Lake Anza and Inspiration Point in Tilden Park

This post is another pull from the archives, this time from my first trip to Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley in 2013. I am moving to the East Bay later this month, and I am starting to get excited about the new areas to explore!

My photo from the aptly named Inspiration Point

My painting of this same vista

Detail of Map

When I went to this park with my family, we had done absolutely no research and we had no map. We just pulled into the park on a whim by following the signs on a day that we just happened to be in Berkeley. Because we had no map at all, we just followed our gut instinct and ended up at Inspiration Point and at Lake Anza (probably because we liked the names!). We did not take the Inspiration Trail, but simply got out of the car to enjoy the view for a bit.

At Lake Anza, we took the short loop around the lake because we could see where the trail was and there was no concern about getting lost. The trail is easy enough that a kid can do it! Or, if it is warm out, there is often swimming available at the pond. We extended a little onto the Wildcat Gorge Trail.

There is a lot more to explore in Tilden Park, both of the hiking variety and of the playing with the kiddos variety. I am looking forward to making the Wildcat Peak and Laurel Canyon Loop in terms of the former and to bringing my daughter to the carousel in terms of the latter!