NEWS FROM EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS | | |
Summer in the Parks—Be Safe and Share Your Voice
A MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MANAGER SABRINA LANDRETH
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East Bay Regional Parks are a favorite destination during the summer months, with longer days, school breaks, and plenty of outdoor activities. When enjoying time outdoors, please plan ahead for the heat by bringing extra water, being courteous to fellow visitors, and following all fire safety rules.
While you are out enjoying nature, give some thought to what you envision for the future of your East Bay Regional Parks. Share your ideas through a community survey that we have launched as a part of our District Plan process. It has been 13 years since our last strategic plan, and a lot has changed in the East Bay over that time. Help us plan for the future by providing input on what is important to you. Click here to take the survey.
| Park District Investing $10.9 Million to Reduce Fire Fuels in Parks | Big news for wildfire safety! The Park District is investing $10.9 million over three years to reduce wildfire risk across 600+ acres at Tilden, Anthony Chabot, Wildcat Canyon, Claremont Canyon, and Carquinez Strait Regional Parks—removing hazardous vegetation and dead and dying trees, including eucalyptus. More info. | |
Trails Challenge Update
Turn in your logs today for chance to win!
| For the past few months, the Park District has been awarding prizes to Trails Challenge finishers through monthly drawings—one for first-time finishers and one for all finishers. Future prizes include AllTrails gear, bandanas, and Regional Parks Foundation memberships. Submit finisher logs for a chance to win! More info. | Log Form. | Cashless Fee Pilot Program Reminder | The Cashless Pilot Program at Roberts and Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Areas has been extended through Dec. 31, 2025. The pilot program began in October 2024. As part of the pilot program, only credit cards are accepted—cash payments are not. All major credit cards and tap-to-pay are accepted. More info. | | Enjoy June Pride Month Programs in the Regional Parks | Join the Park District in celebrating diversity in parks and creating welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy. From hikes across the District to Tilden's Pride in the Park event, there are fun and inclusive activities for all to enjoy. Pride Month Programs and Activities. | Celebrating Juneteenth with a Free Park Day | |
Join the Park District in celebrating Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. We're celebrating with a Free Park Day and special naturalist-led programs on Thursday, June 19.
Juneteenth Programs and Activities.
| OpenRoad Episode Highlights Park District's Trails Challenge and Wildfire Safety Efforts | Watch the latest edition of NBC Bay Area's OpenRoad, which highlights the Park District's Trails Challenge program and how the District is using cutting-edge technologies to keep East Bay communities safe from wildfires. Watch OpenRoad Episode. | Trails Challenge Hike at Sibley: June 11 | Join a naturalist-led hike on one of the scenic routes in this year’s Trails Challenge. This trek at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve showcases the largest creek restoration project in the Park District's history. After passing Alder and Leatherwood Creek, traverse the hills for amazing views, expanses of grassland, and more. This is a moderate 4.12-mile hike with about 843 feet elevation gain. Parking is limited; please carpool. No dogs allowed in this newly restored section of Sibley. More info. | | Pride in the Park at Tilden Nature Area: June 7 | Head to Tilden Nature Area on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for the third annual Pride in the Park event. This fun, family-friendly, FREE day in the park kicks off the Park District’s Pride month celebration. Bring a picnic and enjoy activities, crafts, and community vendors in this beautiful natural setting next to the Little Farm. All are welcome. More info. | All Abilities Day at Crab Cove: June 14 | |
Join people of all ages and abilities at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove on Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for All Abilities Day! Explore the park and participate in hands-on nature crafts, multi-sensory activities, meet animals, and take short guided tours. More info.
This year, the Park District is partnering with NatureTrack and BORP Adapted Sports & Recreation to provide individuals who have mobility and vision disabilities with the opportunity to explore and traverse the beach independently using a Freedom Trax device, which enables a standard personal wheelchair to function on off-road terrain. Freedom Trax reservation times are 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. No fees. Reserve Freedom Trax times.
| | Sandcastle and Sculpture Contest at Crown Beach: June 21 | Enjoy a day at the beach with friends and family, either building a unique work of art or strolling to admire others' creations. Categories include castles and sculptures by youth, families, and adults. Otis Drive parking lot, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. More info. | | Regional Parks Foundation at TOGETHER East Bay Conference | The Regional Parks Foundation (RPF) participated in the recent TOGETHER Bay Area conference in San Francisco. This regional coalition of organizations works together on addressing climate issues, social equity, healthy lands, and communities. RPF is proud to support and help bring these goals to life through community investment, strategic partnerships, and funding for future park projects. Click here to learn more about RPF and how you can support Regional Parks. | At April’s California Trails & Greenways conference, the Park District’s New Voices Partnership for the North Basin Strip Project in Berkeley was selected for the Underserved Communities Merit Award. The awards program is an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the individuals, organizations, agencies, and businesses that, through their hard work, integrity, and social responsibility, have made outstanding contributions toward promoting, enhancing, or expanding public awareness and use of trails and greenways. Congratulations to the New Voices Partnership Team! 2025 California Trails and Greenways Award Winners | North Basin Strip Shoreline Park Improvement Project | | Bat Brigade Training: June 13 | Discover the “Night Wings” of southern Alameda County! This training session will prepare volunteers to participate in bat survey methods, which include roost exit counts, bat acoustics, thermal imaging, and more. This ongoing wildlife research includes setting up sampling equipment, monitoring, and hands-on data entry. Participants earn a “Bat Brigade” patch. Physical labor is involved in this project, and parent participation is required for children age 17 and under. Following the training session, field locations will be announced and will occur on June 18 and 21. More info. | Double the Joy of Summer for East Bay Kids! | Your gift to the Regional Parks Foundation connects youth with nature and provides transportation, environmental education, school field trips, and summer camp scholarships. With your generous support, you make it possible for more children to have access to outdoor experiences. Make a donation by June 30 and your gift will be doubled thanks to a $20,000 challenge match made possible by a private donor. More info. | | Father's Day Events in the Regional Parks: June 15 | Celebrate Father's Day with a day in nature or a planned program at a Regional Park. Father's Day Programs. | Historic Hay Harvest Days at Ardenwood Farm | Join the fun at Ardenwood Historic Farm's old-fashioned hay harvest! Help load the freshly mown hay and haul it back to build a big stack. Learn the difference between hay and straw while bringing in this year’s crop. This is a drop-in program spanning three Sundays in June; no registration is required. Ardenwood admission fee applies. More info. | | Celebrating the Summer Solstice | |
Enjoy a special day dedicated to the endangered California least tern! View an outdoor presentation about their fascinating behaviors and the reasons for their success at the largest colony in the northernmost part of Central California: 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 12:45 p.m.
Reserve a spot to view the nest site teeming with several hundred pairs of terns and their chicks, accessible only on the tour bus (space limited), which leaves from the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove after each presentation. More info.
| | Connecting Parks to People | | | | |
