(un)PTO, a free weekly hiking group for laid-off and between-jobs Bay Area workers, heads to Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland on Monday, Aug. 3 at 10:30 a.m. — a 4-mile loop, and on a weekday, free to park.

If you're between jobs, the move on Monday, Aug. 3 is a 10:30 a.m. hike under the redwoods in Oakland — free, and you don't have to know a soul when you show up.

The group is (un)PTO, a weekly Bay Area hiking crew for people who've been laid off or are otherwise in career limbo. This week's outing is a 4-mile loop with about 577 feet of gain at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, billed as moderate — shady forest trails with a few steep, narrow stretches. Organizers estimate 1.5 to 2 hours on the trail. As of this week the RSVP list showed roughly 55 people going, with dozens more marked interested, so you won't be hiking alone.

Here's why it's more than a walk. (un)PTO was built by Basem Istanbouli after he was laid off from Google in early 2025; he told ABC7 the group started at three people and now regularly draws around 80 to a hike. Routes rotate weekly and stay capped near five miles on purpose — short enough that people can actually talk, commiserate, and trade job leads while they climb. Regulars have credited it with landing interviews. It's part support group, part trail day, and it costs nothing.

The logistics that matter:

  • When: Monday, Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m. Meet at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, off Redwood Road in the Oakland hills.
  • Parking: The park's $5 fee is collected only on weekends and major holidays, April through October — so on a regular Monday, parking is effectively free. The Skyline Gate lot (8490 Skyline Blvd.) is free year-round if the Redwood Gate lots fill.
  • Transit: No car? AC Transit Route 31 runs from Fruitvale BART toward the park; expect a walk to the trailhead and little-to-no cell service once you're in the trees.
  • Bring: Layers, water, sturdy shoes, and an eye for poison oak. Dogs on leash are welcome.

RSVP first — the event page is gated to guests, so sign up through the group at join.unpto.com before you drive out.

If you've only got two hours and a Monday with nothing on it, this is the one: an easy-to-moderate loop, a built-in crowd that gets exactly what you're going through, and a parking situation that won't cost you a dime this week.