Did you know there’s a volcano right here in the San Francisco East Bay? Yep, Round Top, a volcano so long extinct that it’s now lying on its side, is located in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Berkeley Hills. On Sunday, I enjoyed a fun Mother’s Day hike around the Round Top Loop Trail … Continue reading »
Category Archives: Contra Costa County
Hike: Bollinger Creek Trail, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
Yesterday, I hiked this section of the Bollinger Creek Loop Trail in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness with some friends. It’s is one of the few trails in Las Trampas that is shade-covered. It’s also relatively short, with the section along the creek and through the trees being only 0.69 miles (one-way). This is a fun … Continue reading »
Hike: Las Trampas Peak, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
It was pretty darn cold this past weekend, but I still enjoyed a Saturday morning hike at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness with my hiking group. At the start of the hike, the temperature was about 30 degrees, and it heated up all the way to about 36 by the end of the hike. I know … Continue reading »
Jewel Lake Trail, Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley
The Jewel Lake Trail in Tilden Regional Park is a great hike to do with little kids. The loop is about a mile, is mostly flat, and has a fun variety of things to see and do. I like to take my son on this walk whenever we’re in the Tilden Nature Area, usually to … Continue reading »
Silent Saturday: Trail Through Time, Rock City, Mount Diablo
Photos from a hike in Mount Diablo State Park earlier this week with my Nature Time playgroup. We hiked a section of the Trail Through Time, from the Rock City parking lot to (and up) Sentinel Rock, allowing the kids to climb and play on and in the limestone rock structures and caves as much … Continue reading »
Silent Saturday: Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve
Photos taken on a hike earlier this week at the Bishop Ranch Regional Preserve in San Ramon… You may also enjoy: Silent Saturday: Martin Canyon Creek Trail (Dublin, California) Silent Saturday: Las Trampas Ridge Trail (San Ramon, California) Continue reading »
Silent Saturday: Las Trampas Ridge Trail
A few photos from my hike earlier this week on the Las Trampas Ridge Trail in San Ramon… For more information about Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, visit http://www.ebparks.org/parks/las_trampas You may also enjoy… Silent Saturday: Martin Canyon Creek Trail Continue reading »
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 … Continue reading »
Walking with Friends, Inspiration Trail, Tilden … and Playtime at Orinda Community Park
On Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed a lovely 3-mile walk with friends on the Inspiration Trail in the Berkeley Hills. This is a trail that has grown with us through the years. My husband and I liked to hike here because of the gorgeous views of the San Francisco Bay, the Marin Headlands, and the Golden … Continue reading »
Family Hike, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland
After several days stuck home due to sickness, my husband, son, and I headed out today for a short hike through the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills. The 1.7 mile Huckleberry Path seemed about the right distance, and I’ve heard from many sources that it’s a great hike to do with a … Continue reading »