Rachel’s East Bay Horseback Excursion

Distance: 7-18 miles per day
Duration: Up to 6 days
Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging

For equestrians looking for a true multi-day trail adventure, Bay Area Ridge Trail board member Rachel Royce recommends the annual East Bay Hills Hike and Ride, held each Labor Day weekend. An avid trail rider, Rachel has been fortunate to explore some incredible landscapes on horseback—from the Slieve Aughty Mountains of Ireland to the sweeping dunes and mesas of Monument Valley in Navajo Nation. Each place has its own unique character, but she feels especially fortunate to have such a beautiful and accessible network of trails right here at home in the Bay Area.

What You’ll Experience

Along with the fantastic riding, the event is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, both at camp and along the trail. A dedicated team of volunteers keeps everything running smoothly, from making sure riders are well-fed to coordinating campsite move logistics. 

Routes vary from year to year, but this itinerary provides a good example of what riders can expect. Check out the itinerary below, and make sure to mark your calendar for East Bay Hills Hike and Ride, next Labor Day Weekend.

Note: Food for each day and gear transportation between campsites is coordinated by the event managers.

Itinerary

DAY 1: Tilden to Wildcat & San Pablo Ridge Loop

• Difficulty: 18 miles, 3,100 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Tilden Regional Park – ES Anderson Equestrian Camp
• Description: This scenic loop connects some of the East Bay’s most iconic equestrian trails, offering varied terrain, spectacular views, and a memorable day in the saddle. Riders will travel through shaded canyons, open ridgelines, and historic parklands, with sweeping vistas of San Pablo Reservoir, Mount Tamalpais, and, on clear days, the Sierra Nevada. Along the route, you will pass through the remnants of the historic Belgum Sanitarium site built in the early 1900s, adding a unique glimpse of East Bay history to the ride.

DAY 2: Tilden to Joaquin Miller

• Difficulty: 11.7 miles, 2,310 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Joaquin Miller Park, Sequoia Arena
• Description: This point-to-point ride from Tilden to Joaquin Miller Park includes 360-degree ridge-top vistas of San Francisco to the West and the San Pablo and Briones Reservoirs to the East. The route then transitions into a more intimate landscape of oak and madrone woodland and some of the area’s remaining coastal scrub vegetation, ending in lush cool Redwood canopies as you head into Joaquin Miller Park.

DAY 3: Joaquin Miller and Redwood Regional Figure 8

• Difficulty: 17.3 miles, 2,360 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Joaquin Miller Park, Sequoia Arena
• Description: These trails weave through some of the most beautiful and rugged parts of the East Bay hills, offering a mix of redwood groves, ridgelines, and technical single-track trails. This fantastic ride takes in the best sections of the area, including some hidden gems and the entire length of the French trail. This is a challenging ride and a favorite for many.

DAY 4: Joaquin Miller to Bort Meadow

• Difficulty: 6.5 miles, 735 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Bort Meadow Group Camp
• Description: This route is mostly fire roads and takes you through Redwood Regional and Anthony Chabot Parks, covering some of the best scenic trails in the East Bay Hills. You’ll be riding through redwood groves and oak woodlands with some ridge-top views. The section is mostly smooth riding, and plenty of natural beauty. 

DAY 5: Joaquin Miller to Bort Meadow

• Difficulty: 16.5 miles, 2,444 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Bort Meadow Group Camp
• Description: This route through Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers a perfect mix of coastal and inland terrain, ranging from serene creekside paths to ridge-top vistas, oak woodlands, and grassy meadows. With trails like Ranch, Goldenrod, Columbine, and Grass Valley, you’ll experience some of the best the park has to offer. This ride’s combination of trails is moderate to challenging with a few technical sections, but the variety of environments and excellent views make it a memorable adventure for horseback riders. Keep an eye on the skies as you approach Lake Chabot – you may see resident bald eagles soaring above the shoreline or fishing the lake.

DAY 6: Tour of Anthony Chabot, Part 2

• Difficulty: 13.6 miles, 2,350 ft of climbing
• Maps: PDF map, AllTrails map
• Overnight: Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Bort Meadow Group Camp
• Description: This ride will take you through a variety of landscapes—from meandering lakeside trails, serene creekside paths and oak woodlands to stunning ridge-top vistas, open meadows, and coastal chaparral. With trails like Grass Valley, Redtail, Live Oak, and Honker Bay, you’ll experience a mix of technical sections, moderate climbs, and enjoyable descents with beautiful Lake views.

A few sage nuggets before you hit the trail:

• Practice good horsemanship and situational awareness as both are paramount to enjoying your rides safely; make sure you have snacks and water in your saddle bags to get you through the longer rides.
• Make sure to carefully study the maps and routes provided so you can make good decisions for you and your horse. If need be, take a picture just in case, so you don’t risk getting lost if you can’t see the fine print. 
• Check your horse and tack before each outing to make sure your horse can handle the terrain and you have appropriate well-fitting gear, especially for the more technical single-track trails. Bring hoof boots if your horse is barefoot and sensitive – there are rocky, hard areas that will not feel good to sensitive feet.
• Remember common-sense trail etiquette as you will be riding on multi-use trails: Call out when passing; keep a horse length behind others; wave bikes by if your horse is okay; stop, wait, and face loose dogs if you are unsure of their behavior.
• Ask to join a group first and never trot or gallop off without notice; some horses don’t do well in large groups.

Have fun and thank you for supporting our trails!