On Jan. 1, 2025, East Bay Regional Parks will launch its 2025 Trails Challenge, an annual program that invites the public to explore trails handpicked by park district staff to show off the region’s natural beauty. You can pick up a free guidebook and T-shirt at any East Bay Regional Parks visitor center starting Jan. 1. The guidebook can also be downloaded HERE.
All finishers will receive a commemorative 2025 Trails Challenge pin while supplies last. There are also new awards, prizes, and giveaways for 2025 that all participants can earn.
“The East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge is a great way to explore Regional Parks and get to know new parks. The selected trails highlight magnificent views, landscapes, and wildlife in the East Bay,” said Regional Interpretive and Recreation Services Manager Mike Moran. “The Trails Challenge offers an opportunity to get away from the buzz of everyday life and connect with nature and each other in parks.”
The 2025 Trails Challenge includes 20 trails of varying difficulty levels located throughout the East Bay. The list includes a number of fully accessible trails that have been evaluated and identified as usable by persons with mobility limitations.
To finish the challenge, participants need to walk, ride, or roll five trails, or 26.2 total miles, by Dec. 31, 2025. Walking, biking, and horseback riding are all ways visitors can participate. All 2025 Trails Challenge trails are also listed on AllTrails. As always, check the weather and visit www.ebparks.org for any trail closures before heading out.
The East Bay Regional Parks Trails Challenge was launched in 1993 in partnership with the Regional Parks Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. The 2025 sponsors are Kaiser Permanente and AllTrails, whose support helps ensure the program remains free and includes a guidebook and T-shirt for participants and a commemorative pin for finishers.
“We want as many people as possible to take the challenge and benefit from time in nature,” Moran said. “In 2025, there are even more rewards for finishers of the challenge, including monthly drawings of finishers, special categories based on age, a Trailmaster patch for those who complete all 20 trails, and a 2025 Challenge Champion award for the person who completes all 20 trails first.”
New for 2025
· FREE one-month AllTrails+ membership for all participants, compliments of AllTrails
· Monthly drawing for finishers and first-time finishers to win a special 2025 Trails Challenge bandana.
· 2025 Challenge Champion award for the person who completes all 20 trails first and submits their trail log.
· Trailmaster All-20 Club embroidered patch for participants who finish all 20 trails.
· Embroidered patches celebrating finishers in special categories, including Pathfinder (Kids ages 0-9), Junior Trailblazer (Tweens ages 10-12), Trailblazer (Teens ages 13-18), and Mountain Master (age 65 and older).
All finishers must submit their trail log online HERE to qualify for a special award, prize, or giveaway.
There will also be drawings for those who post selfies on social media and tag #TrailsChallengeEBRPD.
For more information, visit the 2025 Trails Challenge webpage HERE.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.