In July, the East Bay Regional Park District opened Dublin Hills Regional Preserve. The 520-acre park is part of the Calaveras Ridge system that separates the East Bay communities from San Ramon Valley. At present the park includes a fully developed staging area with 23-car parking, equestrian parking, restrooms and drinking fountains, a 1.5-mile section of the Calaveras Ridge Regional Trail, and a one-mile connection loop. Additional sections of the park and trail connections will be open in the future.

A park highlight is Donlan Point, located at the southwest corner of the park, a half-mile walk from the parking lot. With a peak elevation of 1138’ above sea level, Donlan Point is an important regional landmark holding high scenic value among both trail users and neighboring residents.

The Calaveras Ridge Regional Trail is a significant feature of the park as it adds another segment to this impressive regional trail system. In the late 1990s, East Bay geologist and Park Advisory committee member Ron Crane and I gave the trail its name and promoted the concepts of the Calaveras Ridge Trail. In 1997 it became part of the Park District’s Master Plan. This multi-use trail corridor travels along the I-680 corridor connecting six regional parks. It serves communities from Sunol Regional Wilderness, through Pleasanton Ridge to Dublin Hills into Contra Costa County, where it continues through Las Trampas Regional Wilderness to the City of Lafayette and through Briones Regional Park, with connections to Carquinez Strait. This trail offers spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay area to the west and Mt. Diablo and the central valley to the east along rolling ridgetops. When completed, the Calaveras Ridge Regional Trail will span 43 miles. The Dublin Hills segment brings the total mileage to 17.

If you would like to explore the new park with a naturalist, Katie Colbert of Sunol Regional Wilderness will be leading twilight hike at Dublin Hills Regional Open Space Preserve on Tuesday, August 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m. No registration is required.

The park is located on Dublin Blvd., two miles west of San Ramon Road in Dublin at the Schaefer Ranch housing development. As part of an agreement with the City of Dublin, the developer constructed the staging area and dedicated 67 acres of open space and trail easements.

While visiting the park, be on the lookout for wildlife as this park is a major wildlife corridor and is home to quite a bit of activity. If you see something scurrying across the path that disappears in a blink of the eye, it is likely a vole or what is sometimes called a meadow mouse. They are quite prevalent at the park as they tend to enjoy the grassland areas.