Roberts Regional Recreation Area

This month we are visiting the last park on our itinerary of East Bay Watershed parks that contribute to our emergency water supply, and provide great recreational opportunities right in our back yard! This time we are visiting Roberts Recreational Regional Park, which is surrounded on three sides by Redwood Regional park. But I'd like to highlight it, because it provides a place to host gatherings as well as enjoy nature.

Roberts Regional Recreational Area

Redwood Grove

Blossom Rock Navigation Trees Exhibit

Manzanita Loop Trail

The 82-acre park opened in 1952, and its entrance is in a second-generation grove of redwood trees. The original trees were logged in 1860, and the current trees are descendants of the famous trees used by ship captains to navigate San Francisco Bay. The original trees were reported to be up to 20 feet in diameter.

View of Mount Diablo from the Vista Point

Sports field with a view of the San Francisco Bay

Swimming pool

Sycamore picnic area

Park amenities include a playground (wheel chair accessible area for children), archery range, sports fields, volleyball court, swimming pool, and picnic sites. Check the Park Calendar on the website for groups hikes, swimming and archery lessons, and hours of operation. Some amenities require advanced online registration, others are on a first-come, first-served basis, so plan your group gatherings accordingly.

Ring of Redwood trees	Redwood needles
Redwood duff	Fall colors

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A network of trails connects with trails through the Redwood Regional Park, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, jogging, and horseback riding. Check out the Graham Trail, Manzanita Loop, Roberts Ridge Trail, and Vista trails. This park may not fit everyone's needs, but it is a place to consider when planning a large group event, or special birthday celebration.

Address:  Recreational Area – 10570 Skyline Boulevard; Oakland, CA 94611  Web Site: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts Map: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts#maps Wild Plants: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts#resources For other parks and preserves in the East Bay watershed, see:  https://edenbythebay.blogspot.com/2017/02/parks-of-east-bay-watershed.html

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Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

This year we're visiting several parks in the East Bay watershed that are an integral part of our emergency water supply. These parks and preserves capture, filter, and store water, but they also provide recreational opportunities right in our own backyard! This time we are visiting Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, which is the site of ancient volcanic activity from 9 - 10 million years ago.

Sibley staging area off Skyline Boulevard

Self-serve Visitor Center

The Sibley visitor center provides exhibits that describe the geology of "Round Top" (elevation 1763 feet), and a self-guided tour brochure that also describes the geological features. Round Top Road goes from the visitor center to the top of Round Top. Volcanic Trail contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.

Sibley's geology

Sibley's geological history

The 928 square acre park was opened in 1936 as Round Top, with the formation of the Park District. In 1972 the park was renamed to Sibley Volcanic to honor Robert W. Sibley, a Park District founder and director.

Overlook Trail

View from the water tower - Mount Tamalpais (upper left corner)

View of Wildcat Fault

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve provides great opportunities to study the core of an ancient volcano. Follow the self-guided tour of Round Top to learn more about the site. The picnic site looks a little stark, but I was surprised to find a cooling breeze on the day I visited.

Geo Marker 1: Basalt dike

Geo Marker 3: Orinda Formation gravels

Geo Marker 7: Basalt flow

Picnic Area in a quarry pit

Geo Marker 9: hard and soft lava flow

View to Orinda and Mount Diablo

Round Top Loop Trail circles the peak, and provides stunning views of the East Bay and surrounding hills, from Mount Tamalpais all the way to Mount Diablo. In addition to the view, interesting geology, and excellent birding opportunities, check out the several labyrinths and bring your dog.

Coyote bush - green in mid summer	Teasal
Yarrow	Aster

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The trail is completely exposed, so carry plenty of water, and wear a hat and sun screen, especially in summer and fall. In winter, take the road down to the quarry, and look for the California newts in the ponds near the old labyrinth.

Address:  Sibley Staging Area – 6701 Skyline Boulevard; Oakland, CA 94611  Web Site: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic  Map: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic#maps Wild Plants: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic#resources For other parks and preserves in the East Bay watershed, see:  https://edenbythebay.blogspot.com/2017/02/parks-of-east-bay-watershed.html

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Huckleberry Botantic Regional Preserve

Our next East Bay watershed park visit is to Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, located in the hills behind Oakland off Skyline Boulevard, between Sibley and Redwood regional parks. The preserve is relatively small, 240 acres, with a 1.7-mile loop trail that links to the larger Skyline National Trail. I visited the park in early May, on a cool, overcast week end. I was very interested in visiting the park because of its unusual plant collection.

Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve Entrance

Picnic area

According to the informative park brochure, written by Ben Johnson, the native plant community is found nowhere else in the East Bay, and represents a relic plant association found only in California areas where ideal soil and climatic conditions exist. The vegetation originated in the southern coast of California when the climate was moister and tempered by cool coastal fog. Similar vegetation is found in the islands off the Santa Barbara coast, and in pockets on the coast between Point Conception and Montara Mountains south of San Francisco.

Huckleberry Path

Per Johnson, the geology belongs to the Claremont shale/chert formation, laid down in a deep ocean basin, pushed up, and then eroded around 12 million years ago. The soil is poor and porous, with little water-holding capability, so the conditions favor pioneering chaparral species, and hold off intrusion of other local species.

Bench with a view of the Oakland Hills

Lush forest with ferns and moss

Upper Huckleberry Path is fairly flat, and passes through a lovely, lush forest of Canyon live oak, Pacific madrone, California hazelnut, and California bay, and an understory of ferns, huckleberries, Iris, currants, and many others. The bay trees give off a wonderful, aromatic scent. Signposts installed along the path serve as keys to brochure descriptions of the vegetation [such as Brittleleaf manzanita, Pallid manzanita, Coast Silktassell, Western leatherwood, Jimbrush (Ceanothus), succession, geology, and more.

Marker 15 - Pallid Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pallida)

View of the Oakland Hills under clearing sky

Along the trail are views of the Oakland hills, which were still green in early May after our very wet winter. A bench provides a wonderful spot to take in the view. I especially enjoyed seeing some of the small woodland plants that grow in the shady understory.

Unidentified	Cow Parsnip
Unidentified	Douglas Iris

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This is a small treasure in the East Bay watershed. There are few parking spots at the Huckleberry Main Staging Area, one picnic table that I could see, and dogs and horses are not permitted on the path, so the preserve may not appeal to everyone. But the vegetation and geology are interesting, it's a great place for a short hike, and it gives us a glimpse into how plants might "move north" to survive as environmental conditions change. Be sure to check the website for notices that might affect your visit.

Address:  Huckleberry Main Staging Area – 7087 Skyline Boulevard (just south of Elverton Drive); Oakland, CA 94611.  Web Site: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/huckleberry Map:  https://www.ebparks.org/parks/huckleberry#maps Wild flowers: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/huckleberry#resources For other parks and preserves in the East Bay watershed, see:  https://edenbythebay.blogspot.com/2017/02/parks-of-east-bay-watershed.html

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Redwood Regional Park

Our first East Bay watershed park visit of the year is to Redwood Regional Park, situated in the hills between Oakland and Moraga. My friend, colleague, and swimming buddy, Leslie, joined me for a hike and chance to explore this emerald gem. We hoped we wouldn’t be rained out, but were fortunate to visit the park during a brief lull in the heavy February rains. We entered through the Redwood Main Entrance.

Redwood Main Entrance

The park is over 1800 acres of lush evergreen forest, chaparral, and grasslands. Redwood Creek passes through the forest, close to walking and bridle trails. Because of the heavy rains, the stream was full of water. The trees of the redwood forest are descendants of a coastal redwood stand that once stretched from Rancho de San Antonio to El Rancho de Los Palos Colorados land grants (Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro, and Lafayette). Imagine!

Stand of redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens)

In the 1800s, the original, old growth trees served as a landmark that helped ship captains navigate the treacherous waters of the San Francisco Bay. Several lumber mills operated in the area throughout the 1800s and the wood used to build the homes of San Francisco and Oakland. Later the area was used for homesteading, ranching and grazing, and growing orchards or crops.

Redwood Creek full of water

Picnic area and amenities

Leslie and I enjoyed our time walking the accessible paths and trails of the second growth redwood forest. We didn’t see any blossoms, but the moss and ferns were lush and beautiful. We encountered families, hikers, and joggers out enjoying the break in the rain. One group was exploring for mushrooms in nearly perfect conditions.

Photo op	Signage
Riparian restoration	Fern lined path

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The areas along the creek are being restored to safeguard habitat for native newt and trout, so sections of the creek and various trails are closed. Still, we found plenty to see. Afterward we enjoyed lunch and conversation at nearby Hunan Yuan Restaurant.

Address:  Redwood Main Entrance – 7867 Redwood Road; Oakland, CA 94619 (37°48'05.5"N 122°08'40.5"W)  Web Site: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/reinhardt-redwood  Map: https://www.ebparks.org/parks/reinhardt-redwood#maps Wild flowers (see Resources): https://www.ebparks.org/parks/reinhardt-redwood#resources For other parks and preserves in the East Bay watershed, see:  https://edenbythebay.blogspot.com/2017/02/parks-of-east-bay-watershed.html

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Parks of the East Bay Watershed

This year I am learning more about the East Bay watershed by visiting some of its parks and preserves. Much of the land in the hills behind the East Bay is dedicated to storing, capturing, and filtering our emergency water supply. This back bone of undeveloped land is also a jewel for recreation right in our own back yard!

Lush riparian forest at Redwood Regional Park

Park or Preserve	Description
Lake Chabot Regional Park	The lake was created in the 1870s to serve as a main water source for Oakland, but is now used for recreation and emergency water supply. Amenities include a marina and café, hiking, and fishing. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/lake-chabot
Leona Canyon Preserve	This small preserve includes a hiking trail linking Merritt College and residential areas. The canyon includes chaparral and woodlands, and is a great spot for identifying native plants. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/leona-canyon
Redwood Regional Park	A forest of coastal redwoods with trees up to 100 feet tall. Trails meander through a lush green mixed forest along a stream. Amenities include hiking, picnic spots, bridal trials, and staging areas. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/reinhardt-redwood
Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve	Geologic and ecological conditions sustain a microcosm of plants from another time and place, and rare in the Bay Area. Provides a year-round display of blossoms. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/huckleberry
Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve	Site of ancient volcanic activity from 9 – 10 million years ago. Signs identify interesting volcanic phenomena for study. An open, dry landscape typical of California. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic
Roberts Regional Recreational Area	An area of the Redwood Regional Park that is dedicated to recreation. Amenities include swimming, playground, ball field, amphitheater, picnic areas, archery, trails, and the Redwood Bowl. https://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts

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The East Bay watershed includes many more parks and preserves than listed here. Besides harnessing and filtering our water, these parks provide places for solitary contemplation and active recreation. The parks are available to all. Membership provides parking and additional perks.

  

Vermont – Home of Freedom and Unity

After a wonderful weekend in Boston, we headed north by rental car toward Killington, Vermont, less than three hours away. I'm always surprised how close together everything seems in the east compared to the west, and how cities actually end and are surrounded by countryside. It didn’t take long for us to leave the bustle of Boston, and find ourselves surrounded by beautiful forests that became more and more colorful as we headed north.

Off-roading in Vermont

We traveled on Interstates 93 and 89, through the southwestern corner of New Hampshire (Live Free or Die), and then into Vermont (Freedom and Unity). The slightest enticement—cemeteries, charming towns, vistas, colorful leaves, a winding road—was all we needed to pull over and explore. Our destination was The Vermont Inn, located mid-state off Highway 4 between Killington and Rutland, at the southern end of the Green Mountains, running like a backbone through the state. Remember Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys?

Freshly cut field

The American illustrator, Norman Rockwell, had a studio in the area, and one of my grandfather’s younger brothers was born nearby. From this central location, we headed out on day trips to explore the state where my paternal grandfather grew up, and where he returned with my grandmother for three happy years on the farm.

Seed pod

Vermont is tiny, by western standards, so you really can go exploring all day at a relaxed pace, and make it back to the inn for a great meal and cozy evening. We spent a whole day driving north on the historic Highway 100 to Newport, close to the Canadian border. Another day we drove south on Highway 7 to visit Hildene House, the summer estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. Another day we visited as many covered bridges as we could find, and spent time at the magnificent Quechee Gorge.

Covered bridge in Taftville, Vermont

The weather was perfect for most of the week – warm and temperate by day, with cool temperatures at night. We loved the farm-to-table cuisine, the rolling hills, the forests, and the people. To top it off, our leaf peeping was superb!

Quechee Gorge from the bridge