The Stonewall-Panoramic trail in Oakland has views often compared to the luscious hills featured in The Sound of Music. But any trail visitor knows that the 1965 film’s opening scene has nothing on the soft, wildflower-drenched, rolling hills of the Stonewall-Panoramic trail. Though the 0.6-mile climb from Stonewall Road to the ridge-top is steep, hikers are rewarded with a great vista view of the entire San Francisco Bay.
Photo by Maya Martinez-Krams
Located near the iconic Claremont Hotel, the trail is reached through a set of stairs at the top of Stonewall Road. With each steep step, hikers leave behind the urban city and are embraced by a tall eucalyptus grove. Along the way, breaks in the trees offer a sneak peek of the cityscape you will soon view unobstructed from the peak.
After a few more switchbacks the trail emerges from the woods and climbs straight up the hillside to the final destination. Looking out from the vista one can see all the Bay has to offer, from the UC Berkeley campus and the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to Twin Peaks.
Photo by Maya Martinez-Krams
The trail is part of the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, founded in the 1970s in an effort to preserve the natural watershed. The East Bay Regional Park District then looked to maintain and promote the welfare of the trails and other nearby reserves. Over time the park district purchased neighboring land to create the 150 acre Canyon Preserve we explore and delight in today.
Although the trail is accessible and beautiful year-round, it is most popular during the spring season due to the abundance of vibrant wildflowers. The Stonewall-Panoramic trail sits amongst vast green fields speckled with yellow, pink and purple — a breathtaking sight.
