DOGS welcome. At the first intersection, stay left . Briones Regional Park is one such place: over 6,000 acres teeming with large, small, winged, scaled and furry wildlife. We went clockwise and took a very steep connector trail up a hill that had gorgeous April wildflowers - poppies, lupines, etc. share Share . Weeknights late and very early AM weekdays and weekends will give the window to play in the no bikes allowed spaces. Good, harder than I thought, but I loved the extra work. Terms | Privacy, HWY 24 take the Orindo exit turn left ontu Camino Pablo then Right on Bear Creek Road. Please call the park if you have trail or grazing animal concerns or comments:1-888-327-2757, option 3, ext. The trails reconnect after about a mile, then descend toward the trailhead. Welcome to Briones East Bay Regional Park District 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605-0381 1-888-327-2757 (1-888-EBPARKS) (TRS 711) www.ebparks.org Rev. The pilot project is limited to the Pilot Project Zone located in the northeast corner of Briones Regional Park, which is accessible from the Reliez Valley Staging Area, Alhambra Creek Staging Area, and Briones Road Staging Area. Great views. returning to Russell Peak. Hello Fellow Hikers! Excellent moderate hike in Briones Regional Park. 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. We will meet at the lower parking lot of the Bear Creek Staging Area up to the right after the entrance kiosk. 2950 Peralta Oaks Court,Oakland, CA 946051-888-EBPARKS,1-888-327-2757(Deaf or Hearing Impaired, use the TRS at 711). . I wouldnt say they are easily passable, so youre going to get muddy in the process. You are looking : bear creek staging area, Your email address will not be published. I would think in a couple days it will be a lot drier. The staging area is on the right slightly past the Happy Valley Rd intersection. Since we'll occasionally be hiking on East Bay Mud . Briones Pilot Project Weekend Restrictions Saturday is an date (April 29) - Bikes (& Hikers) are allowed on designated trails in the Pilot Zone - NO Horses in the Pilot Zone Sunday is an date (April 30) - Horses (& Hikers) are allowed on designated trails in the Pilot Zone - NO Bikes in the Pilot Zone ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Briones Regional Park's three group camping areas--Wee-Ta-Chi, Maud Whalen, and Homestead Valley-may be reserved by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or(1-888-327-2757), press option 2 or by writing to EBRPD Reservations, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. The land was originally part of Rancho Boca de la Canada del . This trail had way more ups and downs that I had expected, but was such a beautiful hike. Contra Costa County; California; United States; Additional details. This is a gorgeous hike off the beaten path, but it will challenge your mettle, short or long! left on Briones Road trail, left on Briones Crest top top 1483 feet, drop down to Valley Trail to left on Old Briones Road Trail to Newt Hollow turn around. 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. And the frogs are already loud and it's early February. Stop by for a visit anytime! Briones Regional Park. nice veiws when you get up top and beautiful in springtime* Review edited 3/15/2008. Area, exit Highway 24 at the Orinda/Camino Pablo exit . Event starts on Sunday, 23 April 2023 and happening at Briones Regional Park, Lafayette, CA. Within the park, these leash-required areas are indicated by signage. Hike begins on Old Briones at the top of the upper parking area, right at the fork on Ivan Dickson/Old Briones, left on Crescent Ridge past the Archery Range, left on Briones Crest, straight onto Sunrise, right on Buckeye Ranch. great after coffee. mglira04 2 years ago . 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. The springtime wildflowers can be spectacular here. Lazuli Buntings are usually present, often the first viewings of the year for most of us. Highlights: When most people think of Briones Regional Park they think of rolling hills with a huge network of fire roads to hike or bike on. Briones Regional Park Bear Creek Staging Area RSVPs - 57 YES: 24 NO: 24 MAYBE: 9. 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. Watch for mountain bikers on wide trails. Grab a map at the trailhead to scout out alternatives along the way. Awesome hike for moderate difficulty. It spends most of its time living in burrows and holes. Can be muddy in places near the start/end of the trail (depending on the direction you take). Good condition. Fantastic night hike! Good views of Mt Diablo. 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. Bears used to inhabit this area, especially the foothills of Mt. Old Briones Road - Black Oak Trail - Mott Peak Trail. Grass lands between forested areas. Contra Costa County . Bear Creek Trail winds through a bay forest. Hillside poppies are the attraction at Briones Regional Park. . Drive into the park staying to the right and park in the large gravel lot at the end of the road. It was a wet sloggy mess. Some clear spots but maybe 30%. Best MTB Gear | Cows were cute. The hills were just so vibrant green and orange with flowers. Regional Park CHALLENGING HIKE: Location; Lafayette. Be courteous to the Horseback riders and the hikers and all will be fine. Start at the Bear Creek Staging Area and follow Old Briones Road Trail to the Valley Trail, getting . A bit muddy in patches, but overall really great! 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. Saturday is an ODD date (April 29) - Bikes (& Hikers) are allowed on designated trails in the Pilot Zone- NO Horses in the Pilot ZoneSunday is an EVEN date (April 30) - Horses (& Hikers) are allowedon designated trails in the Pilot Zone- NO Bikes in the Pilot Zone, View Pilot Zone Map| View Project Information| Volunteer for Dig Days, Alhambra and Bear Creek: Jan. 1-31: 8am-5pm, Feb. 1-Mar. This is a nice spot to pause for a few minutes. Muddy in spots. Briones Regional Park is easily accessible by car via Highway 24. But beautiful nonetheless. View maps, videos, photos, and reviews of Briones Regional Park bike trail in Walnut Creek. Lafayette BART Continue for 1.6 miles before turning left onto Brookwood Drive and proceeding less than a mile to the staging area. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. #2 hike out of 33 in Briones Regional Park | MODERATE. Your dog can come too but make sure it's on a leash. 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. Please follow all signage and use caution. Horses are capable of using this trail as well. Park in the staging area pay your money, Briones- Alhambra Creek Single Track-GoPro Helmet. . Stay on the Oursan Trail for the next 7 miles as you cross private and public lands with cattle gates that take you to walk within feet of the magnificent reservoir from high on the hills above. Summer is dry HOT and dusty. Great time of year to saunter these grounds !! Briones is a hidden wilderness surrounded by the towns of central Contra Costa County, with its rolling, grassy hills and secluded, shady canyons. 10: 8am-7pm, Apr. (credit: ebparks.org) Briones Regional Park. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Briones Regional Park offers a number of first-come, first-served picnic sites with tables and barbecue stands at the Bear Creek Staging Area and the Alhambra Creek Staging Area. Overview. Beautiful panoramic views and everything is lovely and green right now. Skip to content; Skip to results Menu. # 120306 in Mountain Biking [+] Local Popularity. Hikers gravitating to Tilden Park to the west and Mount Diablo to the east often overlook Briones, so you'll have plenty of time alone on the the trails. 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. Watch for slick mud after rains. But very muddy and slow going in many spots. This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Park Hours. There's a Goldilocks "just right" quality about hiking at Briones . Wildflowers! >Alhambra Creek Staging Area>Briones Road>Lafayette Ridge>Reliez Valley. The trail winds along the side of the hill, above the creek, heading east. That was true on this trail as well, which caused me to take numerous detours in search of nice Narrow trails. Wildflowers are coming out, and stunning views are around every corner. Beautiful trail with lots of ups and downs. With its rolling, grassy hills and secluded, shady canyons, Briones is a secret wilderness surrounded by the towns of central Contra Costa County. Time: About 2 hours. Public information for Sensitive Species is restricted due to potential harmful impact to these birds. Excellent hike, great views. Rolling hike that lets the mind unspool as you wind along the troughs and peaks. Updated April 30, 2023. Share this checklist with other participants' eBird accounts. Horses are also able to use this trail. There are gorgeous wildflower displays in season. If you do it the other way it'll take you down to Bear Creek Staging area. 4 reviews of Bear Creek Staging Area "Total Distance 6.4 Miles - Moderate with Elevation Gain of 725 Feet This loop meanders beneach dool shade along Bear Creek before climbing to the Briones Crest Trail as it runs northest towards the open meadow and spectacular views of Table Top. There are five main access points around the park, all of which offer to park. Briones in Bloom Hosted By Greenbelt Alliance. This is a major, not-so-secret, hike in secret. Single Track Trails you can ride legally. Beautiful hike overall!! Took a wrong turn and added about a mile but was well worth it!! But overall a very beautiful area. This part of the 3.5-mile lollipop trail is well made and well graded. Land Manager: . Jake, thanks for sharing your experience on this trail! Very few people were on the trails, so I had majority of it all to myself, which was a pleasure so I could hear the birds singing, the rustling of the breeze in the trees, and the crunching of the gravel under my feet. Orinda, California 94563, United States. Alhambra Creek single track is bootlegged and not maintained by the park..is a blast, but be . 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. Trail was good, dry not muddy. This trail goes by Briones Peak, Maricich Lagoon, and Labyrinth. Stay on the Oursan Trail for the next 7 miles as you cross private and public lands with cattle gates that take you to walk within feet of the magnificent reservoir from high on the hills above. This park has several entry points from the surrounding towns. 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! From the parking area of the Overlook Staging Area, hop for a brief spell on the Bear Creek Trail before reaching Oursan Trail. The park is named for Felipe Briones, who built his home in 1829 near what is today the Bear Creek Staging Area, raising cattle and farming. I didn't think I could have a worse time biking until I went back a year later. Basic East Bay rolling hills read some STEEP. . 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. Website:BrionesArchery.org. I went clockwise, last mile is muddy and theres a big fallen tree but you can get around it. Lafayette Ridge Staging Area is closed due to significant landslides. . You'll endure a fair amount of slogging along the way, but the panoramic views in every direction should ease your suffering. Provisional species count in official eBird totals. For map users, the intersection of Bear Creek Rd and Happy Valley Rd is close to the staging area. Some descents will get you into the 40mph + realm. you can also climb from the other side of the park up Old Briones Road. Detailed maps will be available and the route will be marked with flour arrows along the way. 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. Tick one off and the ranger will be waiting for you. Briones Regional Park | Mga Parke sa East Bay Only 1 newt. Wow. Saw no one, beautiful starry night. Time: 1 Hour Although the park is close to Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and Martinez, there are peaks within it from which you can see only park and watershed lands for miles in every direction. Homestead Valley group camping and picnic area. Barely any covering but you dont need it this time of year! Dogs welcome for $2 fee. The long hike turns right on Deer Creek Tr., right on Pereira, left then right following the Ivan Dickson loop trail out and back to the Ivan Dickson Memorial. Trail Directions: From the Bear Creek Staging Area, park in the far lot. Take exit 12, turn left from offramp onto Oak Hill, then right on Deer Hill, second right into parking area. Download your own trail map using the link below. Very green, poppies just starting, newts came out at dusk, dozens of them. Watch for springtime wildflowers, with beautiful valleys and meadows throughout the hike. 16 Bear Creek Road, Lafayette, California 94549, United States. Follow this all the way back to your start point. (LogOut/ All other park entrances are open. Bay Area Ridge Trail; Bear Creek Trail; Black Oak Trail; Black Phoebe Trail; Blue Oak Shortcut; . 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). Reservations must be made at least 5 days in advance. About Us | There were some pretty muddy spots, which were a little challenging but not horrible. From there, jump on Bear Creek Trail and follow it along the water's edge heading west. 10 topics about : hammer toe separators ? 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. 3541 Deer Hill Road, Lafayette, CA 94549 Nice views, good for winter hike. Park District naturalists often lead walks to view the park's natural and historic features. Water, snacks Better wait until drier weather. Please refer to the information below. While Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and Martinez are close to the park, there are peaks within it from which you can . 3 newts. Geography. Cold. West end descent of Crest Trail down to the Bear Creek staging area. Briones Regional Park covers more than 6,000 acres in the rolling East Bay hills between Berkeley and Walnut Creek. The intersection of Briones Crest Trail/ Mott Peak Trail and Briones Crest Trail/ Lagoon Trail is currently damaged but passable with care. There is a course very much like a 9 hole golf course. But you still need to be careful! 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 . Lots of slipping and sliding today. Trail use permit required. Probably a rookie move on my part, but definitely a learning experience. Mud sticks around for a very long time as much of the flat portion is well shaded. Briones Regional Park is a 6,117-acre (24.75 km2) regional park in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) system located in Briones Hills, central Contra Costa County, San Francisco Bay Area, California. facebookFacebook; Extended the loop by taking Seaborg to Homestead Valley then Bear Creek Trail. easily marked trail with some strenuous but brief uphill sections and a final slippery decent. 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. Muddy when close to the end of the route. The staging area is on the right slightly past the Happy Valley Rd intersection. Location: Lafayette and Martinez Acres: 6,255 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours February through October Getting here: Take the Orinda/Camino Pablo exit toward Richmond on Highway 24. Leader: Steve SmithEmail: [emailprotected] Hiked 1/24. beautiful chill day. Briones Regional Park is a singletrack mountain bike trail in Walnut Creek, California. Drive into the park - staying to the right - and park in the large gravel lot at the end of the road. When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". BRIONES REGIONAL PARK. This tiny amphibian thrives in Briones around Bear Creek. Best Bike Trails | Massive climbs so bring your lungs, there's something for everyone here. There are a couple of muddy spots so its better to wear hiking shoes rather than sandals. Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species. Walked aside them at one point of the trail.

City Of Mandeville Mayor, Scared Straight Program Texas, Articles B