Wildcat Peak

Best 360 degree view in Tilden! Volmer peak is taller, but it has a radio building blocking a true 360 view.

Wildcat Peak is a great vista and rest point on a few Tilden Regional Park hikes. My favorite option to get up here is by hiking from the Nature Area, taking the Laurel Canyon Trail. A stop at the Peak rewards you with 360 degrees of Bay Views, San Francisco, Mount Diablo and Wildcat Canyon park to the east. There is a stone structure you can sit and rest on. To complete my loop, I then take the Peak trail back down to the Nature Area. Another way to get up here is simply parking at Inspiration Point and take the Nimitz trail-​that is flat and paved most of the way until you see signs about 1.75 miles in indicating that Wildcat Peak is off to the left.
Both pathways to the Peak feature rewarding views, changing scenery and all the gorgeousness that is Tilden. The Nimitz trail is a bit easier while Laurel Canyon is more of a true hike. Be careful, though. In the rainy season Laurel Canyon and the Peak trail back down are super muddy. Either way, the trip up here is one of the great short hikes in the East Bay and worth a visit for the journey and the views up top!

The hike up and the view at the top made my day. This was a perfect hike in many ways. It was a decent length to get a workout but not too long that it felt like a strenuous hike. We started near the farm to check out the animals and then made our way up. We first passed a small lake, then made it through a forest of eucalyptus trees, and as we got closer to the top we started to see more views of valleys. And of course once you get to the top the 360 degree view is priceless. Make sure you do this on a somewhat clear day.

I made the hike up to the peak on a Monday afternoon in search for an excuse to brush some dust off of my camera. The first half of the hike up was more scenic and lush forest that turned a little more dry and plains like in the middle (this is where a lot of lizards start appearing). If you’re like me and have a terrifying fear of reptiles, you might want to bring a friend or refrain from the latter part of the hike. But if you do decide to continue on as I did, the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking and totally worth it.
And for those who care about cell phone reception, there isn’t any from the parking lot until about ¾ths of the way up towards the peak.

This is my go-​to place when I want a quick cardio workout in nature after work. From the parking lot to Wildcat Peak RT is 3.75 miles (a mile of it is on the flat Wildcat Creek Trail, the rest goes uphill on trails– follow the Peak Trail symbol which looks like a mountain). There is one water fountain along the Wildcat Creek Trail. NOTE: The parking lot closest to Wildcat Creek Trail shuts at 8:00 p.m. so plan your hike accordingly.
It’s a consistent uphill climb to the top (elevation: 1,250 feet). There is a circular stone observation plaza at the top (finished in 1962), a great place to catch your breath and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. If the weather cooperates, you’ll have a spectacular view in any direction: the San Francisco Bay, Mt. Tamalpais, Angel Island, San Pable Reservoir, Mt Diablo, and the three bridges: Golden Gate, Richmond Bridge and Bay Bridge.
Enjoy! :)

Just did the hike up from the environmental center this past Sunday (Wildcat Peak Trail then back down using Laurel Canyon Trail). Boy it was muddy but it added to our adventure, seriously though you could not see your shoe at certain points and it was a gradual uphill the whole way. I would suggest waiting a few days after the rain to take this path.
The nice thing though about the rain is that you could see all the animal foot prints. We came across some raccoon and deer tracks and some unknown very large hoofed animal. Be sure you check out the groove when you get close to the top, probably the only place you will see George Bush and Mother Teresa’s name next to one another. You will know that you are in the grove when you see some very large Christmas Trees.
On the hike down be sure to check out all the animals at Little Farm — sheep, cows, chicken’s, geese, bunny’s and huge pigs!

This is a great place to enjoy a 360 degree vista to see San Francisco, the nearby San Pablo Reservoir, and other views. Getting here involves a very enjoyable and scenic stroll along the paved Inspiration Point trail and then a short steep climb up the Wildcat Peak trail just under two miles out from the parking lot. Also, you can get here via a more strenuous hike from the Tilden Environmental Center using an assortment of trails and eventually going up the Wildcat Peak trail or the Tilden fire trail (correct name?). This latter option involves over 500 feet of elevation gain in just over one mile.