To get to the Bear Creek Staging Area, (one of the larger parking areas) take the . Such a gorgeous hike at this time of year! returning to Russell Peak. Reservable Picnic Reservable Group Camping Archery Pond Gate, No Access . You may see black-tailed deer, coyotes, squirrels, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and, if you are lucky, other more reclusive creatures. lovely hike on a wet day, very few ppl yet spectacular views of snow clad Mt Diablo and SF Bay. Muddy when close to the end of the route. Success! Plenty of bootlegged single track that doesn't appear on the park's maps. Join us at 8:30 am for a trek through the southern end of Briones Regional; a hiker's choice of a Challenging 7.4 mile/1800' single loop or a Difficult 9.8 mile/2400' double loop. The trail winds along the side of the hill, above the creek, heading east. This is a one of several staging areas in the park and a great starting point for several trails whipping through the. nice veiws when you get up top and beautiful in springtime* Review edited 3/15/2008. With the above information sharing about bear creek staging area on official and highly reliable information sites will help you get more information. Be safe. Naturalized: Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). The intersection of Briones Crest Trail/ Mott Peak Trail and Briones Crest Trail/ Lagoon Trail is currently damaged but passable with care. About Us | 2537 Reliez Valley Road. From the Oak Grove picnic area in the Bear Creek Staging Area, get on the Abrigo Valley Trail. Other than that, saw some cool nature. Lots of cows. Challenging at the start, but worth it for the views thereafter. You'll find a vast array of wildflowers in Briones Regional Park, including the Himalayan blackberry, California Saxifrage, brass buttons, yellow Johnny-tuck, red-stem filaree, baby . Beautiful trail with lots of ups and downs. Fantastic night hike! Trailhead: After youve parked then backtrack to the picnic area until you see the Bear Creek Trail sign (see picture). Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve Labyrinth, All of these wonderful points of interest are located just a short distance from our location, conveniently located just down the freeway at. really nice place to ride just firetrails if you wana hardtail it. 3 newts. Lupin, poppies, and bright green grass as far as the eye could see. PLEASE NOTE: Dogs arerequiredto be on leash (six-foot maximum) at all times in the following areas: Tavan Trail (all), Diablo View Trail between Alhambra Creek Trail and Hidden Pond Trail, Alhambra Creek Trail from the Alhambra Creek Staging Area south to the water trough, and Orchard Trail between Alhambra Creek Trail and west to the Briones Road gate. Reachable from the Hampton Staging Area at the end of Hampton Road, the wide trail through open landscape is your fast track to the trails that circle the Briones Reservoir. A few e bikes from Walnut creek side. Green Vibes. It gets quite steep in the first quarter-mile, so watch your footing on the way up. Within the park, these leash-required areas are indicated by signage. Briones Regional Park--Bear Creek Staging Area, Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher (Western Flycatcher), Sensitive Species (date, location, and observer information is restricted). Days of week Open hours; Thursday: 8 AM - 6 PM. Provisional species count in official eBird totals. But - the newts are out! But the Bear Creek Trail offers one of the few single track trails that winds through a more woodsy and shaded part of the park. Park in the staging area pay your money, Briones- Alhambra Creek Single Track-GoPro Helmet. Geography. Hillside poppies are the attraction at Briones Regional Park. . From Oakland/Orinda: Follow CA-24 E to Oak Hill Rd in Lafayette. You will pass an archery range, which is a lot of fun with kids if you have access to some bows and arrows. Beautiful. Exit Highway 24 at the Orinda/Camino Pablo exit 9 and head toward Richmond on Camino Pablo for 2.2 miles. Hills are beautiful! Lots of flies near the cows. Some steep parts but theyre not very long. Route will be marked with flour arrows. Weeknights late and very early AM weekdays and weekends will give the window to play in the no bikes allowed spaces. The park is also accessible via public transportation. All other park entrances are open. There are a couple of muddy spots so its better to wear hiking shoes rather than sandals. Major Regions Year-round, All years. In the spring you might spot a California newt near the trail. don't bother with alhambra creek trail unless you want to be obnoxious and go on a weekday cuz theres a lot of people on sat and sun. Good breeze. Beautiful and clear w coyotes, owls, hawks, horned larks and cows. Your email address will not be published. Must have seen over 50. Not too difficult. Briones Overlook via Bear Creek Trail is a highly trafficked 11.4 kilometer trail near Orinda, California, which has a lake and is good for all levels of ability. West end descent of Crest Trail down to the Bear Creek staging area. Entering into the park, follow Seaborg Trail and then connect with Lafayette Ridge Trail through the undulating hills and down to Lafayette Ridge Staging Area. You'll endure a fair amount of slogging along the way, but the panoramic views in every direction should ease your suffering. There are five major access points, of which the two most developed are the Alhambra Creek Valley Staging Area off Reliez Valley Road near Martinez and the Bear Creek Road Staging Area near Orinda and Lafayette. Rolling hike that lets the mind unspool as you wind along the troughs and peaks. Dogs welcome for $2 fee. Meet at the Bear Creek Staging Area on Bear Creek Road about 5 miles east of San Pablo Dam Road near Orinda. There are gorgeous wildflower displays in season. Beautiful flowers and very few people. 9 bear creek staging area standard information; 1.Briones Regional Park | East Bay Parks To (username or email . Register or Buy Tickets, Price information. IMBA Epics | You can make a left at the trail it crosses and loop back around for a second go. Wow. We will meet at the lower parking lot of the Bear Creek Staging Area up to the right after the entrance kiosk. Site-specific information is visible only to the observer and eBird reviewer(s) for the region.We encourage you not to share specific location information about this sighting via social media, public websites, or email listservs.Learn more about Sensitive Species in eBird. At the Info Panel, go through the gate and head East along Old Briones Road. Extended the loop by taking Seaborg to Homestead Valley then Bear Creek Trail. Be courteous to the Horseback riders and the hikers and all will be fine. This tiny amphibian thrives in Briones around Bear Creek. From Richmond take San Pablo Dam Rd to Bear Creek Road/Wildcat Canyon Rd and turn left. Wildflowers! Crusty and moist in some steep spots. Also, verdant and empty on a Saturday afternoon. Short hikers will turn back here, following the route described below. For map users, the intersection of Bear Creek Rd and Happy Valley Rd is close to the staging area. Provisional: Either: 1) member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2) rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible. People. At marker #13 the hikes diverge. 5/18 Alhambra Staging Area 2537 Reliez Valley Road, Martinez, CA Bear Creek Staging Area 1611 Bear Creek Road, Lafayette, CA To Reach Briones Regional Park: From Highway 24, take the Orinda exit on the east side of the Caldecott Tunnel to Orinda/Orinda Village. Views of the west, north and east Bay Area. Meet James at the Bear Creek staging area off . Good trail muddy after the rain in parts. This is a nice spot to pause for a few minutes. Widgets, Explore From the Bear Creek parking lot, take old Old Briones Road northeast and turn left on Black Oak Trail -- an old wagon road. Home; Submit . All other park entrances are open. From Walnut Creek/Danville: Take 24 west to exit 13 toward Central Lafayette/Moraga. Nice trail for winter. Highly recommended! one of my favorite places for singletrack. Need a recreational permit to use the area. Only dogs or motorcycles allowed on the trails. You might wonder how the creek got its name. Then follow above info to reach the staging area. Time: About 2 hours. A sloppy mess, some dry but 15 min slower. 2023 East Bay Regional Park District.All Rights Reserved. Im sure its great if your dogs arent desirous to chase Cows. Briones Overlook via Bear Creek Trail is a highly trafficked 11.4 kilometer back and forth trail located near Orinda, California, which features a lake and is graded as moderate. Hard rating is correct. Beautiful hike with a beautiful view during the first portion of the hike. We will meet in one of the lower lots, NOT the main lot, please follow the directions below! Alhambra Creek single track is bootlegged and not maintained by the park..is a blast, but be aware of others as you;ll carry speed into blind turns. Give the trails a few days to dry out after major rains. With over 6,000 acres of rolling hills teeming with trails, Briones Regional Park has a classic route to see almost all of what the park has to offer. A pleasant out-and-back using the Bear Creek Trail skirting the south and east shores of Briones Reservoir and ending near Briones Overlook staging area. Briones is an ideal park for hiking, running, and horseback riding over the park's scenic trails; picnicking, birdwatching, and similar activities; and informal recreation such as kite flying, photography, and nature study. We will cross over the creek, then right on Lower Buckeye Ranch which makes a hairpin turn to the right, then a sharp left to stay on Buckeye Ranch at which point we will ascend a very steep portion. Watch for springtime wildflowers, with beautiful valleys and meadows throughout the hike. Contra Costa County; California; United States; Additional details. From Richmond take San Pablo Dam Rd to Bear Creek Road/Wildcat Canyon Rd and turn left. I know I sound confusing but it's really easy to follow the trail keeps going and going and about a mile from the top of that hill you'll come to a massive downhill immediately followed by a massive uphill, just past this a singletrack rides up the side of the hill, and that takes you to the beginning of our singletrackyou have to hop a gate at the top and you'll see a bench and a little cement thing announcing that you're at the highest point in Briones if you're sitting on the bench you will see a singletrack to your left that's it. the path down is easy to follow, there's one point where it crosse another trail and you'll hit one fork turn left, this puts youon a fire road for a little bit, but keep your eye out cause just before you cross the creek a singletrack will branch off to the right, and that's were you want to go.. this is a fairly advanced technical trail, few good steep sections, and some roots and rocky parts, you will be riding on narrow, high trails, and look out for low branches lots of fun, and the first "real" singletrack I rode the singletrack brings you right back to the parking lot and you're set *WARNING* DO NOT DO THIS TRAIL WITHOUT A CAMELBAK OR LOTS OF WATER, THE CLIMB UP IS RIDICULOUSLY TIRING You can make this ride as long or as short as you want, so its a great 30 min ride or a strenuous 2 and a half hour ride. This was the largest bear killed in Contra Costa County. Started around 9AM and it was 90 degrees F almost the whole time. At the Bear Creek Staging Area, the park also has two larger, reservable community picnic areas: Oak Grove, which can host 50 people, and Newt Hollow, which holds 150. Take a right on Bear Creek Road and go five miles to the Bear Creek Staging Area. start at reliez valley staging area and go up the fire road you see another fire road to the right, keep going strait than make a left after a gate onto singletrack. Return to the junction and turn right on Pereira, then right on Deer Creek Tr., until the end where you turn left and head toward Oak Grove Picnic area and on to the parking area. Flowers are out in force. MTB Podcast | ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. The path provides a range of events, and is open throughout the year. Briones regional Park is one of my favorite regional parks in the Bay area. Difficulty: Easy. Stop by for a visit anytime. 13: 8am-6pm, Mar. The Alhambra and Bear Creek Staging Areas are open year-round, however hours vary seasonally. . Trail Directions: From the Bear Creek Staging . Head out on this 10.6-km loop trail near Lafayette, California. This is a moderate one way trail to Alhambra Creek Valley Staging Area in Briones Regional Park. # 120306 in Mountain Biking [+] Local Popularity. . Region. Did see a snake on the trail. Overview. Good, harder than I thought, but I loved the extra work. Take a right on Bear Creek Road and go five miles to the Bear Creek Staging Area. Buses: $25/per bus. Lots of cows and calves on the second portion of the loop - make sure your dog is leashed in this area, the mama cows will get protective. Good for dogs. Fire roads that feel like you're riding straight up the devil's driveway into pure hell. Maps: USGS Briones Valley, USGS Walnut Creek, Briones Regional Park trail map Note: Highly recommended that you download the park map; there are many trail junctions and twists and turns of the paths here; there are usually maps at the trailhead Briones Regional Park/Alhambra Creek Staging Area GPS coordinates: N 37 57.389 W 12 7.398 Free topomap Briones Regional Park, Fernandez Ranch and Surroundings. The reward: Amazing views of the reservoir from high above as well as serene views of the surrounding hills, among other wildflowers, dominated by California poppies, purpleheads, lupines and redstem stork's bill. This 7-mile circuit passes the two highest points in the park, Mott's Peak and Briones Peak. No Very difficult hiking with two cow-prone dogs. Briones is accessible from Highway 24 and has five different staging areas . Fine for kids. Bear right here and keep climbing. At the first intersection, stay left . Martinez, CA 94553. Great sunny day. Not many people, some runners and hikers, some groups of MTBs. The staging area is on the right slightly past the Happy Valley Rd intersection. Black Oak Trail crests on a ridge and keeps ascending till its end at Mott Peak Peak Trail. Couple steep uphills but pretty mellow overall. Alhambra to Spengler. Fairly low traffic. Too muddy virtually all the way after recent rains. Great trail but with all the rain it was very muddy in spots. (LogOut/ The reservoir is in the Briones Hills, on the west side of Briones Regional Park and northeast of Orinda.It is impounded by Briones Dam, an earthen dam completed in 1964. | Dogs: $2 per dog. But very muddy and slow going in many spots. Another idea when poison oak is a concern is to wear long pants and long sleeves and then wash them when you get home. Continue on Bear Creek trail to the dirt parking lot and then follow the road up to Briones Park and Bear Creek Staging Area. Hiker's choice of a short 7 mile/1670' moderate+ hike or a longer 8 mile/1870' challenging hike. Mud on Old Briones Road Trail. Cold. Briones Regional Park covers more than 6,000 acres in the rolling East Bay hills between Berkeley and Walnut Creek. Today, Briones Park is an important watershed and . link Copy Link. Hiked 2/11. Tamalpais to the west, and Las Trampas Regional Wilderness to the south. Water, snacks Mostly fire trail. Bring plenty of agua. Updated April 30, 2023. Area, exit Highway 24 at the Orinda/Camino Pablo exit . While Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and Martinez are close to the park, there are peaks within it from which you can . Excellent hike, great views. At the end, turn right on Russell Peak Tr. Go to the left when the trail splits for the first time it will be easier. . Menu. Several trees down on the last down, major carveout ravines on the ridge before the loop. 10: 8am-7pm, Apr. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. West Briones Regional Park . nice and green. Trail Directions: From the Bear Creek Staging Area, park in the far lot. Singletracks Merch | Fees, etc. Regional Park CHALLENGING HIKE: Location; Lafayette. For a two-mile loop take a left and then another left at the three-way junction to head back to the staging area. Start at the Bear Creek Staging Area and follow Old Briones Road Trail to the Valley Trail, getting . From there, jump on Bear Creek Trail and follow it along the water's edge heading west. 3541 Deer Hill Road, Lafayette, CA 94549 Download your own trail map using the link below. Month. Some nice cows and great trees. The last mile or so was still a little muddy but passable. Copyright 2023 Sexton Group Real Estate | Property Management | Broker DRE #01315959, Sexton Group Real Estate Property Management | 1647 Hopkins St., Berkeley, CA 94707 |. This amazing kid-friendly park is just one of the many must-see parks you dont want to miss in Orinda, California: All of these wonderful sites are located just a short distance from our location at 3369 Mount Diablo Blvd in Lafayette! The park is prettiest in mid-April -- when the grassy hills turn a shimmering green, with the wildflowers providing dollops of orange, yellow and purple -- but it's also worth a visit in autumn, when the hills are still golden but the summer heat is fading. For spectacular views and a solid workout, take the eight-mile Briones Crest Trail. There are gorgeous wildflower displays in season. Support Us | You may see black-tailed deer, coyotes, squirrels, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and if you are lucky, other more reclusive creatures. Its maily fireroads but there is some slightly technical singletrack that you can take. The park is especially pretty in the spring when the hillsides are full of wildflowers, but it is . Share this checklist with other participants' eBird accounts. Make sure you protect yourself from the sun. and ascend another hill to the top where all hikers will turn left on an unsigned single track up a small hill to a picnic table to take their rest break and enjoy the views. So pretty in spring. Good opportunities for wild life sightings (rattlesnakes, lizards, birds) and cows. Continue for 1.6 miles before turning left onto Brookwood Drive and proceeding less than a mile to the staging area. Be careful of holes and obstructions. View maps, videos, photos, and reviews of Briones Regional Park bike trail in Walnut Creek. The Briones began cattle ranching in the . Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species. Briones' 6,255 acres are home to many animals and birds, which forage on the grasslands or find shelter among the oaks and bays. Didnt deviate. Parking: $3 per vehicle (when kiosk is attended); $3 per trailered vehicle. DOGS welcome. While this route isn't terribly strenuous, there's a fair amount of climbing in the first half, so you might want to shave off a few miles on the downhill half. Muddy in spots. Briones Regional Park | Mga Parke sa East Bay A wide variety of trees, shrubs and flowers make this an ideal nature-study hike. From the picnic area, the Bear Creek trail descends down to the creek. Lots of slipping and sliding today. Start from the Bear Creek Staging Area and either hike or bike ride the 2.5 mile Abrigo Valley Trail. Change time period. A lot drier than I thought after 25 days of rain. Briones Regional Park is a 6,117-acre (24.75 km2) regional park situated in the Briones Hills of central Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) system. Briones Regional Park is a singletrack mountain bike trail in Walnut Creek, California. Event starts on Sunday, 23 April 2023 and happening at Briones Regional Park, Lafayette, CA. Take the clockwise route, start with a steep climb then enjoy the view along the ridge. Family Friendly While most kids won't be up for the full 9.5 mile loop, you can park at the Bear Creek Staging Area to shorten the loop to a kid-friendly distance. Trail was good, dry not muddy. You'll be about 4 miles away at the Bear Creek Staging Area (which has bathrooms). Great view, lots of greens. great after coffee. The park also has two larger, designated community picnic areas in the Bear Creek Staging Area: Oak Grove, which can accommodate up to 50 people, and Newt Hollow, which has . BRIONES REGIONAL PARK. The park also has two larger, reservable group picnic areas at the Bear Creek Staging Area: Oak Grove, which can accommodate 50 people, and Newt Hollow, which holds 150. Briones Regional Park is a 6,117-acre (24.75 km2) regional park situated in the Briones Hills of central Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) system. No flowers blooming yet. A decent workout. Layers -- temperatures can vary widely Required fields are marked *. This was a lovely hike with lots of ascending and descending hills. Homestead Valley group camping and picnic area. Trail use permit required. Look out for rattlesnakes in spring/summer - one was stretched across the trail! Absolutely wonderful spot for getting in contact with nature and be completely in peace. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 h 6 min to complete. Maps at trail head. Good trails as no recent rains. The Reliez Valley Road staging area is a small parking lot off of that road that's located right about where the cities of Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and Pleasant Hill meet on the east side of Briones . This part of the 3.5-mile lollipop trail is well made and well graded. This hike is from Bear Creek Staging Area for EBRPD, not the Bear Creek for EBMUD!! We did the reaul clockwise which gave us early morning sun with no coverage, and had some shade in the later afternoon! Flora & Fauna This trail has lots of poison oak along and partially covering the trail. Went clockwise, and the last mile had several large areas with mud. My dog Kirr Mahal and I enjoyed this trail! Orinda, California 94563, United States. Took a wrong turn and added about a mile but was well worth it!! Only a few muddy spots. Beautiful green, beautiful sunset, beautiful moonrise, only saw 1 person. But beautiful nonetheless. Location Briones Regional Park--Bear Creek Staging Area. I had to give up halfway through the hike and go back to the car. Briones is accessible from Highway 24, and has five different staging areas spanning from Lafayette to Martinez. Lafayette BART You are looking : bear creek staging area, Your email address will not be published. Jake, thanks for sharing your experience on this trail! The singletrack section is steep and rocky - oh and fun. . But once year, the newts make an epic migration (at least for them) to nearby ponds for mating season. Rain damaged the trail a bit with ruts on the hills, but nothing too bad. After about a third of a mile, turn right at the Briones Crest Trail, one of the nicest in the park. Shade. Directions: From Lafayette take Happy Valley Road up over the hill to Bear Creek Road. It spends most of its time living in burrows and holes. There's a Goldilocks "just right" quality about hiking at Briones . The area which today includes Briones Park and Russell Reservation was part of the 1842 Mexican land grant of Rancho Boca de la Canada del Pinole to the widow of Felipe Briones. When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". This hike takes you to Briones Regional Park's most popular destination, an open, rolling hilltop meadow on top of Briones Crest. Please call the park if you have trail or grazing animal concerns or comments:1-888-327-2757, option 3, ext. For map users, the intersection of Bear Creek Rd and Happy Valley Rd is close to the staging area. Lazuli Buntings are usually present, often the first viewings of the year for most of us. Another sloppy mess, not much improvement despite the warmer weather. Contra Costa County . Mud sticks around for a very long time as much of the flat portion is well shaded. Cell Phone: (925) 325-0805. Winter is bound to be muddy, but the views are amazing after rains wash smog from the skies. Long hikers continue on Russell Peak, left on Mariposa looping around right on a paved road and right to stay on Mariposa. Elevation Gain: 371 feet A couple steep hills , but pleasant on the return. 2537 Reliez Valley Rd, Martinez, CA 94553. This loop is a great tour of the beautiful hillsides of Briones Regional Park. These leash-required areas are indicated by signage within the park. Please refer to the information below. Note: 8:30 am Start Time!! I would think in a couple days it will be a lot drier. Not crowded. East Bay park offers ample solitude, abundant sunshine. There is a course very much like a 9 hole golf course. To reach the Bear Creek Staging . The Briones Pilot Project is a two-year pilot program to test strategies in addressing trail congestion, trail safety, and illegal bootleg trails, which have negative impacts on wildlife, including sensitive and endangered species. Briones in Bloom Hosted By Greenbelt Alliance. Glad I did it clockwise to get the steep ascent over with. Avid Hikers Sharing Their Favorite Trails, Kovar to Indian Creek Trail (ShellRidge). Welcome to East Bay Hikers. Reservations must be made at least 5 days in advance. But overall a very beautiful area. Bear Creek Trail was very different than the map as recorded on my gps, and the seasonal creek crossing is easily passable right now but a little more of an event than a simple staircase. 9 topics about : hammer triangle station ? All hikers continue straight down Russell Peak which becomes Briones Crest, left on Seaborg, take your first left on the lovely shaded Bear Creek Trail (look for Homestead Valley camping area) back to the parking area. The park also has two larger, reservable group picnic areas at the Bear Creek Staging Area: Oak Grove, which can accommodate 50 people, and Newt Hollow, which holds . Bears used to inhabit this area, especially the foothills of Mt. Trail still has some really muddy spots. I've linked up several trails in Briones and found the riding there to be challenging and steep. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Briones Regional Park provides a range of first-come, first-served picnic sites with tables and barbecues in the Bear Creek Staging Area and the Alhambra Creek Staging Area. View with Google Maps. For map users, the intersection of Bear Creek Rd and Happy Valley Rd is close to the staging area. Both routes are about the same length and difficulty, but the Bear Creek route is . #2 hike out of 33 in Briones Regional Park | MODERATE. Sa magulong, madamong burol at liblib, malilim na canyon, ang Briones ay isang lihim na kagubatan na napapalibutan ng mga bayan ng gitnang Contra Costa County. Old Briones Road - Black Oak Trail - Mott Peak Trail. Briones Regional Park Loop from Bear Creek Trail Head, http://www.ebparks.org/files/EBRPD_files/brochure/briones_map.pdf, http://www.ebparks.org/files/EBRPD_files/brochure/briones_mobile_map.pdf, http://www.tommangan.net/twoheeldrive/index.php/2009/04/12/briones-regional-park-from-bear-creek-tra, http://www.bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/bcbriones.html, http://www.kqed.org/quest/exploration/briones-regional-park-exploration.
States With Mandatory Tmj Coverage 2020,
Bordeaux Monaco Direct,
Articles B