Lots of open hills and sunshine makes Briones Regional Park worth checking out in the springtime. I’ve heard tell of massive California poppy blooms here in years past. I’ve driven around Briones once but haven’t gotten around to hiking it…
Day hikes I’ve done
Latest hike: Montara Mountain/McNee Ranch State Park
by tom • March 30, 2009 • 8 Comments
Bring a windbreaker. Leave your expectations of what a state park oughta be at home. McNee Ranch State Park has perhaps a half-dozen picnic tables, a similar number of dedicated parking spaces, one porta-potty, a couple old fire roads for…
Sunol with a scramble
by tom • March 23, 2009 • 5 Comments
The idea was to see what the wildflowers were like at Sunol Wilderness. I saw a few but it might be a little early for the bloom there. What Sunol has lots of now is water: Alameda Creek is roaring…
If you want to see Grant Ranch in the worst way
by tom • March 11, 2009 • 1 Comment
You have to check out the Washburn Trail at Joseph D. Grant County Park (AKA Grant Ranch). It’s the meanest trail in a park that has an abundance of leg-burners. I saw a bunch of California poppies blooming on the…
Readers: Don’t be hatin’ on Harvey Bear Ranch
by tom • March 10, 2009 • 1 Comment
A couple years back I took an underwhelming stroll along the paths at Harvey Bear Ranch, which was Santa Clara County’s newest park at the time. Harvey Bear Ranch isn’t so bad — it’s got rolling hills, wacky oaks and…
Uvas Canyon Waterfalls revisited
by tom • March 9, 2009 • 1 Comment
I’ve moved Uvas Canyon County Park to the top of my list of parks to check out after four weekends of rain. Lots of other hikers will get the same idea if you go on a Saturday or Sunday, but…
Muddy, damp day hike at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
by tom • February 9, 2009 • 6 Comments
You’ve no doubt heard of the term “muscle memory.” I think it means, “what happens when your legs have forgotten how to go downhill.” I tested the concept Sunday at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in Contra Costa County in the…
New trails at Pleasanton Ridge
by tom • December 15, 2008 • 3 Comments
Avid reader Keith Barlow sent this news tip along this morning: Heads up that there is some new hiking (& biking & running) mileage on the Pleasanton Ridge. http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/show_story.php?id=1048 http://ebparks.org/node/1006 The article says you can get there by starting at…
Saratoga Gap to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve
by tom • December 1, 2008 • 2 Comments
I’m just about done for the day when a half-dozen 6- and 7-year-olds come barreling down the trail on their baby BMX bikes. I’m thinking, “don’t their dads know this is a state park and bikes aren’t allowed on these…