July 12, 2013
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 15
Steep and shady Buckeye Ravine is worth the climb restrooms and drinking water, and heads you due south into the heart of this 1,060-acre park. As I passed through the first cattle gate and picked up elevation, I could not help but notice the Castle Rocks of Mt. Diablo, which look more prehistoric than anything else. The trail hugs the hillside and dives into a thicket of overgrowth that provided shade for almost the entire route up to the Buckeye Ravine junction. I didn’t see another person on the trail and had the place to myself. Buckeye Ravine Trail, or at least the first section of it, is a half-mile of pure leg-burningup hill. And what do you get for all your pain? Shade – provided free of charge on this
Where: Diablo Foothills Regional Park – Buckeye Ravine Trail Distance: 3.12 miles Hike Time: Little over one hour During the heat of summer it takes a precise amount of research to find a trail packed
Kops for Kids, Clayton Police Chief Chris Thorsen said all youth can benefit regardless of their life circumstances. “The interaction between youth and law enforcement officials gives them the opportunity to see us as real human beings who can be there in their time,” Thorsen said. “Sometimes these messages of hope and encouragement can be just what is nec-
essary to improve a young person’s outlook and desire to excel,” Thorsen said. Registration for the golf classic begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 16, and the awards reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $160 per golfer or $625 for a foursome. For more information on the 2013 Contra Costa Kops for Kids Golf Classic, visit www.contracostakopsforkids.org or call 925-827-1998.
easy during this dry season. Shell Ridge Loop Trail made my final climb a memorable one as I reached a vantage point that gave me views of the entire area. There is even a perfectly placed bench for that extra five minutes because you’ve got no place to be. A final descent back to the Trail Staging Area was the most treacherous of the hike with loose rock and dirt, not to mention a fairly steep grade. (Easier alternative routes are available – consult the trail map). I completed this hike in little over an hour after work. Looking to hike longer? Consider Little Yosemite or Borges Ranch trails, as these will lengthen your trip and still allow
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with adventure, but immune to exposure and sun. Buckeye Ravine and the surrounding trails for meet the “adventure and shade” criteria, and are easily accessible from the Trail Staging Area located at the end of Castle Rock Road in Walnut Creek. Stage Road quickly passes you through Castle Rock Recreation Area, complete with
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trail (and when it’s 104, that matters). Every time I return to Buckeye I am quickly reminded what a good pair of hiking boots will do for you. Poison oak is plentiful all along this trail and is easily spotted, as it is a striking red. As you continue up Shell Ridge, you eventually meet up with Mokelumne Coast-to-Crest Trail for a welcomed downhill section that gave my legs a much-needed rest. Section Two of the Buckeye Ravine Trail drops you back toward Pine Canyon and the lush shade below. Most of the trails were a combination of sandstone, sand or hard-packed dirt, all of which made navigation fairly
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