Las Trampas Regional Wilderness Park

Las Trampas Regional Wilderness is a 5.342 acre (21.62 km2) regional park located in the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa in northern California. The nearest town is Danville, California Las Trampas, which is Spanish for traps or snares.The park is part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD).

 

It consists of two long, hilly ridges (Las Trampas Ridge on the east and Rocky Ridge on the west) flanking a narrow valley along Bollinger Creek, which contains a horse stable and a visitor car park. Some of the hiking trails include steep sections; they can cover up to 900 feet (270 m) of altitude change. The park has been described as "a tough guy in the East Bay Regional Park District."

 

Vegetation of black sage, shrubland and buck grass, with fewer toyons, hybrid manzanitas, elderberry, gooseberry, chaparral currant, clove-like monkey-flower, coffee mash, coyote bush, poison oak, red berry, hawk, hundreds of other types of plants, mainly on the southern and western slopes of these ridges. Any of the exposed rocks are filled with fossil deposits.

 

Rocky Ridge reaches 2,024 feet (617 m ) above sea level. The trail leads through EBMUD at an elevation of 1,760 feet (540 m). This trail takes us either on Canyon Road in Moraga, to the Valle Vista Staging Area, or south to Castro Valley, the Chabot Staging Area.

 

Trails lead to Las Trampas Ridge east of Bollinger Creek, with a view to the Ygnacio valleys, San Ramoón and Amador, along with Mt. Diablo and the Carquinez Straits. The trails connect to the Bollinger and Chamise Creek Loop trails.

 

Two picnic areas are situated near the parking lot, called Steelhead and Shady. The first-come, first-service services are available and can not be reserved. The nearby Little Hills Picnic Ranch has reserved picnic sites for groups of 50 to 300.

The wild animals of the park are abundant with raccoons, foxes, opossums, squirrels and bobcats. You can count the deer late in the day in the hills adjacent to the parking lot with binoculars. Las Trampas has been spoken in Spanish for the traps or the snares, which were once placed on the chaparral of the hills to catch elk, according to ErWin G. Gudde's California Place Names. Historic records also indicate that during the last century, mountain lions and antelopes were abundant. In recent years, big cats' sightings have been recorded. Several species of hawks occur and sometimes golden eagles are observed.

 

To reach the park, Take Crow Canyon Road to Bollinger Canyon Road from I-580 in Castro Valley. Take Bollinger Canyon Road to the left (north) and follow it to the park (park). Take Crow Canyon Road west of I-680 San Ramon, turn right (north) and follow it to Bollinger Canyon Road.