Mission and History

The mission of the Orinda Park and Recreation Foundation is to assist and contribute to the recreation and community service programs of the City of Orinda related to parks, open space, beautification projects, and improvements in community recreation.

For the purpose of raising and collecting funds for the establishment and maintenance of public recreational facilities in the Orinda area, the Foundation was established in 1975, before Orinda was incorporated as a city. Many prominent Orindians have served on our board during more than 40 years of the life of the OPR Foundation and we have financially assisted countless local organizations in their efforts to further develop the natural resources of the city and gain in a number of ways the lives of the people of Orinda.

Trails: One of the first towns in the country to be named by the American Hiking Society as a Trail Town USA was the city of Orinda. Their outstanding trail system facilitates non-motorized transport and links to national and regional trail networks. In Orinda here are a few:

The Lamorinda Trail Loop provides walking, running, biking avenue from Orinda to Moraga to Lafayette and back again.  Look along the road for the Lamorinda Trail Loop signs. 

Downtown starts with the de Laveaga Trail and connects with regional trails.

Wagner Ranch trails link with EBMUD trails and the American Exploration Trail, the first non-motorized recreation trail from coast to coast of the world.

Throughout the Orinda Oaks Open Space Preserve, there are trails that connect to Orinda Oaks Park, Descanso Dr., and Moraga's Mulholland Ridge Open Space.

In the Wilder valley, trails are being established to communicate with EBMUD and EBRPD trails.

East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD): Within its parklands, EBRPD maintains more than 1,200 miles of trails, including over 150 miles of paved trails connecting the Regional Parks. Many of these are accessible from or are not far from the trails in Orinda.

East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): In the East Bay hills, the EBMUD controls some 27,000 acres of land and water and a great deal of it is adjacent to the Orinda boundary.

Orinda Hiking Club: A club for hikers who are interested, aged 18 and over. Every Saturday and two Sundays a month, all year round, hikes are scheduled. On the first Wednesday of each month, an extra hike is planned.

Orinda Roadrunners Club: For people of all ages, this is a local running and biking club. Each week, there is a wide range of available activities.

Bicycle Routes: San Pablo Dam Road, Bear Creek Road, and Moraga Way are used by road bicyclists and bike clubs for their outings.