Geography:
The park is located in the East Bay region's rolling hills, near Martinez, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, and Pleasant Hill. Adjacent to the Briones Reservoir, run by EBMUD across Bear Creek Avenue, is the western end of Briones Regional Park.
Briones Peak is the highest point in the park at an elevation of 1483 ft (452 m), which provides panoramic views of Mount Diablo and the Diablo Valley to the east, the Sacramento River to the north, and the Berkeley Hills and Tamalpais to the west.
There are also many species and birds in the park, including turkey vultures, black-tailed deer, cougars, coyotes, squirrels, and red-tailed hawks. Ranchers of cattle, sheep, and goats do use parts of the park for grazing purposes and have a one-hundred-year lease that is valid until the 2060s.
Lafayette Ridge:
Within Briones Park, Lafayette Ridge runs parallel to Lafayette Area. The Lafayette Ridge Trail is about 2 miles long (3.2 km). It begins at the Springhill Elementary School parking lot and reaches the peak of Russel Peak at an elevation of 1357 ft (414 m), where it splits into the Russel Peak Trail and Briones Crest Trail. The Lafayette Ridge Trail branches from many other trails, most notably the Springhill and Buckeye Ranch Trails. The ridge trails give terrain for mountain biking, with occasional gains/descents up to an elevation of 200 ft (61 m).
History
The area that now includes Briones Park and the Russell Reservation was part of Rancho Boca de la Canada del Pinole's 1842 Mexican land grant granted to Felipe Briones' wife. The Briones started ranching cattle in the area which continues to this day. In 1870 the rancho was sold to the Briones family.
By 1850, Happy Valley Lane, which passes along the edge of Briones Regional Park, was the main road from south Martinez to San José Pueblo and then up to San Francisco.
In 1909 the predecessor to the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Peoples' Water Company, bought the land for the conservation of the watershed.
In the Briones Hills, known as the Russell Reservation, the University of California has maintained a 283-acre (1.15 km2) parcel of land as a research center since 1966.
In October 1967 the East Bay Regional Park District formed Briones Regional Park.
This amazing attraction is located near the following must-see sights in Concord, California:
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Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord
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Mount Diablo State Park
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Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
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The Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery
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Heather Farm Park
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Pixieland Amusement Park
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Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
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Iron Horse Regional Trail
All of these wonderful attractions are located just a short distance from our location at 1261 Locust Street in Walnut Creek, California!
