Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve provides 5,778 acres of woodland with an improved hiking network allowing tourists with horseback riders to appreciate its isolated and rough areas. The size and terrain of the park allows visitors to feel privacy and to escape from the hustle and bustle of urbanity. Carry plenty of fresh water for you, your dog(s), and your horse(s) while you visit the farm. Water flow to the park is unreliable, so water may not be accessible at any time.
Write to: The Story of Las Trampas, East Bay Regional Park District, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381 If you are interested in learning more about Las Trampas Be sure to include your name and address plus a $2.50 check or money order, which will cover the printing and mailing costs of the booklet.
Two main faults in the Bay Region-the faults of Las Trampas and Bollinger-blame for uplifting and revealing four well-defined geological formations. The Orinda formation contains remnants of ancient beach and shoreline; the El Sobrante formation consists of several compressed layers of fossil-bearing rock and the Pinole Tuff is of volcanic origin.
Adjacent to Las Trampas, this facility is available for group picnics between 50 and 1,400 people, by reservation. The services include a swimming pool, enclosed seating areas, playgrounds, and seating / barbecue areas. Las Trampas Stables offers adults and children horse-riding and riding lessons. This place is maintained and managed by the National Park Service and is accessible to the public by reservation.
On the western and southern exposures of Las Trampas and Rocky ridges, the dominant woodland vegetation is black sage, chamise and buck brush. Toyon, native manzanitas, elderberry, gooseberry, chaparral currant, messy monkeyflower, coffeeberry, coyote brush, poison oak, hollyleaf red berry, deer weed and hundreds of other plants are interspersed with these. A few dogwood lines near Bollinger Stream.
Live oak and bay laurel are the main trees on the peninsula. Other plants include buckeye, broad leaf maple, live canyon oak, black oak, and desert oak. The latter tends to favor the ridgetop area at the end of Chamise Road, with its mistletoe. Half a dozen species of ferns are found in the park, and there are large grassland areas.
The abundant wildlife in the park comprises raccoons, foxes, opossums, bobcats, skunks, and squirrels. You can count the deer in the hills adjacent to the parking lot late in the day with binoculars. Las Trampas is Spanish for "The Traps" or "The Snares." Traps were once set in the chaparral of the hills to catch elk, according to Erwin G. Gudde's California Place Names. Historical documents also suggest that, during the last century, antelope and mountain lions were numerous. In recent years there have been confirmed sightings of the big cats. There are many hawk species, and occasional golden eagles are sighted.
The East Bay Regional Park District reserves several parts of the grassland for raising cattle. Cattle hold the height of the grass down which reduces the chance of fire during the dry season.
Bollinger Creek is bisected through the forest. To the west is the Rugged Range, accessible from the parking lot from a paved path that takes hikers near to the 2.024-foot summit. At an elevation of 1,760 feet, you can walk west along a path maintained by the East Bay Public Utility District to the Valle Vista Staging Area on Canyon Road in Moraga, or south to the Castro Valley staging area of Chabot. A hiking permit is required on EBMUD lands.
There are two seating areas adjacent to the parking lot-Steelhead and Shady. Installations are required on a first come , first served basis. For group picnics of between 50 and 1,000 people the Little Hills Picnic Ranch is available.
Corral Area is a group camp which can be reserved overnight. The campers will provide their own water sources. Water flow to the park is unreliable, so water may not be accessible at any time.
The park is a perfect bird watching place. There are many hawk species, and occasional golden eagles are sighted.
Unless otherwise posted, bicycles may be ridden on designated bicycle trails, and on fire or service roads. Rocky Ridge View Trail does not require bicycles.
This amazing attraction is located near the following must-see sights in Walnut Creek, California:
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Mount Diablo State Park
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Briones Regional Park
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The Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery
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Lindsay Wildlife Experience
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The Gardens at Heather Farm
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Heather Farm Park
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Iron Horse Regional Trail
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Diablo Foothills Regional Park
All of these wonderful attractions are located just a short distance from our location at 1261 Locust Street in Walnut Creek, California!
