The Trekker Mission
Our mission statement
El Cerrito Trail Trekkers is a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving, improving and extending the city’s network of public pathways, stairs, trails and greenways for pedestrian and bicycle use. We also advocate for increased public open space, and sponsor activities that involve trails and open space, including hikes, festivals, and other educational events.
Brief history and accomplishments: Trekkers was founded in 2010, initially as an offshoot of the city’s Environmental Quality Committee. We were inspired by Berkeley Path Wanderers. Since then the group has
built several new trails
in the Hillside Natural Area, and
improved several other trails.
For more details on the Trail Trekkers history and current activities,
click here.
Work parties include trail building and maintenance, broom pulling, and other habitat enhancement projects, often in conjunction with the EQC Green Teams and Friends of Five Creeks.
In 2014, working with the El Cerrito High Mountain Biking Club, Trust for Public land, and the city, we spearheaded a successful effort to
acquire the Madera Open Space
and added it to the Hillside Natural Area. As part of the deal for federal funding, we also secured an agreement that will preserve the entire Hillside Natural Area as open space in perpetuity.
Trekkers worked with the National Park Service to develop our
trail map
to all city trails, and
way-marking signs
in the Hillside Natural Area. We worked with the
El Cerrito Rotary Club on the Rotary Interpretive Walk
in the Hillside. Both sets of signs will be installed soon.
Trekkers puts on
two dozen hikes
every year, plus an
annual Hillside Festival
in conjunction with the Environmental Quality Committee.
By working closely with the city, Trekkers has brought
renewed public attention to the city’s open spaces and trail network.
Current projects:
— We are overseeing installation of the National Park Service-designed
waymarking signs
in the Hillside Natural Area.
— We are working to
preserve the 15-acre Fairview Open Space
from a proposal to build 38 large homes on this fragile and beautiful habitat, and to add the land to the Hillside Natural Area. As part of our
Open Space Campaign,
we are working to preserve other private land adjacent to the public Hillside by acquiring easements to permit public us.
— As the pandemic recedes, we are resuming an active agenda of
hikes, trail work and habitat improvement parties,
and the
annual Hillside Festival.
Get involved
Lend a hand and add your spark of creative energy to the group. Trekkers needs hike leaders, trail and open space advocates, trail work volunteers, naturalists and anyone with enthusiasm.