Synopses & Reviews
The hills of the East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of Californiamore than 400 paved pathways and public staircases lattice up and down the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone. Rising high above the city centers, with towering views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco itself, these elegant civic walking trailsmany of them shaded in oaks and redwoods, and many unknown even to local residentspresent a unique landscape for both the casual walker and dedicated hiker.
Charles Fleming, the Southern California author whose bestselling 2010 walking guide Secret Stairs turned the hidden public staircases of Los Angeles into popular hiking trails, now turns his eyes northward. For Secret Stairs: East Bay, Fleming has designed more than 30 individual hiking loops. Linking multiple staircases into one-to two-hour self-guided strolls, these urban treks will delight the tourist, newly arrived Berkeley undergraduate, and veteran Bay Area resident alike.
The circular walks, each calibrated by length, difficulty, and durationand each accompanied by a detailed, easy-to-follow mapare sprinkled with fascinating facts about the historic staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Walk the walks of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir! Climb Berkeleys massive Fred Herbert and Tamalpais Paths, hike Easter Way, and summit Sunset Trail! Mount Oaklands Oakmore stairs, then tackle the hills of Upper Rockridge and Crocker Highlands via the public staircases. And do it all within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and excellent Bay Area cafés.
Synopsis
With more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases latticing the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone, the hills of East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California, making them an ideal subject for this unique walking guide. Containing approximately 40 individual hiking loops that link multiple staircases into one- to two-hour self-guided strolls, this metropolitan trail map sprinkles in fascinating facts about the hidden staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration and accompanied by an easy-to-follow map, the circular walks follow the footsteps of such legendary figures as Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir and climb such landmarks as Easter Way and Sunset Trail. All within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and local cafes, these urban treks will delight tourists, newly arrived Berkeley undergrads, and veteran Bay Area residents alike.
Synopsis
Updated in 2019 to accommodate road changes, building descriptions, new construction, landscaping, and other landmarks. The hills of the East Bay contain one of the finest and densest urban hiking environments in the state of California--more than 400 paved pathways and public staircases lattice up and down the slopes of Berkeley and Oakland alone. Rising high above the city centers, with towering views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and San Francisco itself, these elegant civic walking trails--many of them shaded in oaks and redwoods, and many unknown even to local residents--present a unique landscape for both the casual walker and dedicated hiker.
Charles Fleming, the Southern California author whose bestselling 2010 walking guide Secret Stairs turned the hidden public staircases of Los Angeles into popular hiking trails, now turns his eyes northward. For Secret Stairs: East Bay, Fleming has designed more than 30 individual hiking loops. Linking multiple staircases into one-to two-hour self-guided strolls, these urban treks will delight the tourist, newly arrived Berkeley undergraduate, and veteran Bay Area resident alike.
The circular walks, each calibrated by length, difficulty, and duration--and each accompanied by a detailed, easy-to-follow map--are sprinkled with fascinating facts about the historic staircases, the historic homes around them, and the famous Bay Area characters who gave them their names. Walk the walks of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir Climb Berkeley's massive Fred Herbert and Tamalpais Paths, hike Easter Way, and summit Sunset Trail Mount Oakland's Oakmore stairs, then tackle the hills of Upper Rockridge and Crocker Highlands via the public staircases. And do it all within easy walking distance from BART or bus stops, free parking, and excellent Bay Area caf s.
About the Author
Charles Fleming is the author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles, the national bestseller High Concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess, and co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Three Weeks in October: The Manhunt for the Serial Sniper, A Goomba's Guide to Life, and My Lobotomy. A former staff writer for Newsweek, Variety, and the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, and a frequent contributor to Vanity Fair, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles magazine, and LA Weekly, Fleming teaches journalism at USC. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Silver Lake, California.