Secret Trails: Buckeye Ranch

Here in the Bay Area we are blessed with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, many of them open to dogs. In the course of my explorations I came across one trail that is ideal for hikers and their pups in many ways. This is the Buckeye Ranch Trail, on the East side of Briones Regional Park in Lafayette. There are many ways to enter this vast park, but the entrance from Springhill Road is one of the best.

On really hot days, most regional hiking trails are far too hot and dusty to hike for long without getting worn out. If you come to the Buckeye Ranch Trail, you will find an oasis of cool forest hiking that will soothe you and your dog. The parking area is fairly small, but it is rare to see more than one or two cars parked there at any time of the day. I usually go there in the middle of the day on weekdays and have had the place all to myself!

Most of the trails in Briones eventually start rising sharply as you enter the main park area. Not so with Buckeye Ranch. You'll walk under shady trees at a gentle rise, then it will elevate slightly when you take the left fork at the second cattle gate. At the top of that rise you'll find yourself in a cathedral of trees, with only the sounds of birds and critters scuttling around in the undergrowth. Go through the next gate and down the wide trail all the way to the end. That's the Sunrise Trail. You'll have to double back to get to the gate at Buckeye Ranch Trail, making the whole hike a little over two miles.

Dogs are allowed off leash in Briones, but be careful of cows! Notices are posted on most cattle gates warning hikers to stay away from grazing cattle, especially young cows. Females are very protective of their young and can charge you or your dog if you get between mothers and their young or come too close.

I have seen a lot of bird life in this area of the park, and I once saw a king snake as well. Rattlesnakes are native to the area but extremely rare this far from Mount Diablo. To get to this entrance, take Highway 24 to the Pleasant Hill Road exit. Go northwest on Pleasant Hill Road and turn left at the first traffic light, Springhill Road. Then just follow Springhill to the end. Enjoy your hike!