Tag Archives: burton valley

Lafayette Community Park Nature Walk

5 Jan

Length: 1.8 miles
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Dogs: Yes! Very popular place for nearby residents to take their dogs.
Calories: 250-300
Elevation Gain: 200 feet.
Best Season: Any season.
EBMUD Permit Required:  No
Highlights:  A surprisingly wild little open space in the middle of Burton Valley! The confluence of two creeks with a diverse array of native plants and excellent birding! A wonderful place to take family walks with kids and dogs.
Directions:  Take St. Mary’s Road to the Lafayette Community Center at 480 St. Mary’s Road.  Park in the back, near the playground.
Trailhead:  East of the parking lot, you’ll notice a bridge with some signs.  That is the entry to the Community Park and the beginning of your nature walk.

Map of Community Park and nature walk

The 68-acres of park lands was originally owned by CalTrans and reserved for a highway from Pleasant Hill to Oakland.  Thankfully, due to strong public opposition, the plan was dropped and the city was able to buy it for a park in 1983.  Now it is a beloved open space instead of a noisy, dirty highway! Some of the most treasured assets in Lafayette – Community Park, regional trail, new library, Town Hall Theatre, Community Garden – are all due to activated citizens!  Our family lives just a couple blocks away and has walked in the Community Park hundreds of times.

Start by crossing the 140’ long Kathryn Peterson bridge over Las Trampas Creek.  Kay Peterson is worth remembering.  She started the Lafayette hiking group, was responsible for the first Lafayette Trails Master Plan, and was instrumental in obtaining the easements for most of our local trails.  The creek under the bridge starts near the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and runs adjacent to Bollinger Canyon Road and then St. Mary’s Road.  It drains over 27 square miles of land area!

The Kathryn Peterson Bridge

The bridge is a great vantage point to view the dense riparian zone along the creek. You can actually see 10 different types of trees from the bridge (Coast Live Oak, Valley Oak, Fremont Cottonwood, Arroyo Willow, White Alder, Big Leaf Maple, California Buckeye, California Black Walnut, California Bay Laurel, and Coast Redwood)!

On the far end of the bridge, on the right side, there is a large Valley Oak.  These trees are pretty amazing! They are endemic to California (especially the Central Valley), grow larger than any other oak, and live for up to 600 years.  Their acorns fall in October and a variety of mammals and birds eat them, including the acorn woodpecker, California scrub jay, yellow-billed magpie, and California ground squirrel.  And, of course, acorns were the staple food for the Bay Miwok who lived here.

Sign for Bellenger Trail

Take a left, go about 50 yards, and then take another left on the Bellenger Trail.  Stay left, even where the trail forks, and the trail will wind along the creek with a couple openings where you can see the water.

The Bellenger Trail

When you get to a sharp right turn and a poison oak sign, there are steps down to Grizzly Creek.  This is close to where the two creeks combine and is a nice spot to stop for a minute.

Acorn woodpecker

Continue on and soon you’ll reach a major intersection of trails. Continue straight across, between two good sized oaks, and up the ridge (see picture). You’ll climb through a pleasant valley oak woodland. The most common year-round birds in this habitat are acorn woodpeckers, oak titmouse, scrub jays, red shouldered hawks, and towhees.

Go up the ridge between these two valley oaks

Keep going up, passing a marvelous bench, until you reach the eucalyptus grove.  Starlings love to hang out here.  Continue through and enjoy the views as you descend down the other side.

Eucalyptus grove

Enjoy the views on the way down!

When you reach the wider trail at the bottom take a left.  This is the main trail through the park.  As you go around a bend, stay to the right.  Soon you will see a small trail on the right side.  Save that for later, and instead take the second trail on the right.  If you’re on the correct one there will be a bench right away on the left. Wind your way up the hill and watch out for poison oak in this section.

At the top you’ll see a second eucalyptus grove on the right. When our kids were little I tried to convince our youngest son and his friends that a dragon guarded a buried treasure in the middle of the grove by snoozing in a hammock above it.  They went crazy when I actually buried a treasure and gave them a map!

Take a left on the fire road that goes along the side of the hill.  Going clockwise, make a loop around the sports fields to return to the same spot (see map).

On the way back, pause at the top of the stairs to look or listen for birds. This is one of our oldest son’s favorite spots for birding. In the spring, you have a good chance of seeing Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Vireos, Warblers and a myriad of other songbirds. This a great spot because you can see right into the canopy of the oak woodland giving you a great angle to see illusive canopy dwellers like Western Tanagers.

Then wind down the hill the way you came up, except at the bottom look for a small trail that veers off to the left.  Take that and continue into a pleasant grove of California Buckeye trees and check out the overlook over the creek.  Then backtrack and take the small trail out to the main artery again.

View of Las Trampas Creek from Buckeye grove

 

Go left and return to the bridge to complete the walk.

 

Some additional resources:

Information about the Community Park on the city’s web site, including a list of trees, shrubs, birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians that can be found in the park.  Click here…

Community Park brochure and map

Information about native bee houses that you’ll see in the Community Park.  Click here…

Golden Gate Audubon – who organizes birding outings, including ones to the Lafayette Community Park.  Click here…

 

 

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Hunsaker Ridge Hike

25 Jan

Length: 4.7 miles (but you can turn around at any point)
Time: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Challenging
Dogs: Yes
Calories: 800-1000
Highlights: The best hike leading out of the Burton Valley area.  After about 15 minutes of traversing over a hill, past a house, and up a fire road, you are rewarded with an outstanding, but challenging hike that winds along the ridge between Rossmoor and Hunsaker Canyon with fantastic views on both sides.  You’ll feel a world away even though you can see Rossmoor part of the time.  There is a great picnic table at the end for a snack or lunch before turning around.
Directions: Drive to Burton Valley.  Take Rohrer Drive off of St. Mary’s road and follow it past Burton Valley School, past Rancho Colorados Swim Club and up to Henson’s Equestrian Center (2750 Rohrer).  Park across the street from the Equestrian Center.
Trailhead: You will see a small sign that says Rohrer Trail.  This is the official name but I think the name should have “ridge” in it.
Special Notes: There is some poison oak on this trail, but it’s been mostly trimmed back.

The trailhead - across from Henson's Equestrian Center

The trailhead – across from Henson’s Equestrian Center

This trail will get your heart pumping right away with a few switchbacks up a steep hill between two homes.  Enjoy the great views of Mt. Diablo!  Drop down the other side and continue until you end up on a driveway in front of a home.  Just continue past the home and you’ll see the beginning of a fire road on the opposite side.   There is some cool outdoor artwork to admire.

Rohrer3

The trail along the ridge veers off to the right before the second gate – look for post with “W10”

Going up the fire road is another noticeable climb and you’ll be thinking “I hope this is worth it!.”  It will be.  You’ll pass by a gate on your way up.  Keep going up and over the hill.  On your way down on the other side you’ll see a second gate across the fire road and maybe 15 yards before it will be a post with “W10” on it and a trail that veers off to the right.  Veer right there.

It takes about 15 minutes to reach this junction and it is the beginning of the best part!  This trail will wind along the ridge for 1.7 miles, taking about 45 minutes.

The trail is fun but a bit challenging.  It goes up and down, through lots of varied plant zones, over rocks, through gates, etc.  It has a little bit of everything and it’s all very scenic.  As you traverse the ridge you’ll see views of Roosmoor on one side and views of Hunsaker Canyon and Las Trampas Peak on the other side.

Rohrer6Rohrer7

Buddha statue

There are some special things to look for along the way.  At one point on the hike you’ll go through a tiny little gully with rock walls on both sides.   About 20 yards before you reach that there is a little trail off to the right with a Buddha statue – smiling in the sun (see picture).

Also worth noting is the diversity of oak trees. There are four species you can see along the way: Coast Live Oak, Valley Oak, California Black Oak, and Blue Oak. The Black and Blue Oaks are much less common and you’ll be able to spot them on the top of the ridge.  Pictures of the leaves at the bottom of this post.

And in the Spring, you may notice large, mostly black butterflies.  These are likely pipevine swallowtails. Picture below.

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly – drawn to the nectar in the sage flowers.

After about 40 minutes of hiking you’ll reach a trail intersection (“W8”) and a nice bench with a views out over Rossmoor with Mt. Diablo in the distance (see picture).  This is a nice spot to take a quick break or a good turnaround point if you don’t want to go all the way to the end.

You may notice that the intersection sign says Clyde Wood Trail. This is the name given by the Rossmoor Hiking Club, who maintains the trail.  Here is a link to the Rossmoor hiking map..

Continue in the same direction – one more mile to go. After going through a gate and reaching a meadow, you’ll see another post on the left with “W7” on it.  Directly across is a gate. On the other side is an unofficial trail that goes down into Hunsaker Canyon, ending near an abandoned barn.  This land is owned by East Bay Regional Parks and is currently “land banked” and not open to the public.

Continuing past “W7” post..

After about an hour, and roughly 2.3 miles of hiking, the trail will split into two as it gradually climbs to the top of the final hill.  Going right will take you to Las Trampas Fire/Ridge Trail, which will lead you up to Las Trampas Peak if you take a right (1 – 1.5 miles?).  Staying left will lead to a nice picnic table for a well-deserved rest and is the turnaround spot (see picture).

Picnic table at the end of the trail

Picnic table at the end of the trail

Topographical map

Topographical map

 

Oak Tree Leaves

 

Black Oak leaf

Blue Oak leaf

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Hunsaker Canyon Barn Walk

16 Dec

Length: 2.75 miles roundtrip from the beginning of Hunsaker Canyon Road.
Time: 45-60 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Dogs: Yes!
Calories: Around 350
Highlights:  A very scenic stroll through Hunsaker Canyon with the first half being on a paved private road and the second half being a dirt road that used to lead to a ranch.  The land has been purchased and “land banked” by the East Bay Regional Park District but is not officially open to the public.  Enter at your own risk.
Directions:  Take Silverado Road south through Burton Valley.  Take a left on Bradbury and park where you see the green “Hunsaker Canyon Private Road” sign (see picture).
Trailhead:  Begin your hike by proceeding on Hunsaker Canyon Road by foot.
Special Notes:  Since this area has not been prepared for public use and various types of wildlife have been spotted – it is only appropriate for experienced hikers.

Hunsacker Canyon Road Sign

Park before this sign

Hunsaker Canyon Road is a private rural road that leads out of the south-eastern corner of Burton Valley.  It is most known as the route to Wildwood Acres Resort (for weddings and large parties), but should be known as the entry way to a great hiking area!  NOTE:  Since it is a private road it is only for residents and their guests and you aren’t supposed to park along it.  And make sure not to litter or use any cigarettes along this road.  It is an extreme fire danger area with no easy access to water.

Hike about 3/4ths of a mile down the road until you see a fire road gate on the left (see picture below).  This is the entry way to land owned by the East Bay Regional Park District.  Back in 2005, they purchased 1000 acres of land between Roosmoor, Burton Valley, and the Las Trampas Wilderness Area.  The area is protected and “land banked” but not officially open to the public.  It will expand the Las Trampas Wilderness Area to 5100 acres and protect the entire ridge line.

Entry gate to barn hike

Entry gate to barn hike

Climb over the gate to enter the open space.  A very scenic dirt road meanders through meadows and some trees, adjacent to Grizzly Creek for about 0.7 miles.  The road ends at a barn that’s no longer actively being used.  There was a huge oak tree next to the barn but it died, possibly from the drought. Anyway,  it’s a very picturesque spot!  It would be perfect for a picnic, but there is no picnic table.  There are various old supplies and fencing laying around so keep an eye on kids.  Enjoy the peaceful setting, with no signs or sounds of suburbia, and then head back.

You may run into grazing cows in the vicinity of the barn and like most East Bay parks and wilderness areas there may be mountain lions and other wildlife in the area (coyotes, boars, snakes, etc.).  But I personally haven’t seen anything except birds and cows.

This is a nice hike with a family group with varying ages and abilities because it’s manageable for just about anyone.

Barn and oak tree at the end of the dirt road.

Barn and oak tree at the end of the dirt road (oak tree has since died).

Las Trampas Peak:

Right before the barn, there is a fire road that veers off to the right.  If you are really comfortable in the wilderness, you can take this fire road to Las Trampas Peak which is on the edge of the Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and 1827 feet high.  Stay left at the first junction.  Follow the fire road which has some pretty steep sections.  When you reach the ridge (Las Trampas Ridge Trail), take a right and you’ll arrive at Las Trampas Peak in another 10 minutes or so.    You will likely run into cows and maybe see other wildlife.  Best to do this hike with at least one other person.  It takes about an hour to reach the peak from the gate.

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