Exploring the Ringtail Cat Trail, Las Trampas, Alamo

Another great Outdoor Discoveries outing! Today, the naturalist took the kids up the Ringtail Cat Trail into Las Trampas Regional Park for a “beanstalk lunch hike” to learn about vines. This is another of my favorite trails in the area, especially on a hot summer day, as the trail winds above a creek through a beautiful shade-covered canyon. Here are a few of the cool things the kids (and parents) saw and did on the hike today…

The highlight of the day? Finding these beautiful Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars…

The kids were enchanted…

We saw lots of different vines, and also saw a cute Fiery Skipper…

Then we went off the main trail for some wandering over and around trees…

Until we made it to our picnic spot, where the boys enjoyed playing in the creek…

Fun!

Interested in hiking here? You’ll find the trailhead (the Ringtail Cat Staging Area) near the end of Hemme Avenue in Alamo. For a trail map and more information about Las Trampas, go to the website… www.ebparks.org/parks/las_trampas

Interested in learning more about the East Bay Regional Park’s Outdoor Discoveries program? You’ll find it here, under the Sunol Visitor Center heading… www.ebparks.org/kids/nature_discoveries