Santa Cruz offers some of the best redwood hikes in bay area and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park will not disappoint on that count. The main entrance (fee) can be accessed from Big Tree Parks Rd (off Hwy 9). I had parked at the southern boundary of the park, just north of Sims Rd & Graham Hill Rd. While there are several miles of trails in this state park, dogs are allowed only in the southern section and specifically in Pipeline Rd, Powder Mill Fire Rd and Graham Hill Trail. Do read the brochure and print the map from the last page if you want to park at the south side and do the hike described in this blog.
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| Pipeline Rd. |
Apollo and I started our hike in Pipeline Rd, a paved, blacktop road that goes from the south boundary to the visitors center by the main entrance up north. Right off the bat, the road enters a thick redwood forest and for the 3/4 mile or so, the trail makes its way through tall and majestic redwood trees.
Coming off the thick redwood forest, the trail comes to an open spot at Powder Mill Rd & Powder Mill trail junction. We continued up by Pipeline Rd. The predominantly redwood forest opens up to oak trees and others for the next mile or so before coming up on the overlook point with a bench.
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| Overlook point |
It was a sight for sore eyes to see lush green forests on the Santa Cruz mountains from the overlook point. As the trail goes up north, it passes by several other trail junctions with very specific restrictions on usage by equestrians and bikers.
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| San Lorenzo River |
During the first two miles, Pipeline Rd climbs gradually gaining about 300 feet. And after the overlook point, the trail descends briskly as it gets right by San Lorenzo river. We went as far as the rail road bridge over the river, probably 1/2 a mile short of the main entrance and started our return.
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| Powder Mill Rd. |
On our way back, we turned left on Powder Mill (Fire) Rd that allows dogs, not to be confused with Powder Mill Trail that does not. Powder Mill Rd is a dirt trail that goes in a north easterly direction to the camp grounds. The dirt trail and the fauna provides a nice variation from the first section of our hike.
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| Graham Hill trail |
The entrance to the campgrounds is from Graham Hill Rd. My goal was to complete the hike by taking the Graham Hill trail to where I had parked the car. The entrance to the Graham Hill trail is right by the entrance to the campgrounds on Graham Hill Rd. We had to walk about 1/4 mile following the direction to Exit to come to the Graham Hill trail head.
This is a single track dirt trail that runs nearly parallel to Graham Hill Rd. The road noise is unmistakable, but I am sure Apollo didn't mind it one bit - the dirt trail was filled with sand most of the way which I am sure was perfectly acceptable to Mr. Paws!
Graham Hill trail also goes nicely shaded, going through thick woods with occasional redwoods dotting the sides. The nearly mile and a half trail ends right at the parking area on the southern boundary.
Our 7.4 mile hike today was involved gaining about 800 feet elevation. And was through dense forests with complete shade cover! A perfect hiking location for a warm day. It would be nice if couple of more trails are opened to dogs, but I am glad the state park welcomes dogs in the first place.
More pictures from our hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #HenryCowellRedwoodsStatePark #RedwoodHikes #HenryCowellStatePark
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve is located off Laughlin Rd, Livermore. The Laughlin staging area can be reached by taking Vasco Rd exit from Hwy 580 and following directions to the preserve. The equestrian friendly park has plenty of parking is available in the lot.
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| Brushy Peak Loop trail |
We had an early start to our hike today. A crisp fall morning and valley fog that hadn't yet burned off set the stage for the hike. I decided to do the Brushy Peak loop in a counter clockwise direction. We started our hike from Brushy Peak Loop trail the entry to which is right by the park residence.
The highlight of the first 1/2 hour of the hike today was the fog that was gently burning off as the sun started climbing the eastern horizon. Brushy Peak Loop is a fire road dirt trail that climbs up hill gradually. The seasonal pond close to the parking lot was absolutely dry today.
As we continued forward, I could see the windmills located beyond the park boundary. Three distinct phenomenon - fog, a near full moon had not yet set and rising sun combined to create a truly spectacular experience.
As the climb gets steeper, Brushy Peak Loop trail starts going through a different terrain. Plenty of rocks and boulders line up by the trail as it becomes narrow and weaves its way through them. The peak is off limits to hikers, but it is hard to miss the peak studded with several small trees and brushes amidst rocks - probably why the preserve was named so!
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| Brushy Peak |
From this point, the trail starts descending gradually going in a southerly direction and offering panoramic views of the valley. Brushy Peak Loop connects to the West Side Loop trail from where going in either direction will lead you to the trail head.
I decided to go left, a segment that goes by another seasonal pond which had some water and showed signs of life. And in about a mile, we were back at the Laughlin parking lot.
The 5 mile loop over 800 feet elevation that we did today is fully exposed. It's easy to add another 2 miles by including the Laughlin Ranch Loop to the hike if you so desire. And I have made a mental note to repeat this hike in spring when the hills should present a greener face.
More pictures from our hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #BrushyPeakRegionalPreserve #EBRPD
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| Diamond View trail |
The trail system in Five Canyons Open Space can be accessed from Five Canyons Park (located at Five Canyons Pkwy) or several other spots along the trail system including Five Canyons Pkwy, Boulder Canyon Rd in Castro Valley. A good portion of the trails is in the neighborhood of a residential area. I had parked in the Five Canyons Park where plenty of parking is available.
Apollo and I started our hike from Diamond View trail. The trail descends by the hills as it runs parallel to a storm drain system. Turning left at the first major junction, we followed the trail down to the valley floor. At the next junction with Sandstone trail, stay right. I had taken the trail to the left which happens to dead end at Blackstone Ct.
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| Deer Canyon trail |
Retracing our steps, we went forward in Sandstone trail, which in a short while led us to the junction with Deer Canyon trail. As with Diamond View and Sandstone, Deer Canyon trail is also a dirt trail with residential neighborhood on one side and thick woods on the other.
Deer Canyon trail crosses Recreation Center Rd before coming upon Shady Canyon trail junction. We turned left and headed north. Turning right would result in a shorter loop. Shady Canyon trail also crosses couple of roads, Canyon Terrace Dr. and Boulder Canyon Dr. as it continues north.
The trail goes through another neighborhood park, Ridge Trail park before reaching Five Canyons Pkwy. Turning right and crossing the parkway, we joined the Chabot-Garin Regional Trail that is part of the Bay Ridge Trail system. Over the next mile, the trail climbs steeply and gains about 600+ ft. while passing two water towers along the way.
While the climb was intense, the reward at the end of it is great views of the valley, homes in Hayward, Castro Valley, Oakland and other east bay cities. The trail also levels off atop the ridge and starts descending from here. This section of the trail is open with sweeping 360 degree views.
We turned into Shady Canyon trail while Chabot-Garin trail continues towards Garin Regional Park. Passing through couple of gates, Shady Canyon trail gives up all the elevation by the time it reaches the valley floor at the other end of Deer Canyon trail junction.
Deer Canyon trail climbs up from the valley over the next 1/2 mile or so as it crosses Five Canyons Pkwy. To wrap up our hike, we turned left and walked to the park where I had parked the car making this a 5.75 mile hike with some 1000 ft. climbing.
More pictures from our hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #FiveCanyonsOpenSpace #EBRPD
Quarry Park in El Granada is a small 40 acre neighborhood park. Surrounded by a 482 acre open space simply referred to as Wicklow, this park offers an outstanding hike in a scenic location. The small parking lot can be reached by taking Coronado St exit from Hwy 1 in El Granada and following the directions to the park (located at Santa Maria Ave & Columbus St).
Wicklow was donated by a private donor to Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) in 2003 which in turn donated the land to San Mateo County in 2014. Once the trail systems in the expanded Quarry Park and Rancho Corral De Tierra are fully developed, this area will provide miles of hiking trails in the Santa Cruz mountains by the beautiful Pacific coast.
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| Vista Point trail |
The trail system in Quarry park itself is somewhat limited with the Vista Point trail providing the primary attraction. Apollo and I started our hike in that trail. The trail goes through a dense eucalyptus forest. At the first fork, we headed towards the quarry floor, subsequently following the trail until it hits Dolphine Fire Rd.
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| Dolphine Fire Rd |
Other than a small section in the Quarry park, trails identified in the map are not marked. I would recommend printing the map before heading to this place with your GPS and a spirit of adventure. Dolphine Fire Rd. is also a dirt trail, somewhat wide and surrounded by eucalyptus trees. The trail is also filled with foliage from the trees.
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| South Ridge trail |
We turned left onto Dolphine Fire Rd and did the 2 mile out & back by this road which goes all the way to a gate at El Granada Blvd. From the trail head, by the time we reached the gate at El Granada Blvd, we had climbed some 700 ft. We gave up some of the elevation on our way back. Instead of going back to the entrance, we continued straight on Dolphine Fire Rd until the South Ridge trail junction.
We turned left on South Ridge trail and headed up hill once again. About 1/2 a mile of climbing will reward you with fantastic views of the mountain range. South Ridge trail is dotted by eucalyptus as well as pine trees providing a nice change of scenery. This trail also ends without further access ahead, so we retraced our steps, making this stretch a one mile out & back hike.
At the four way junction between South Ridge trail, Dolphine Fire Rd and Vista Point trail, we turned right on to Vista Point trail. A short walk will take you out of Wicklow and back into Quarry park. We made our way to the to the harbor view point, a vista point that should absolutely not be missed.
You will be rewarded with panoramic views of the Pillar Point Harbor, HMB airport and more from this spot. We had hiked this area when we were out on Pillar Point Bluff back in August. After a short break, Apollo and I headed back to the main entrance following the Vista Point trail.
If a walk by eucalyptus forest is what the doctor ordered, then Quarry park and Wicklow is the place to go to. Our 5+ mile hike today involved a climb of almost 1000 ft. through dense eucalyptus forests and couple of panoramic vista points.
More pictures from our hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #QuarryPark #Wicklow #WicklowOpenSpace #POST #EucalyptusForestHike
With more than 20 miles of hiking trails that goes around the Chabot lake and long history, Lake Chabot Regional Park is an excellent destination spot for hiking with your dog. A $2 dog fee is required to use the park, paid parking is available inside the main entrance (17600 Lake Chabot Rd, Castro Valley), you may also find free road side parking by the entrance. This east bay park also connects seamlessly with Anthony Chabot regional park that is much larger.
The ranger advised me to keep Apollo off the lake which, unfortunately, has a high toxic level of green-blue algae right now. I decided not to get close to the waters at all even though several beaches were accessible along our 9+ mile walk around the lake.
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| West Shore trail |
We started our clockwise look by the West Shore trail. The nearly 2 mile long trail is a paved, blacktop trail that is open to bikers and hikers. This trail takes you to the historic dam that was built in the mid-1800s. Other than few occasional gentle grades, this is essentially a flat, easy and busy trail that offers great views of the lake and Live Oak island on the right.
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| Bass Cove trail |
Crossing the dam, we continued by Bass Cove trail. This starts off as a wide service road and stays that way for more than a mile. The last 1/2 mile after the Goldenrod trail junction is a narrower dirt track right by the lake and Bass Cove.
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| Columbine trail |
The next 2+ miles is by Columbine trail. A single track dirt trail, this segment involves climbing gradually about 400 ft. through heavily wooded forest that only offers an occasional glimpse of the lake. Columbine trail provides a nice change of scene and lots of shade through the forest before it connects to Honker Bay trail.
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| Honker Bay trail |
We turned right on Honker Bay trail, a wide fire road dirt trail. More open, this trail takes you to the lake level pretty rapidly as you give up all the gains from Columbine trail. Much as Apollo would have liked to have a go at the water, I had to keep him off due to the toxic algae warning.
A short 1/4 mile segment in Cameron Loop trail connected us to the East Shore trail. But not before a walk by a narrow and interesting hanging bridge.
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| East Shore trail |
The home stretch by East Shore trail is more than 1.5 miles long and offers a similar experience as the W Shore trail in the beginning. This is also a paved black top trail that hikers share with bikers.
At 9.7 miles, this is one of the longest walk I've done with Apollo. The loop that we did, West Shore trail -> Bass Cove trail -> Columbine trail -> Honker Bay trail -> Cameron Loop trail -> East Shore trail, has mile markers along the way.
If you want to do a shorter walk, I'd recommend an out & back by either East or West Shore trail to the extent you are comfortable with. The West takes you to a historic dam, the East to the interesting hanging bridge.
More pictures from our hike.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #LakeChabot #LakeChabotRegionalPark #EBRPD
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| A twisted redwood tree |
DeLaveaga park in Santa Cruz offers miles of trails amidst redwood groves, oak woodlands as well as picnic areas and other outdoor amenities for visitors. The main entrance to the park is at 850 Branciforte Dr, Santa Cruz with plenty of parking available. It wouldn't be a bad idea to print a map of the trails before your first visit to the park.
The main parking area is by a large open grass field with several picnic spots surrounding it. A short walk from here led Apollo and me to the trail heads. There are several short trails in the park and the map has a good description of each of them. We started out in the direction marked La Corona, but quickly joined the Sand Pit trail (aka Enchanted trail in the map) heading south.
Doubling as an unpaved service road, Sand Pit trail is a multi-use trail popular with bikers and dog walkers. The trail weaves through tall and majestic redwoods as it makes it way to the southwest corner of the park.
At the end of the trail is a sand pit where dogs are allowed to be off leash. As always, Apollo was quick to befriend a dog and play chase before spending some quiet time inspecting the sand pit.
From here, we headed back up north, taking the upper arm of the Redwood Lower Loop trail. This is a single track trail that weaves through predominantly redwood trees. This trail joins the Sand Pit trail making it a nice loop in the south side of the park.
We continued up north by La Corona trail. This trail is a double track dirt trail, sometimes going through interesting rock formations. After the junction with Branciforte Creek trail, the climb by La Corona trail is slightly more steep. A ravine by the trail had couple of cars lying in the depths! I wonder how the vehicles got there in the first place!
La Corona trail heads up to "Top of the world" - a vista point, part of the Disc Golf club. There were few folks flexing their arms throwing frisbee by hole 27. It may be called top of the world, but it is only a modest 450 ft. tall hill.
Heading back, we took the Branciforte Creek trail. This trail quickly climbs down to the creek level. This is an especially nice and scenic location by the creek, with gorgeous redwood groves and trees with very interesting growth patterns.
The trail pretty much parallels Branciforte creek the entire distance before coming up on the athletic playgrounds making this the second loop in our hike today.
Our 5.2 mile hike over about 700-800 feet climb today ended up being very leisurely due to the achilles injury I was nursing. While the official off-leash section was only near the sand pit area, I observed several people were walking their dogs off-leash in most trails.
More pictures from our hike today.
#Hiking #HikingWithDogs #DeLaveagaPark #DeLaveaga #RedwoodHikes
