Briones Regional Park

Love Briones, beautiful scenic views, nature and animals and a great workout!

Briones Regional Park ranks highly on my list of favorite hiking locations in the East Bay. We have enjoyed a few trips from the Bear Creek Valley entrance, off of the Orinda exit (Highway 24).
Three of the reasons this park ranks so highly for me include:
– Gorgeous views. Worth the climb for sure, especially on a cool and clear day.
– Reasonable $ 3/​car parking fee and only required sometimes. Bring cash in case someone is at the entrance kiosk.
– Lots of trail options, of varying distances and difficulty level. You can get a great workout here for sure.
The first time we ventured here, we intended to do the Briones Crest Trail, as described in the East Bay Trails book. It is just under 7 miles. However, it was SO muddy (our fault for going right after a huge rain) we opted to take a short cut back down to the trailhead. That trip involved a lot of mud and swearing. During our visit yesterday, we did the Briones Crest Trail hike. We moved at a quick, steady pace, with a few short water breaks, and did it in right around 2.5 hours.
To do the 6.8 mile Briones Crest Trail, drive past the kiosk directly ahead to the last parking lot. From the trailhead just past the parking lot, you will take a counter clockwise journey along the Homestead Valley Trail, Briones Crest Trail, Table Top Trail, back to the Briones Crest Trail, Mott Peak Trail, Black Oak Trail, and finally returning to the parking lot via the Old Briones Road Trail. Be sure to grab a trail map since cell service is difficult to come by. The beginning and end are paved, although most is unpaved, well marked dirt paths. There is a great deal of climbing and not a whole lot of shade, so I recommend going early in the day and when the weather is a bit milder.
Oh, and watch out for cow poop.

What is there to complain with nature’s beautiful rolling hills, wondering cows and California poppies. Can’t believe I live so close by and never knew about this park. Came through the Bear Creek Staging Area from Lafayette entrance and parked at the end of the road. $ 3 entrance fee.
A group of us did the Briones Crest Trail and the beginning of the hike kicked a few people’s booties! 7 miles round trip. Straight up for about a good 25 min but it was worth the view and workout!
Excited to get my bike tune for the season and check out Briones for some nature ride!
There are about three different entrances so make sure you check and confirm with folks if you’re meeting up.

Great place to run and not be bothered by much other than a few cows and ground squirrels. Making it to the top rewards you with great views of Contra Costa, and Mount Diablo.

Very pretty park that provides great views of Concord and Martinez. Plenty of trails to choose from. Great place to take an easy hike.

Ever since I moved out here this hiking trail/​park has been my favorite so far. It’s dog friendly which is the reason why I started taking my dogs for hikes. I know a lot of the trails around this area don’t allow dogs so I was stoked to find this place.
There are all different trails that go around the Martinez area looking over the Benicia bridge and the Diablo hills. If you make it all the way to the top they have 1 bench that you can sit, relax and catch your breath while looking over the Walnut Creek, Concord, Benicia and I’m sure some other cities. I’ve seen so many cows and foxes just roaming around makes you kinda feel 1 with nature lol. You can sometimes see people riding their horses on the trails too. The trails are pretty clean because most people pick up after their dogs and the parking lot is pretty big so you don’t have to worry about finding parking.
Sometimes they charge a $ 3 fee to get in but for the last 3 years going here I’ve only paid like 5 times. The gates have a sign stating they close at 5 but I notice people are still hiking up the trails around 430 so not sure if they really do close the gates at 5 like they say. I like to find the hard secluded trails so I can let my dogs off the leash and run with me. I love this place check it out if you are ever in the area.

Beautiful park, over 6,200 acres of open space, dog-​friendly trails (most are off-​leash), with ridge top views as well as a few shady trails lined with oaks. This is the best time to visit, when everything is green and there’s some water in the park. There are a few ponds and a creek, although mostly dry, it has a few spots filled with newts. You can hike to the peaks without too strenuous of a climb, and there are also quite a few easier, flat trails. There’s plenty of parking at the 4 staging areas, and 3 of them charge a fee on busy days, but there’s no fee at Lafayette Ridge. I’d recommend paying to start in the more scenic heart of the park, unless you’re up for a long hike on the Lafayette Ridge Trail. Cattle roam freely in the park, but they didn’t bother my dog or I. I even saw another dog run right up to a group of them, but they didn’t seem to react much.

One time my friend & I took the Martinez entrance all the way to the entrance near acalanes high school… great for mountain biking, hiking, running, etc. one of my favorite spots

Went on our first visit and first hike this past Sunday — 8.1 miles of up and down hiking with our dog, ourselves and a few other friendly hikers passing by. If you have not been here, GO — it’s only 17 minutes from Oakland. And if you hiked there in the past, GO BACK again — it is drop dead gorgeous with views galore and totally DOG FRIENDLY.

I went in the spring and everything was green and pretty. I liked that the parking was free, looks like from the other reviews it might not be free every day but Sunday it was. and I could easily find my way back to the car. It had a picnic area with tables BBQs, and a restroom. people with dogs and there children were everywhere. a good spot to go in the spring.

This park is beautiful. I accessed it from Lafayette/​Pleasant Hill Blvd. Parking was easy. Trails were great and would be good for hiking or running. From the parking lot, I hiked the Lafayette Ridge trail to Russell Peak, to the end of the Russell Peak Trail, and then retraced my path back to the Peking lot. Altogether, it was about 10.2 miles and beautiful. Russell Peak is a great place to stop and turn around, as there isn’t a great view at the end of the Russell Peak Trail. That trail actually ends at houses. Trails seemed to be very dog friendly, as there are dogs everywhere! My only issue, and the reason for 4 stars, is that the trail markers are infrequent, so it was kinda tough to tell where I was on the trail map.

This is a really good place for walking dogs or going on a jog. I really love this place because right next to it is a really good horse center! Can you believe that they even let you pet the horses even though they aren’t yours! Like I said before, this is a really good trail out to the natural hills of California. But you have to be careful about the cars because even though it’s a trail, it’s a big one. So big that cars can
drive on it!

This was my fourth or fifth visit to Briones Regional Park, so I figure it’s time to write a review. Apparently if the entry kiosk is manned, there’s a $ 3 entry fee. But if there is no one in the kiosk it’s free. We got in for free today!
We parked in the Bear Creek Staging Area. The parking lot was rather large, and we didn’t have any problems finding a space. But all the spaces closest to the trailhead were occupied as one might expect. The amenities are very basic. A short walk back from the trailhead are separate toilets for men and women, but both are pit toilets.
Trails exist for every aerobic level in Briones Regional Park. There is everything from short, flat walks, to long hikes going up and down hills. My calves are telling me we did the latter. I suggest consulting the trail map to determine difficulty and distance.
The views are beautiful if you are high along a ridge. Even though it was a nice day today, we did not see very many people on the trail. Some parts of the trail were very muddy (the shady areas) due to the recent rains. I recommend hiking boots!

First of hike of the year 2016!
I can’t believe this trail has been only 8miles away from home. I’ve had this bookmarked for a year? Fail on me! Anyhoot starting the year off right, no resolutions but goal focused! Beautiful scenery as wilderness guides your aura. Many trails on site so my advice is to grab a map. We decided to take the Diablo trail and follow it through. Be aware of plenty of cows and their stare downs! Lol we saw many but don’t look them in the eyes else they will come after you haha
Hills for days as nature hits it’s beauty.

Went through the Alhambra trail & am glad someone at the parking lot gave me a map or I would’ve gotten lost for sure. This is such a beautiful park. Some parts remind of Lord of the Rings. First time here, and I will definitely be back – hopefully sooner than later and a different trail as well.
Quick tip: take your time and enjoy the scenery

Great local park. It’s great for mountain bikes as well. There’s a lot of area to cover and can get some good views from the top.

Large area that is great for humans, dogs and horses. It you start at the Girl Scout camp parking area and hike up and over the hill you are looking at 1200 to 1500 in elevation change depending on how long you want to make your hike. Views are great, trails flat and maintained well. Wildflowers are very nice and wild turkey, coyote, deer, salamanders if it rains, seasonally there are cows and several smaller animals are common. I saw 50 turkeys on one hike. The area frames Walnut Creek and the surrounding area beautifully but the true beauty is to get in and explore it with a long hike. GPS or a map will guide you through and you’ll be glad you did. Put Briones in 40 other states and it would be the première outdoor hike but in overly abundant CA it blends in with all the other natural beauty.

Good place to have an easy to moderate level hike. There are quite a bit of hills but each are relatively small. There isn’t a lot of shade so remember to bring sunscreen and a hat. At the top, there are views of the surrounding areas. I didn’t see any animals while I was here.

What a beautiful place, but…
Dear humans,
I assume you go into the parks because you love nature. Leaving dog crap and dog crap bags… and even a human waste pile with tp on the trail completely negates any sort of «nature lover» you think you might be. It makes you irresponsible and ruins the little bit of nature we have left around here. Grow up and clean up your mess.

This is my go-​to park in the east bay for running and dog walking. There’s numerous trails of varying difficulty and amazing vistas nearly around every bend. In the summer it can be a bit of a challenge since there’s not much tree cover, but any other time it’s a verdant paradise. Looping around the park is about 14 miles of trails and of course, there’s plenty of inner trails as well. It’s easy to get lost, but it’s just as easy to find your way out.
**Pro tip: Get one of the maps at the entrances. Relying on your cell phone to guide you is going to lead to disappointment that you don’t have decent reception out there.
Cows are one of the prominent features here, as they’re out grazing at some part of the park pretty much all the time. And of course, with cows there’s bound to be lots of BS laying around. It’s a good idea to periodically check your feet. Yeah, I know, it’s a difficult thing to do when you can see Mt. Diablo on one side of you and Mt. Tam on the other, but… poopy shoes suck.
**Pro tip 2, Electric Boogaloo: Other than the cows, there’s coyotes. If you’re out at the park around dusk or dawn, there’s a good chance you’ll run into some. Keep your dogs near you! And don’t plan to be out after sunset, because they will come in large numbers, and likely will follow you and your dogs all the way to the exit. There’s also signs for mountain lions, but I’ve yet to see one.

how much do I love this park? let me count the ways:
off leash dog friendly
rolling hills of green after a rain
rolling hills of wildflowers after a rain
summit trails with 360 views of the area
single track trails
fireroad trails
mountain biking
trails that crisscross on each other
No matter where you jump into Briones, you are going to have to climb up as all the trailheads start at a near road level elevation and go up up up.
i typically jump in at the staging area across from Acalanes HS and have found that to be the best staging area with water fountain, bathroom, maps, plenty of parking and FREE!

I absolutely love hiking in Briones. I’ve taken my dog hiking here and he loves the trails as well. There are birds, cows and rodents all over the place. I was actually at the park today and saw a coyote, which I think is awesome! Great views, both of natural landscapes and cityscapes, if you hike to the tops of the hills.

I’ve only been here a few times and I love it so far. It’s a great workout with the rolling hills — nothing strenuous though. The hills aren’t as intimidating as they seem. The park is huge so my doggies get a ton of exploring.

This has become my favorite East Bay park close to my house. Whenever I feel like I want to do a butt-​kicker hike but only have a couple of hours, I usually go to Briones. Whether you start on the PH/​Martinez, Lafayette, or Orinda sides you will gain some serious elevation (about 1,400 feet) & get quite a workout. And the view at the top is amazing!
I usually start at the Alhambra Creek Staging Area in Martinez. The Alhambra Creek trail is less steep than others & still gets you to the top of Briones peak. From the Reliez Valley Staging Area, the hike up is shorter but much steeper (especially the last ½ mile before the peak). Once you are at the top you have an amazing unobstructed view. To the east you can see Mt. Diablo & the Diablo Valley, to the south you can see Las Trampas & the Tri Valley, to the west you can see the Oakland/​Berkeley hills & Mount Tam, and to the north you can see the Carquinez Strait. There’s even a nice bench at the top where you can rest your weary legs (you’ll need it!).
Go out & explore our incredible East Bay Parks!

Ive been coming here intermittently since June 2014 and gotta say what a nice place to ride my mountainbike and relax! Im somewhat of a newb to trail riding so this place is perfect for me. Trails are not too steep or technical. I mainly stay on the fire roads so i know there is much more to explore yet.
The view from the bench at the Tabletop gate is amazing, especially at dusk. The contrasting colors of the ridgeline to the West, and the lights of Concord and Martinez with Mt Diablo in the distance is certainly worth seeing!
Watch out for the cow patties though!

Dry hills in Briones. Did the 6.8 mile loop from Alhambra staging area. Booth wasnt manned today on sunday 10/​05/​2014 so free parking today. Total elevation change of 1600 ft. Great hike! Just one steep part where I had to use my hands but it was short and enough roots in the ground to keep you from slipping. 98 degrees today in October!

Pretty view with green undulating hills. From the top of the hills, such as Mott Peak, Russel Peak, you can see Mt. Tam, Mt. Diablo, 360 view.
I started at Bear Creek Stating area, and wnet to Mott Peak, Lagoon trail, and Russel Peak and back to the trailhead via Bear Creek trail. total 10 miles.

Tip #1: Bring a friend, whether it be human or canine. The first time I came here, I came alone for a run and I was scared out of my mind. There is little to no cell service in most of the areas, not that a cell phone would really help me in the case of a true emergency.
I generally access from the Alhambra Creek staging area. The drive up is remote, the trails are remote, and did I mention to bring a friend? Weekday access seems to be free. From what I understand, they collect $ 3 on the weekends. There is a fenced off area with picnic tables near this entrance.
Tip #2: If it has rained anytime in the near past, expect mud. The trails are just dirt and a lot of it collects water easily.
Tip #3: Bring something to carry your valuables. Don’t leave them in your vehicle.
Tip #4: This place is hilly. 90% of it. There are numerous amazing views; Carquinez bridge, Mt. Diablo, Alhambra Valley, Briones Reservoir, etc. In order to take in these views, you will have to make the hike up. To the peak it’s a 1,000ft elevation gain.
Tip #5: If you head out on the trail in the afternoon, make sure you have plenty of time to get back to your vehicle before sunset. We made the rookie mistake of calculating incorrectly and not only did we have to make it nearly 2 miles on dirt trails via cell phone flashlight, the park ranger was not thrilled with us. He couldn’t close the gate with trapping our vehicle in the lot.
The bottom line is this place is great. It truly is a magnificent gem of nature, easily accessed by multiple outlets in the Bay Area. Just come prepared & enjoy!

I visited Briones yesterday for the first time.
When we first arrived and got the dog settled, I was disappointed. Not because of the park, but the day before we were a Joaquin Miller State Park surrounded by glorious redwoods. So my first thought arriving to briones was… Crap! No shade.
I was wrong, while there were still some very open paths, there are also great trails under the Trees. After about 4 miles
We decided to trek back to the car, it was getting hot, and I didn’t want nightfall to sneak up on me. Unlike most people. I enjoy running down, so I took off, jumping from side to side to keep steady and not slip and in about 25 minutes I was all the way down. Pretty neat place to go, bring water and sunscreen!

Omg I love this place.
Seriously, one of the best hikes I have done so far and relatively easy minus a few hills (don’t worry it’s nothing like mission peak). The views are spectacular, you can see all the way to the fields of wind turbines in Livermore, Benicia and Vallejo in the distance, and of course in infamous Mt. D.
Each corner you take there is a new surprise, a couple of lagoons, ponds and watering holes. Cows all over the place, careful though cause they don’t seem to like people in their little slice of heaven.
Plus there are hardly any people and there are places to fill up your water bottle, toilets and benches to rest at along your hike.
Many paths to explore but I took Abrigo Valley — Briones Crest — Old Briones Rd
I wish I owned this land so I could build my house right next to the lagoon!