Wander in Redwood Regional

We spend many weekend days in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. It is an extraordinary place to see the redwoods in Oakland. You can choose your own adventure here, with plenty of well-marked trails to turn on. Here are three of the many hikes we’ve taken in this awesome regional park.

The Ladybug Loop

A few years ago, we learned that ladybugs overwinter in the redwoods! From November through February (though, we saw them early in September 2019), thousands of ladybugs congregate in Redwood Regional. You’ll find them near the intersection of the Stream Trail and the Prince Trail. While there are several ways to get there, we hike this loop. Watch your step, and wear shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy, as these trails can be wet during the winter.

Park at the Skyline Gate staging area. Start along the Stream Trail. You’ll hit the redwood trees (aka “the forest moon of Endor” as my older son calls this spot) after about a mile. Continue on the Stream Trail and turn left onto the Prince Trail. Make another left onto the wide and exposed East Ridge Trail, which will take you back to the Skyline Gate staging area. This loop is approximately 3 miles round trip. This is an easy-moderate hike because there are a few inclines along the way, but nothing difficult. The first time we hiked this loop, our youngest son was 4 years old, and he did just fine.

A Hard Loop Through the Trees with a Stop at Redwood Peak

When you want more of a workout, we hike this loop from the Moon Gate. When he was nine, our oldest son called this a “hard” hike, which he doesn’t say often. There are steep inclines and switchbacks. Take your kids if they are regular hikers or up for a challenge. We park on the side of Skyline Boulevard by the Moon Gate. Google maps will get you here with “Moon Gate Redwood Regional”.

From the Moon Gate entrance, immediately turn left onto West Ridge Trail for a short time (approx. 0.1) until you see the Tres Sendas trail marker on your right. Make your way on Tres Sendas for about .35 miles until you reach the French Trail marker on your right. Hike another 0.5 miles or so on French Trail until you see the Redwood Peak Trail to your right. Take the Redwood Peak Trail to its end and hang right to make a short climb up to the top of rocky Redwood Peak (and watch for stray arrows from the Archery Range below!). Head down from the peak and straight on the trail until you see the West Ridge Trail marker on your right. Follow the West Ridge Trail until you arrive back at the Moon Gate. This trail is approximately 3 miles, and it is predominantly under the shade of the redwoods.

A Not-Very-Redwood Hike in Redwood Regional

This hike takes you exploring beyond the redwoods. Most of this hike is not in the redwood trees. Park at the Skyline Boulevard Parking Lot near the Trudeau Center (11500 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619). From the parking lot, start on the Dunn Trail to the left, behind the Trudeau Center. Follow the Dunn Trail for about 0.5 miles and veer left onto the Graham Trail. After about a mile, turn right onto the West Ridge Trail. After another mile or so, turn right onto the second marker for the Baccharis Trail (you will have passed the first trail marker for the Baccharis Trail along the way). Follow the Baccharis Trail for about half a mile, and you’ll reach a junction. Going right will take you back up to the West Ridge Trail. Instead, veer left and join the Dunn Trail. Hike the Dunn Trail back to the parking lot. This is a moderate hike, approximately 4.9 miles long. We last hiked this in June 2020 for Father’s Day.