What are some good runs in Berkeley, CA, such as at Tilden Park? Where do I start from?

Go to the trail maps for tilden, wildcat canyon, huckleberry, or redwood park, those are the four closest to you:

http://www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood

Then pick pretty much any trail that is along a ridge or along a creek. They will be rolling rather than brutally steep. All of the trails that are not along a ridge or creek will most certainly be very brutally hilly.

I am partial to the west and east ridge trails in redwood park. I also like the trail linking redwood park to huckleberry preserve, then taking huckleberry trail once you reach that park.

You really have a lot of good options. I'd just pick whatever is the shortest drive to you. The creek trails will be mostly through redwoods with some oaks and shady most of the way. The ridge trails will be a mixture of open field/grass and redwood/oak/huckleberry/toyon and will be shady for some bits, exposed for other parts.

thanks! redwood park looks great but is a bit further away from berkeley than tilden park appears to be. do you know any good parking spots in both these locations?

I agree with nerd. Eastridge/westridge are better but if you want Tilden, you can park at the steam trains, the merry go round or maybe at Lake Anza. Old tunnel road is a good place to start too but sounds like you want to stay farther north

The Little Farm in Tilden is a good starting point. Plus, you can feed some goats afterwards.

Make sure nothing is showing inside the car. Berkeley can be a bit sketchy.

The maps show parking spots.

If I start at Steam Trains, what trails would you recommend to not be too hilly (don't mind rolling hills)?

Also, Redwood park sounds great but pretty hilly so I'm not sure I would do that for an every day run.

grab your tilden map & follow along

park at the bottom of Brook Rd. (very steep road down to a picnic & parking area)

take Wildcat George trail north (~1mi)

hop on Lone Oak Rd and continue north up steep hill to get to Loop Rd

take Loop Rd around the Little Farm area, a downhill drops you onto Wildcat Creek Trail near Jewel Lake (~1.5mi)

turn right (north) and take Wildcat Creek Trail north as far as you can go (~3.5)

so about 12 roundtrip, rolling with a few flat stretches + a few big climbs, but this is as flat as it gets in Tilden/Wildcat as you stay down near the creek most of the way. all soft stuff too.

I agree with these great suggestions but be aware there are NO flat trail runs around berkeley.

help me out here.... wrote:

If I start at Steam Trains, what trails would you recommend to not be too hilly (don't mind rolling hills)?

Also, Redwood park sounds great but pretty hilly so I'm not sure I would do that for an every day run.

Steam trains is right next to the highest peak in the area, it won't be flat right there. If you want something simple, park at inspiration point and run along the paved nimitz trail. There's dirt next to the trail in the beginning and the pavement eventually ends and turns into dirt I think. im not sure how far youcan run there but its fairly flat and beautiful.

The flattest trail in the area that I can think of is the wildcat creek trail, park next to the tilden nature area next to the little circle (the tilden nap calls it indian camp). Thats about ten miles out and back with a decent hill right before the turnaround which you can skip if you want to make it 9ish.

The sequioia bayview trail in joaquin miller park is pancake flat and gorgeous redwoods but not very long. The hs kids do that and the big trres trail as a loop. Grownups tend to do those and then cross the street into redwood park, I think french trail in redwood park is pretty awesome as well.

If you really want flat you can always run along the bay trail or the bart path thing.