It's been a while since I posted anything here, but that's mostly because I've been hiking trails that I have already covered. I've already written about most of the places within easy driving distance, and I usually don't feel like driving very far when there are so many good trails nearby. Recently, I noticed in an e-mail newsletter from EBRPD that a new addition to Las Trampas had been opened to the public, so I went there today to check it out. The Ellsworthy Staging Area is off of Ellsworthy Circle in the new Quail Ridge development along San Ramon Valley Blvd. between Danville and San Ramon.
I arrived there mid-morning to find that the development was still being built and the streets were nearly blocked by construction activity and trucks. I found the short road up the hill to the staging area, but workers were digging up the asphalt there making it impossible to get through. I found a place to park on the street. It was signed "guest parking only", but I figured that it was unlikely that anyone would come by on a Monday morning to check my guest status. After winding up the hill a short distance, I found the small staging area. Of course it was empty since driving access was blocked.
The first half mile or so of trail is on an easement through private land, but it's just like any other park trail -- a dirt road gently climbing across rolling grassland. Soon the climbing is not so gentle, and it heads nearly straight up the very steep wooded hillside. It was a nice place but the roar of traffic on 680 below made it not so peaceful. After a lot of hard work, I reached the top of the ridge with good views all around. After some more climbing to the top of a hill, I could see where the road continued along the grassy ridge to the northwest to meet the trail coming up from the Remington park entrance, a trail that I had hiked a couple of years ago. I figured that since I could see the connection and it looked just like the trail I was already on, I didn't need to hike all the way over there, so I turned around and started back down.
Going down, it seemed even steeper than coming up. It took a lot of effort to keep from sliding on the steep dirt, and my knees and feet got pretty sore. I was glad to be finishing up around noon because it was becoming a warm day.
2.7 miles, 950 ft. climb
