Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
About The Park
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park encompasses 2,430 acres along the Wildcat Creek watershed and the surrounding hills and ridges. The park extends from the Tilden Nature Area in the south to historic Alvarado Park at the north end in Richmond. It includes a significant portion of the paved Nimitz Way coming from Inspiration point in Tilden Park. Easy access from the busy cities of the East Bay makes Wildcat Canyon a popular place for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and those simply looking for a quiet place to spend an afternoon. Alvarado Park, with its historic stonework, provides picnic areas for large and small groups, a wonderful play area for children, and access to Wildcat Creek, all just steps from the busy streets of Richmond. Back to top
History
The early history of Wildcat Canyon is similar to the history of all of California. Early Spanish exploration and ranchos displaced Native American communities that had existed here for thousands of years. As the East Bay developed into a network of busy towns and cities, the canyon was primarily used as a water source for the growing East Bay. In 1935, water from the Mokolumne River had lessened the need for local water sources, and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (presently EBMUD) granted the land for Tilden Regional Park to the newly formed East Bay Regional Park District. The Park District slowly acquired more land in the area, and in 1976, Wildcat Canyon Regional Park was created, encompassing 2,197 acres. The Park's current size is 2,430 acres.
Alvarado Park is located at the northern end of Wildcat Canyon, on the Richmond/El Sobrante border. This area was a private park beginning in 1909, with ferry boats and a trolley bringing families from East Bay towns, and even San Francisco. The park was taken over by the City of Richmond in 1923 and transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District in 1985. The original facilities at Alvarado Park included an open-air pavilion and dance hall (later converted to a popular roller rink). These are now gone; what remains is the extensive stone work, including stone walls, stone light standards, and a beautiful stone arch bridge across Wildcat Creek. Because of the unique history and depression era WPA stone work, Alvarado Park is included in the National Register of Historic Places. Back to top
Park Features
Wildcat Canyon has 22 miles of trails (mostly fire roads), including 2.7 miles of paved trail on Nimitz Way, and 6 miles of single track trails in the Tilden Nature Area.
There are picnic and barbeque facilities and a children's playground in Alvarado. Group camping is available in Tilden Nature Area's New Woodland and Wildcat View camps.
Geology and Wildlife
On east-facing slopes of Wildcat Canyon grow large coast live oaks, bay laurels, and a scattering of bigleaf maples and madrones. North-facing hillsides support some beautiful, nearly pure stands of bay laurel, fringed with coast live oak. Moist chaparral of coyote brush, poison oak, elderberry, snowberry, bracken fern, and blackberry grow in thickets high on the north-facing slopes.
In the gorge of bedrock-cutting Wildcat Creek grows a riparian forest of alder, willow, creek dogwood, and bay laurel. The forest extends the length of Wildcat Creek and part way up the tributaries. The west- and south-facing canyon slopes are covered with introduced annual grasses (oat, rye, barley, etc.). A few stands of native bunch grasses persist. There are many native wildflower species.
Foxes, raccoons, skunks, and opossums range nightly through the canyon. Deer, ground squirrels, and voles forage more commonly by day. Gopher snakes, king snakes, and western racers inhabit the fields and meadows; garter snakes hunt the ponds and stream verges. In the forest are rubber boas and ringneck snakes. Aloft are redtail hawks, American kestrels, sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks and turkey vultures. Most nights you can hear a great horned owl. There are also many varieties of songbirds. Remember: please take neither animal nor plant life, as all such resources are protected for the enjoyment of everyone. Back to top
Park Activities
Mountain Bikes
All bikes are prohibited in the area of the Tilden's Environmental Education Center (EEC) and Little Farm, or on any single track trails in the Tilden Nature Area. To access Wildcat Creek Trail from the south, bikers must use the loop road above the EEC and Little Farm to Jewel Lake. Mountain Bikes are not allowed on the Laurel fire road connecting the Nimitz Way to the loop road. Mountain bikes are permitted on all other fire roads in Wildcat Canyon, as well as Havey Canyon Trail, which is a wide single track. Back to top
Equestrian
Equestrians are prohibited in the area of the Tilden EEC and the Little Farm, or on any single track trails in the Tilden Nature Area. To access Wildcat Creek trail from the south, equestrians must use the loop road above the EEC and Little Farm to Jewel Lake. Equestrians are permitted on the Laurel fire road connecting the loop road to the Nimitz Way. Equestrians are not permitted on Havey Canyon Trail in Wildcat Canyon. Back to top
Dogs
Dogs are not permitted in the Tilden Nature Area. Dogs must be on leash at all times on the Nimitz Way, in all parking/staging areas, and all developed areas. Dogs may be off leash in open space area, provided they respond to voice commands. Anyone wishing to walk more than three dogs at a time must get a dog walking permit from the Park District,...and they are only allowed to access Wildcat Canyon through the north end of the park from the staging area off Park Ave. and may only use Wildcat Creek Trail for two miles extending south from that point. For more information, visit the Dog page. Back to top
Picnic Sites
Alvarado Park has four reservable picnic sites, Camp Bay (100), Camp Acacia (50), Camp Elderberry (50), and Camp Alvarado (200). There are also eight non-reservable picnic sites in Alvarado. For more information, or to reserve a site, call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1. Back to top
Group and Youth Camps
There are two reservable group camps, New Woodland and Wildcat View, just above the Tilden EEC. For more information, or to reserve a site, call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1. Back to top
Nimitz Way Hiking and Biking
A walk along Nimitz Way is popular with hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, and affords spectacular views from the crest of the East Bay hills. There are several other trails in Wildcat Canyon that connect to Nimitz Way. Check the Wildcat Canyon map. Back to top
Park Accessibility
A walk along Nimitz Way is paved and wheelchair accessible. There is trail staging at Inspiration Point on Wildcat Canyon Road in Tilden Park that offers wheelchair accessible parking and restrooms, but there is no drinking water at this staging area. Alvarado Park is paved from the entrance to the main lawn and picnic areas at Camp Alvarado and Elderberry. On weekends from May through September, park staff operate an electric cart to shuttle picnics and persons with difficulty walking to the picnic areas. Back to top
To Reach The Park
- To Alvarado Park and the Wildcat Canyon Staging Area on the north end of Wildcat Canyon
- From El Cerrito, take Interstate 80 east (towards Sacramento) to Richmond and exit at Solano Ave. Turn left at the bottom of the off ramp onto Amador. Continue on Amador to the second stop sign which will be McBryde Ave. Turn right on McBryde and continue to the first stop sign. There are ornamental stone pillars and a tall hedge on the left. This is the entrance to Alvarado Park. Park on the street, and walk across and into Alvarado. For the staging area and trail access, continue straight through the stop sign putting you on Park Ave. The Wildcat Canyon staging area is approximately 1/4 mile farther on Park Ave.
- From North Richmond and Pinole, take I-80 west to the McBryde exit. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left onto Mcbryde Ave. Follow McBryde to the second stop sign. The ornamental stone pillars to your left mark the entrance to Alvarado Park. Proceed straight through the stop sign onto Park Ave. for approximately 1/4 mile to reach the Wildcat Canyon staging area.
- To Wildcat View and New Woodland group camps and Wildcat Canyon from the south
- Access is through Tilden Park with the best route via Canon Drive, from the intersection of Grizzly Peak and Shasta roads (see link below). At the bottom of Canon drive, turn right onto Central Park Drive and proceed a short distance to Lone Oak Road on the left. Turn onto Lone Oak Road and follow it to the end. Park on the road and access the trail through the vehicle gate. If you have a group camp reservation, you will be issued a key allowing you to open the gate and drive up to the group camps (Please close and lock the gate behind you).
Public Transit
To confirm bus schedules, call AC Transit at 511 or 817-1717; TDD/TTY: (800) 448-9790; website: www.transit.511.org; ParaTransit: (510)287-5000. Back to top
Trail Map
Park Info
- Address
- 5755 Mcbryde Ave
Richmond, CA - Download Brochure
- Phone Numbers
- 510-236-1262
- Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4567
- Local Weather
- Maps
- View Trail Map
- Download PDF Map
- Yahoo Map
- Park Hours
- Open between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. unless otherwise posted or permitted
- Park Events
- Click here for upcoming events
- Parking Fee
- No fee
- Camping Reservation
- 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1
- Picnic Reservation
- 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1
- Emergency Number
- 911
- EBRPD Headquarters
- 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757
Park Update
- Grazing Update
- Cattle grazing occurs year round in Wildcat Canyon. If you prefer hiking in an area without cattle, Wildcat Creek Trail is cattle free. Please close gates behind you to keep the cattle where they belong.