Hiking Guide to Tilden Regional Park

By Nick Houser

Tilden Regional Park, located about 70 miles west of Sacramento, offers a variety of recreational activities for all ages. The Nature Area alone consists of nearly 750 acres of forest and woodlands. Even better, with numerous hiking trails, Tilden provides a little something for everyone from families looking for picnics, to intense, uphill hikes. With over 20 trails spanning the entire area, it's easy to get lost, without actually getting lost, in one of the best areas nature has to offer.

Arriving

After navigating through the first adventure (driving through the windy, up and down streets toward Tilden) parking may be the easiest thing you do all day. Some families don't even make it out of the parking lot, choosing instead to utilize the large, grassy area to the left for picnics and the children's play structure just across the way. Just down the hill is the Environmental Education Center where hikers can find self-guiding trail maps (suggested) and information on additional park activities. Anyone can feed the cows, pigs, and sheep at the Little Farm nearby. For those ready to start hiking, one of the main trail heads is located along the left side of the Little Farm, beginning with an uphill walk.

The Trails

By following one of the various paths, there is literally no where you can go that won't take you to a gorgeous site while getting you a killer workout. The seven trails nearest the Educational Center are all less than 1.5 miles and feature gentle to moderate loops around the area. For more advanced trails, head upward toward Loop Road to begin. Popular trails include:

MEADOWS CANYON TRAIL

Head south on Loop Road to the trail head of Meadows Canyon. At 1.43 miles, this moderate trail carries on uphill nearly the entire way. Just remember, if the cyclists can do it, so can you. Wear comfortable shoes as the terrain is just a bit on the rough side. At the end of the trail your destination is Inspiration Point, a gorgeous lookout spot and perfect place for lunch. There are also bathrooms at the top.

WILDCAT GORGE TRAIL

The Wildcat can take you almost anywhere you want to go within the park, connecting to many of the other trails. Lake Anza is one of the most popular destinations of Wildcat Gorge. There you'll find tons of people: runners, fisherman, swimmers, scenery artists, dog-owners, and generations of families on a picnic. The trail is more flat and less steep than many of the others. Overall, the Wildcat's greenery and randomly placed streams are very much worth the time and energy required to hike the one and a half mile trail.

CURRAN TRAIL

From Inspiration Point, you can use the Curran Trail back down the mountain and connect to Wildcat Gorge. The Curran Trail is a more challenging, downhill, rocky climb. The terrain is incredibly rough so make sure to pay attention and not trip over any hidden branches jutting out. Once down at the base, you're back in the clear.

More Features

It's impossible to master Tilden in just one trip. Hiking to Inspiration Point is a great first time visit. For each additional trip be sure to find the Big Springs and the Lupine Trails to extend to the eastern region of the park or hike to easier trails west of the Environmental Center. Most of the trails come equipped with restrooms along the path or almost always at the end. A good number of the trails allow canine-companions as long as they are leashed. Tilden Regional Park also features a Botanic Garden, Merry-Go-Round, train rides, and an 18-hole golf course, that is, if you can find it of course. A simple, yet often over-looked tip: Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring lots of water (for Tilden, at least two bottles)