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Huckleberry, Botanic Regional Preserve
A 1.7 mile, self-guided nature path |
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The entry to the park is just to the left when traveling north and just
to the right when traveling south. Keep an eye peeled as the road rounds a
large curve. Here we looked to the right from the entry gate with yeilded a view of
the road looking back down it to the south.
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Because the preserve lay at the apex of a sweeping curve in the road,
visibility was good for pulling back out onto Skyline Boulevard.
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Entry to the preserve was free. A large gravel parking lot
provided room for a dozen or so cars. It did not appear possible to
access the preserve via public transportation. Later research showed
that one could access the preserve using the AC Transit #305 bus,
that only ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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The only restroom was a single wooden outhouse at the corner of the parking lot.
On this day it had shown signs of recent cleaning.
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Entry was at the back of the parking lot. The gate was posted with
signs prohibiting bicycles and dogs. Another sign warned of the
risk of "Car Break-Ins" and provided hints for preventing loss.
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A single picnic table was available for day use. It was in good
repair and included a metal container to accept hot coals
from a barbecue.
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The stand provided two key brochures. A map and history entitled
"Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve" and a guide to the
nature walk called, "Huckleberry Self-Guided Nature Path."
The latter included a full description of the botanical item
indicated by numbered signs found alongside the path during the walk.
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The self-guided walk began at the top of a valley located
in the classically dry east bay hills above Oakland.
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The self-guided trail soon descended into the tangles of a valley forest.
The trail was wide and clear and ran below these trees.
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Mature older trees lined the path. Many with powerfully wild trunks that
spread as if arms open to envelope us.
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The trail soon narrowed and became uneven. This self-guided trail turned out not
to be suitable for the disabled. It later included narrow s-curves and
and stairs.
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Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) bordered parts of the trail,
lending it a somewhat tropical feeling.
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Downhill from the trail grew a dense forest that threw stripes of shade
across the path.
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The numbers on posts along side the trail indicated numbered items inside the
"Huckleberry Self-Guided Nature Path" pamphlet. This number, for example,
described the, "California Hazelnut," a tree which grew just behind the sign.
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The California Hazelnut
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The trail continued and became shadow splattered from the surrounding
forest. Notice the mature California Hazelnut just to the left of the trail.
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A fascinating assortment of twisted limbs and burls were found
here and there along the trail. Here, one root ran underneath another.
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The trail wrapped around an eroded cliff face with details that could suggest
animal forms to the imaginative.
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Here was where Huckleberry Self-Guided Path joined briefly with Skyline Trail.
Because horses were permitted on Skyline Trail, equestrians were possible on the
next section of path, but none were seen that day.
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The self-guided path continued past a run of fanned out tree trunks. Although
a bit disorienting in this shot, the path appeared perfectly normal in person.
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Western Sword Fern
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Following the Western Sword Fern, the trail took on the appearance of
a faerie tale path.
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A miniature forest sprouted from the top of a long horizontal tree trunk.
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Wood Fern
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A jogger passed us heading back up the trail toward the parking lot. But because we were
still on the shared path with Skyline Trail, it was also possible he was jogging on that
longer trail.
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Continuing down, the trail narrowed and began a series of switch-back
steps down a dramatic drop into a valley.
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The
Bay Laurel
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The valley was deeply shaded by huge mature trees.
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At the base of the valley, steps led up and out to continue the self-guided tour.
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And it was not just a few steps that led up and out of the valley.
Each was a retaining board, back filled with dirt to form a step.
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Just as the walker was beginning to tire at the top of the steps,
a side trip was indicated that led to post #6.
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A Manzanita Barren
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Douglas Iris
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Back out of the first side trip, a second side trip appeared for yet another detour.
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Western Leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis)
From the pamphlet,
"Flowers December to March. Deciduous. Just before
leatherwood breaks dormancy, the intricate naked branchlets produce lemon-yellow blooms at tips.
Due to a peculiar S-shaped arrangement of its
wood fibers, leatherwood has very flexible, pliable branches,
hence its common name. Extremely rare."
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Jimbrush (Ceanothus sorediatus)
From the pamphlet,
"The thorny, rigid, twiggy growth produces soft blue blossoms in spring.
Like most Caenothus, an ardent pioneer of disturbed or burned-over soils. The Indians
made shampoo from the flowers of this species."
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Canyon Live Oak (Quercus chrysoepis)
From the pamphlet,
"This oak can be identified by the sometimes grayish
but usually golden fuzz on the leaf undersides.
Stout acorns rest in the thickened, fuzzy, golden cups.
Also has a basal burl."
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Coast Huckleberry
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Alongside the main trail could be found the occasional manzanita. Here
was one manzanita with a burl at the base of its trunk.
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In one clearing, the randomly twisted arms of manzanita suggested a modern dance.
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Chinquapin (Castanopsis chrysophylla var. minor)
From the pamphlet,
"The keeled (boat shaped), dark green leaves with a golden fuzz on the undersides, and the spiny, yellow, bur-like fruit encasing several hard nutlets, make the chinquapin hard to be mistaken. Fickers,
jays and perhaps other birds readily extract the nutlets from the thorny burrs in fall and winter. Note the basal burl."
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Brittleleaf Manzanita
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Near the trails end it once again attained a view of the East Bay hills.
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Coast Silktassel
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A bench appeared along the path. The bench afforded a view of the surrounding hills.
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Pink-flowering Currant (Ribes glutinosum)
was the last numbered plant stop on the trail.
In mid-summer, it was no longer flowering.
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