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April 10, 2009
Taking it easy on the Bay Area Ridge Trail: Inspiration point to Skyline Gate
Trailhead: Inspiration Point
Trailend: Skyline Gate
Lazy Hiker Grade: B
Less cows, nice single-track trails - I likee, I likee! The Skyline National Scenic Trail improves considerably as we leave the Nimitz Way segment and move onwards into less heavily traveled and heavily grazed territory.
Follow the Sea View Trail up and up about 800 feet in elevation gain from Inspiration Point. One of the things I love about the Bay Area Ridge Trail is that even though I go hiking all the time, it forces me to get myself out of my rut and try new places. I've hiked the Seaview loop well over a hundred times - it's one of the classic dog walking loops close to Berkely, but I've never gone the extra couple of miles to the steam trains, what a great treat! The trail around Vollmer Peak is a little tricky to find, Take the Lupine trail, a small single track off to the right just hand side just after the junction with the Big Springs fire road, and then take a left on the Vollmer Peak trail - but it's a lovely little section with nice views and great wildflowers.
Moving on from the Steam Trains parking area, the trail winds down towards Claremont/Fish Ranch Road with nice views east to Mt Diablo ...
And on into the beginning of Oakland's Redwood Park ...
Since this was a wet day, I'll focus on wet pictures ...
A fungal bloom on a rotting tree stump ...
and early bloomer Hound's Toungue. STay tuned for the next segment through Redwood and Chabot parks.
Posted by Hall in The Lazy Hiker
