Kirsten Mickelwait
Indian Rock Path: A Centuries-Old History

Indian Rock is one of many volcanic rhyolite rock outcroppings found across the Bay Area that are estimated to have occurred between nine and eleven million years ago. Anyone who has climbed the steep steps in its face has also seen the depressions of mortar holes still evident here, especially in the aptly named Mortar Rock, where the Ohlone people used the bedrock as a grinding surface for food and medicine.

Indian Rock Path: A Centuries-Old History
Kirsten Mickelwait
Introducing New BPWA Board Members

BPWA welcomes two new board members: Nancy Graham, treasurer, and Jen English, walks co-coordinator. Three days a week Nancy, her husband, and dog, Dinky, get their aerobic exercise by walking uphill and hitting as many paths as possible. Jen joined the board in 2008 for her first term. Jen’s also been learning the ropes of emergency response, taking community emergency management (CERT) courses and other preparedness training and is excited to be involved with BPWA again because Berkeley's public paths and stairways are a key component of the city's emergency response network.

Kirsten Mickelwait
2024 ANNUAL MEETING AND PATH-A-THON

Saturday, September 21, 2024 offered a beautiful “Second Summer” day as about 40 people gathered to attend the annual meeting of the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association at Live Oak Park. The event followed a well-attended morning Path-a-thon.

2024 ANNUAL MEETING AND PATH-A-THON
Kirsten Mickelwait
Ina Coolbrith: California’s First Poet Laureate

Just south of Latham Lane in North Berkeley you’ll find Ina Coolbrith Path, which connects Miller Avenue and Grizzly Peak Blvd. If you’ve ever wondered about its namesake, the path commemorates a remarkable woman who figured prominently in the state’s literary history.

Ina Coolbrith: California’s First Poet Laureate
Kirsten Mickelwait
Steve Price: Walking the Walk 

Steve Price is the El Cerrito-based author/artist of the digital book Imagining a Walkable America: Visualizing Low-Carbon Cities, Towns, and Neighborhoods, Step by Step. First published in 2020, it’s just been updated with a new introduction and fresh images to reflect the country’s changing transportation landscape.

Steve Price: Walking the Walk 

Patricia DeVito, co-founder of Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, passes away at age 89

Patricia DeVito, co-founder of Berkeley Path Wanderers Association, passes away at age 89

“Pat was fundamental in shaping the early bylaws, including aspects like keeping the dues intentionally low to encourage membership, having term limits for board members to keep the leadership fresh, and a commitment to recruiting new volunteers,” said Jacque Ensign, one of four women co-founders of the the organization. “The result has kept the organization moving, always trying new things, and staying relevant in the community.”

Path Wanderers and Young Artists Win Grant For a New Mural in West Berkeley 

Path Wanderers and Young Artists Win Grant For a New Mural in West Berkeley 

Berkeley Path Wanderers Association and Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA), a Berkeley-based organization that empowers underserved young people, teamed up to win a $3,000 grant to design and add a mural to an exciting public art project in West Berkeley. The money comes from Commotion West Berkeley, a group of merchants and residents dedicated to beautifying and promoting community engagement in the area west of San Pablo Avenue.

Walking safely in Berkeley

Walking safely in Berkeley

With the recent uptick in pedestrians and bikers being hit by cars, we’d like to remind everyone to be as safe as possible while walking in Berkeley. Drivers are more distracted than ever so walkers need to be proactively defensive pedestrians. This time of year with shorter hours of daylight presents additional risks.