and water.
Poison oak is a common trailside plant: Leaflets three, let it be!
Ticks cause a variety of illnesses, but in recent years most attention has been focused on Lyme disease, which is produced by bacteria carried in our area by western black-legged ticks. These tiny insects are almost invisible, and often the victim doesn’t know he or she has been bitten. Sometimes a “bull’s-eye” rash appears, and the victim has flu-like symptoms. The best prevention against tick bites is to wear protective clothing, with pant legs tucked into socks and shirt tucked into pants, and stay on the trail. You can also treat clothing with a spray containing Permethrin, available at outdoor stores. When you return from your trip, shake out and brush all clothing, boots, packs, etc., before bringing them indoors. Shower immediately after hiking and check your body for ticks.
If you find an attached tick, remove it at once with small tweezers by grasping the tick’s head as close to your skin as possible and using a gentle, rotational motion to pull it out. Be careful not to squeeze the tick’s body, as that might cause it to inject bacteria into you. Wash the bite area and apply antiseptic; call your doctor. Latest research indicates that a single dose of doxycycline 200 mg, given within 72 hours of a tick bite, is effective in preventing Lyme disease.
Another animal of concern in the East Bay is the western rattlesnake. Despite their fearsome reputation, rattlesnakes are shy creatures, preferring flight over fight, and they attack only when provoked, either intentionally or accidentally. If you do hear a rattling sound, stand still until you have located the snake, and then back slowly away. Protective clothing and boot material may absorb venom if the snake succeeds in biting. Prevention includes staying on the trail, wearing high-top boots and long pants, and not putting hands or feet anywhere beyond your vision. If you are bitten, seek medical attention as quickly and effortlessly as possible, to avoid spreading the venom.
Mountain lions, though present in the East Bay, are rarely seen. However, sightings have been reported even from parks close to urban areas. These nocturnal hunters feed mostly on deer. If you do encounter a mountain lion, experts advise standing your ground, making loud noises, waving your arms to appear larger, and fighting back if attacked. Above all, never run. Report all mountain lion sightings to park personnel.
Trail Etiquette
The trails of the East Bay are shared by hikers, bicyclists, equestrians, joggers, dog-walkers, parents pushing strollers, and, where paved, in-line skaters. In many parks, cows use them too. Bicyclists can generally ride on all dirt roads that are open for hiking, but are not allowed on single-track trails, with a few exceptions. (Bicycles are not allowed on EBMUD lands.) Most trails open to hiking, including single-track trails, are also open to horses, although some are for hiking only. Hikers who see or hear horseback riders approaching should give them the right of way by stepping off the trail, remaining quiet, and waiting for them to pass. Bicyclists should slow down and call out when approaching people, and dismount when near horses. Whenever possible, if a route described in this guide has a segment closed to bicycles, alternate trails are suggested.
The common injunction to “leave only foot prints, take only photographs” is a good one to follow. Nothing you leave behind improves the environment, and it is easy to pack out your trash (and other people’s too, if you see some on the trail and have room in your pack). Similarly, everything you take, such as plants or wildflowers, detracts from nature’s beauty and other people’s enjoyment of the parks. The practice of cutting switchbacks causes erosion and damage to the trails, and gains you little in terms of time or effort saved.
Leashed dogs are welcome at many East Bay parks. See Appendix 1 for trips that don’t allow dogs.
East Bay parklands are at high risk for fire, especially in the fall when grasses that carpet the hills have dried out and summer’s cooling blanket of fog has retreated off shore. Although lightning-caused wild fires are part of the natural cycle and play an important role in maintaining the health of certain ecosystems, fires caused by human carelessness should be prevented. Each jurisdiction has its own rules about when and where fires are permitted; if you plan to have a barbecue or camp fire, obey the rules and use extreme caution. If you must smoke, do so only when stopped and never while walking. Pack out your butts. Smoking is prohibited in Mt. Diablo State Park and on EBMUD lands.
Each jurisdiction has its own rules about dogs. Where permitted at all, dogs must be leashed when in developed areas such as parking lots and picnic sites, and under voice command at all other times. Dogs frighten and chase wildlife; they may also frighten people who do not want to be approached by an unfamiliar animal. Carry plastic bags to clean up after your dog, and dispose of the waste in a garbage can. For a list of trails on which dogs are prohibited, see Appendix 1.
Cattle graze in many of the East Bay parklands. As you hike in parks where cattle graze, you will pass through many gates designed to keep them in or out of certain areas. Close all gates as instructed by signs; leave others in the position you found them.
Using This Book
The trips in this book are organized in eight chapters, with each chapter covering a specific area of the East Bay. Chapter 1, Bayside, includes trips along the shores of San Francisco and San Pablo bays. From there, the chapters (and trips) proceed roughly west to east and north to south, ending with the Livermore area. Thus the book reflects geography, and parklands that are neighbors will be found on neighboring pages. (Appendix 1 is a selection of highly recommended trips.)
Information about length, time, and difficulty, along with a summary of the trip and its highlights, is presented at the start of each route description. Also here is information about fees, trail use, and the facilities available. Driving directions are given from the closest major roadway or roadways, and include the location of the trailhead in relation to where you park your car. Car-shuttle trips have travel directions to both trailheads. Remember to check park hours, usually posted at the entrance, and make sure you can return before the parking-area gates close.
The following is an explanation of the terms used at the start of each route description.
Length: An estimate of the total mileage of the trip, exactly as described. Mileages for out-and-back trips include both the outbound and return legs.
Time: An estimate of the time it takes an average hiker to complete the trip, including stops along the way.
Rating: A subjective evaluation based on distance, total elevation gain/loss, and terrain. Here is an explanation of the four categories:
Easy. Short trips with little or no elevation gain.
Moderate. Trips of several hours or more, with some ups and downs but no significant elevation changes.
Difficult. Extended trips with significant elevation changes.
Very Difficult. The longest, most rigorous trips in this book.
Regulations: The agency or agencies having jurisdiction over the route as described, along with information about fees and trail use. A listing of agencies, along with the abbreviations used in this book, is in Appendix 3.
Within each route description, the steepness, or grade, of various sections is indicated by the terms gentle, moderate, and steep. For uphill travel, a
