · CC BY 2.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Berkeley
14% of Berkeley’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
17 miles of mapped trail cross Berkeley, 1.6 per square mile of land. 14% of Berkeley’s land is conserved, about 945 acres. The biggest trail networks: César Chávez Park (3.9 mi), Berkeley Meadow (1.1 mi), Brickyard Cove (1 mi).
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns · #251 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
945 acres · of 10.4 sq mi of land
Trails
17 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
552 ac
4.6 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
55 mi
16 mi lanes · 11 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
6
1 beach · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Berkeley?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Berkeley have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Berkeley is ahead of 84% of U.S. towns, #251 of 847 in California. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Berkeley’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (17 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land4.6 acres of park per 1,000 residents (552 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13CParks close to home98% of residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 84%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 70%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Berkeley ranks #149 on Outdoors.
Water is 41% of Berkeley’s area (7 of 18 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 8%.
Park acres per resident are where Berkeley trails most U.S. towns: 4.6 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 121,911 people share 552 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is César Chávez Park, with 3.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Berkeley Meadow
Park
76 acres1.1 mi of trail
Virginia Street Extension
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Codornices Park
Park
11 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
John Hinkel Park
Park
5 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Berkeley Rose Garden
Park
4 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Ecological Study Area
Managed by University of California, Berkeley
25 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
All 40 parks & preserves
César Chávez Park92 acres · 3.9 mi of trail · City of Berkeley
DirectionsBerkeley Meadow76 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrickyard Cove30 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsCodornices Park11 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Basin Strip18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Hinkel Park5 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBerkeley Rose Garden4 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsEcological Study Area25 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · University of California, Berkeley
DirectionsAquatic Park93 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGrinnell Natural Area5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · University of California, Berkeley
DirectionsWillard Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMcLaughlin Eastshore State Park696 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · East Bay Regional Park District
DirectionsOhlone Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHarrison Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGlendale - La Loma Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLive Oak Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsVicente Canyon Hillside Open Space2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Vicente Canyon Hillside Foundation
Dorothy Bolte Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
San Pablo Park13 acres
DirectionsBerkeley Beach8 acres
DirectionsShorebird Park6 acres
DirectionsKing School Park6 acres
Cedar-Rose Park5 acres
DirectionsJames Kenney Park4 acres
DirectionsStrawberry Creek Park3 acres
DirectionsMartin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park3 acres
DirectionsCragmont Park3 acres · City of Berkeley
Grove Park3 acres
DirectionsOhlone Greenway2 acres
DirectionsRemillard Park2 acres
Malcolm X School Park2 acres
DirectionsIndian Rock Park1 acres
DirectionsTerrace View Park1 acres
DirectionsThousand Oaks School Park1 acres
DirectionsGreat Stoneface Park1 acres
Horseshoe Park1 acres
DirectionsOld City Hall Complex1 acres
DirectionsBerkeley Way Mini-Park1 acres
DirectionsAshby Place Park1 acres
DirectionsWest Street Pathway1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
945 conserved acres
14% of Berkeley’s land. Water is left out: Berkeley has 10.4 square miles of land and 7.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Berkeley’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency617 ac
Town or city320 ac
Other state land2 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 609 acLocal Park · 308 acLocal Recreation Area · 21 acState Other or Unknown · 2 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLaughlin Eastshore State Park Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 609 | Open |
| Aquatic Park Local Park | Town or city | 96 | Open |
| Cesar Chavez Park Local Park | Town or city | 87 | Open |
| Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 20 | Open |
| King School Park Local Park | Town or city | 19 | Restricted |
| San Pablo Park Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Open |
| Codornices Park Local Park | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| Ohlone Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Shorebird Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
| Glendale-La Loma Park Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
149 places to go in Berkeley
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Berkeley
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Berkeley
Golden Bear Pool
DirectionsStrawberry Canyon Pool
DirectionsPlus 4 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Berkeley
Adventure PlaygroundHours: Sa, Su 11:00-17:00
DirectionsBateman Mall PlaygroundIn Bateman Mall Park
DirectionsDreamland for Kids Playground at Aquatic ParkIn Aquatic Park
DirectionsGame on
DirectionsGrove PlaygroundIn Grove Park
DirectionsPlay Structures
DirectionsSpiderweb & Wheel of Death
DirectionsTerrace View PlaygroundHours: Mon–Sun 6 am – 10 pm · In Terrace View Park
Directions1 more playground
Willard Park PlaygroundIn Willard Park
Directions86 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Berkeley
César Chávez Dog ParkIn César Chávez Park
DirectionsOhlone Dog ParkIn Ohlone Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Berkeley
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Berkeley
3 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Berkeley
Indian RockIn Indian Rock Park
DirectionsTightwad Hill
DirectionsPlus 10 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Berkeley
Holy Hill
DirectionsObservatory Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Berkeley
Picnic Area #1In Codornices Park
DirectionsPicnic Area #2In Codornices Park
DirectionsPicnic area #3In Codornices Park
DirectionsPlus 25 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Berkeley
BYA Urban Farm and Community Garden
DirectionsKarl Linn Community Garden
DirectionsPeralta Community Garden
DirectionsPinnantak
DirectionsUrban Adamah
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
6 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.6 miUnpaved · 5.8 mi
Virginia Street Extension0.5 mi
Quarry Path0.1 mi
Vicente Canyon Hillside0.1 mi
Olympus Path0.1 mi
Keeler Path0.1 mi
Clark Kerr Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
55 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
11 mi
off-road bike paths
27 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
San Francisco Bay TrailBike route
1 miCourts & fields
87Basketball
59Tennis
15Soccer
12Baseball
7Pickleball
7Softball
6Volleyball
2Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →63 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 59 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of CaliforniaNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1966
About itSt. John's Presbyterian ChurchBuilding · listed 1974
About itSenior HallBuilding · listed 1974
About itHershell-Spillman Merry-Go-RoundStructure · listed 1976
About itDrawing BuildingBuilding · listed 1976
About itBerkeley Day NurseryBuilding · listed 1977
About itBerkeley Women's City ClubBuilding · listed 1977
About itGolden Sheaf BakeryBuilding · listed 1978
About itStudio BuildingBuilding · listed 1978
About itToverii TuppaBuilding · listed 1978
About itWilliam R. Thorsen HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About it51 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Berkeley: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.5 |
| High (°F) | 57 | 61 | 63 | 66 | 69 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 72 | 64 | 57 |
| Rain (in) | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 4.7 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and September the warmest (highs of 76 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Berkeley →
Next door
Berkeley and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 14% | 1.6 | 5 | 98% | A− |
| Oakland | 15% | 1.9 | 11 | 99% | A |
| Albany | 55% | 3.6 | 10 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Kensington | 4% | 0.8 | 6 | 91% | B+ |
| Emeryville | 41% | 1.1 | 5 | 99%+ | A |
| San Francisco | 23% | 3.3 | 8 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Berkeley
Where can I hike in Berkeley?
The longest trail networks: César Chávez Park, 3.9 miles; Berkeley Meadow, 1.1 miles; Brickyard Cove, 1 miles; Codornices Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Berkeley is conserved land?
14% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Berkeley’s trails?
César Chávez Park and Berkeley Meadow don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Berkeley?
55 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of painted or protected lanes, 11 of off-road paths and 27 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: San Francisco Bay Trail.
Is there public land near Berkeley?
39,440 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Berkeley or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 555 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Berkeley have?
Ahead of 84% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #251 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Berkeley neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →