The East Bay Regional Park District is encouraging residents to explore the natural parks and trails in their backyard – and beyond – all year long through the 2026 Trails Challenge. 

The annual program, now in its 33rd year, offers a commemorative pin and bragging rights to registered participants who complete any five of the 20 featured trails or log 26.2 cumulative miles on any trails in the EBRPD system by Dec. 31. 

The Trails Challenge is a great way to experience the range of EBRPD properties – “not only a person’s regular favorites, but also planning adventures to parks farther out,” according to Mike Moran, interpretive and recreation services manager for the district.

“The Park District’s 73 parks are spread throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties, offering quite a range of landscapes to enjoy,” Moran said in a press release. “Visitors can be on the beach today observing shorebirds, then tomorrow head into the redwood groves found in the Berkeley and Oakland hills or tackle a long stretch of the oak-covered Pleasanton Ridge.”

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is one of five Tri-Valley parks on the featured list, joining Ohlone Wilderness Trail in Sunol, Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve in San Ramon, Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore and Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore.

For those interested in group hikes, the district has events planned throughout the year such as next Saturday (Jan. 31) at 9 a.m. Pleasanton Ridge, “Colors of Nature: Blooms, Birds and More!” at Del Valle on March 28 and the “Hiking Poles Training Plus Springtime Practice Hike” in Sunol on April 11.

Participants can pick up a free Trails Challenge guidebook and T-shirt at any EBRPD visitor center, while supplies last. A digital version of the guidebook can be downloaded in English or Spanish on the district’s website. 

Those who record and submit their logs online also qualify for monthly prize drawings and other giveaways while supplies last, district officials said. There will also be drawings for people who post selfies on social media and tag #TrailsChallengeEBRPD.

The program is sponsored by the Regional Parks Foundation, Kaiser Permanente and AllTrails. For more information, visit ebparks.org/trailschallenge.

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