Preface to the Second Edition

      The task of checking and updating the information in this new edition of East Bay Trails fell primarily to three energetic and enthusiastic colleagues: Kate Hoffman, Hayden Foell, and Jed Manwaring. Because I no longer reside in the Bay Area, they were my eyes and ears on the trail, hiking each of the 53 original trips and providing corrections, comments, suggestions, additions, and annotated maps. The three new trips—Lime Ridge Open Space, Diablo Foothills Regional Park, and Round Valley Regional Preserve—were ones I completed before moving to South Carolina.

      The purpose of this book is three-fold: first, to help you select an enjoyable trip; second, to guide you to the trailhead and along the trail; third, to provide information about some of the features you may see during the trip. My ultimate goal is to convey the excitement and wonder I felt as I explored the trails of the East Bay, and thereby encourage you to support efforts to preserve and expand the parklands.

      I have tried to be as accurate and thorough as possible, but your experience of a trail will almost certainly be different from mine. Each day in nature is unique. I was on a particular trail for one or perhaps two days, and what I saw, heard, and felt will probably not be repeated, at least not exactly. I have indicated this in the text by using the word may instead of will, as in “you may see turkey vultures circling overhead,” and by being specific about when things occur, such as the blooming of certain wildflowers.

      As a matter of personal preference, most of the routes in this book are loops and semi-loops (a loop