It’s Free! Indian Rock Park

Have you ever been to Indian Rock Park? It is a fun, free, super local climb that is tucked away just a few minutes walk above Zachary’s Pizza on Solano. Located in the North Berkeley Hills, this park can be different things to different ages of kids. For tiny ones, like my 3 and 5 year old, simply walking up the rock stairs is a thrill.  For tweens, it could be a space to find a little independence. There are loads of nooks and crannies to explore.

Wear athletic shoes because you’ll be scaling rocky pathway that is mostly carved into steps, but not entirely. When you get to the top, find a stable place to sit before you start snapping pictures.  Kids who are known flight risks might raise their parent’s heart rates beyond a level of comfort. I was quite nervous when we first headed to the peak of the rock. My older child can be quite a space cadet and a mis-step here could be traumatic.

Your bravery will be rewarded with a view that impresses even a five-year-old. You will be above all the houses in the neighborhood, above all the trees, and, on a clear day, see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Now about that walk. Most recently, with my niece in tow, I imagined we would park in front of Cactus Taqueria, get our burritos, and then walk up the car-free Indian Rock Path that leads to the park from the top of Solano Avenue, next to the intersection with The Alameda. When she balked at walking, I realized that three and a half blocks uphill is a long way for a reluctant walker, so we skipped the burritos and I drove around to park on Indian Rock Avenue. This was a success! We could see folks atop the rock from our parking place, so she was instantly excited (and scared) about getting up there.

Burritos-plus-Indian Rock is a popular outing for local high school students, so do with that what you will. Perhaps your child will be game for the walk. Indian Rock Path is one of Berkeley’s many “secret stairways”, and I think it feels special enough to motivate a kiddo who is in a good mood 😉

Here’s a map so you can see the relationship between the streets and the park.

[All photos by Whitney Moss]