Public Paths Festival
2025

Besides the wonderful trails that wind through El Cerrito’s Hillside Natural Area, many other public pathways and stairs enliven our neighborhoods. This festival explores a selection of these oft-ignored non-Hillside trails. These walks visit hidden creeks, neighborhoods of fine homes, riparian habitats and historic spots. We will observe several trails that are impassable and learn what Trekkers is doing to restore them.

Note: Hikes #2, #4 and #5 include steep sections;
​walks #1 and #3 are mostly flat.

Saturday, September 26

Hike One. Ohlone Greenway History Walk. Co-sponsored by the El Cerrito Historical Society. Dave Weinstein/Laura Lent. Learn about the history of El Cerrito on this easy, flatlands walk. We will discuss the story of the railroad that created this path, our city’s early inhabitants and settlers, the industries that once lined the railroad, and more.

• 10 to 11:30 a.m. Meet at the corner of Fairmount Avenue and the Ohlone Greenway.

Hike Two. The Park to Park to Park Hike. Dave Weinstein/Laura Lent. Let’s explore the northernmost public paths, on this steep stroll that starts at Poinsett Park with its restored creek and takes in Tassajara Park and Canyon Trail Park with its restored wetlands. Learn about the history of waterway restorations, pass by the city’s finest homes, and discover hidden impassable trails.

• 1 to 3 p.m. Meet at the bottom of Poinsett Park, corner of Rosalind and Harris avenues.

Hike Three. Cerrito Creek Stroll. Enjoy this peaceful creek as it winds through El Cerrito’s Creekside Park and a portion of Albany at the foot of Albany Hill, on this easy walk. Observe a Native American site and learn how Friends of Five Creeks worked diligently over many years to restore habitat along this creek. Visit a relatively newly reopened section of the creek by El Cerrito Plaza. Leaders are Barbara Lass and Wade Huntley.

• 4 to 6 p.m. Meet at Creekside Park, 3499 Santa Clara Ave., El Cerrito.
  

Sunday, September 27

Hike Four: Ridge Ramble. In addition to many public paths in the El Cerrito Hills, Janet Byron’s hike takes in views of Wildcat Canyon, passes a very quirky house, and visits Arlington Park, Camp Herms, and the future Dorothy Rosenberg Memorial Park. This challenging 3.5-mile walk includes stairways, dirt trails, and streets with no sidewalks.

• 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the southbound #7 bus stop at Arlington Boulevard and Moeser Lane. (AC Transit option: Take the #7 bus at 8:30 a.m. from Del Norte BART (Stop B1) to Arlington and Moeser; the walk will end in time to take the bus back at 11:57 a.m.)

Hike Five.The William Huber Hike. Let’s recall one of the founders of our city with a walk through some of El Cerrito’s most beautiful neighborhood paths and stairs, while also seeing some long-barricaded pathways and enjoying attractive parks. Leader Brian Richmond.

• ​1 to 3 p.m. Meet at the Huber Park clubhouse, 7711 Terrace Drive.