When the dog and I need a good hike that isn't too far from home and we can do in a reasonable…read moreamount of time, we come to Mt. Wanda. My man and I are hiking here every other weekend at least. The dog loves it. We recently did the Full Moon Hike that is put on by the Rangers. The kids tagged along. Its free and one of the few times you're allowed on the Mt. during the night. The kids had a wonderful time meandering around in the dark. It was fun to be out of our element with flashlights. The moon was beautiful. The only negative is ticks. We went hiking on Thanksgiving morning with our dog and proceeded to pull seven ticks off our dog. The most yet. Wear bug spray and make sure that your dog is properly protected. Morning, noon or night this is a great hike to take.

John Muir used to walk this with his daughters and it is named for his eldest. It is across the…read moreroad from his house. It isn't all that long but it is UP! From the beginning it is Up! Just when you need it there is a picnic table and a choice- keep climbing the hot wide road or take the nature trail through the blue oaks. Obviously the nature trail was our choice and it was the right one!!! Narrow trail and part shady;) Get to the top. Take in the views of this place we call home and then.... It's all down! 13% grade! Not my favorite walk but it is close to home and will certainly get your heart pumping! Dog friendly.

I've lived near Howe Homestead Park for many years but only recently discovered it when driving…read moredown Walnut. While in and of itself it's a small park, it's a convenient and less crowded jumping off point to the Kovar trail leading in to Shell Ridge Open space and endless hiking loops. There is a small lot and water fountains and restroom facilities (fountains and bathroom currently closed due to COVID precautions.) The park itself is rather small but features a few pieces of old farming equipment, some benches to sit and relax on and a nice large lawn for dogs and kids to run around on. Adjoining it is also a community garden which was fun to walk around and see what neighbors are planting. It's a cute little neighborhood park perfect for coming to relax and read a book or to find an easy parking spot for hikes in to Shell Ridge. Love that I can walk here and spend some time enjoying this small, local green space. Review #16 of 100 goal review in 2021

Love has struck me yet again... and it's right here at this adorable park. A hidden discovery that…read moreI will now bask in until my darkest days... or at least until it becomes unbearably overcrowded. Howe Homestead Park is a small recreational park tucked right behind the streets of downtown Walnut Creek. I would have never guessed that a little park like this would be hidden only a few miles from the downtown area that I so often frequent. Coming down Ygnacio Valley Rd from Concord, you can reach this park by simply turning left on Walnut Blvd and keeping straight until you reach a small parking lot on the left hand side. I first came here on a warm Saturday afternoon, and there was virtually no cars parked in the lot. Parking is free and there is a little path that will lead you to the park. The park itself is small with many preserved antiques set along its' path like an old farming wagon and beekeeper boxes. There are a few benches where people can relax and have a nice picnic. The bathroom is immaculately clean, and there's also a beautiful community garden along the path behind the park. Perhaps, what is the most compelling aspect of this park for me is the Kovar hiking trail that leads you to the back of Shell Ridge open space. Once you pass the garden, you will see a badly degrading sign that will faintly read "Kovar Trail". You can follow this trail all the way up until you reach the top of a hill with a three-way trail intersection. I veered to the right and ended up going up some mini steep inclines. There's a beautiful viewpoint where you can see all of Walnut Creek, the beautiful rolling hills, and the highway 24 and 680 freeway. I kept going up until I reached a point where I could see tons of trails! It's a peak where you can see all of the various trails centered on Shell Ridge open space. At this point you'll begin to descend downward, however it can be quite dangerous. I'm not really into rock climbing, but I actually found myself doing this while trying to make my way down. Unfortunately, I got too afraid of slipping and took my ass back up the rock and back down the hills to the park. It's a great workout but I advise that you go early or bring LOTS of water because it gets HOT! I was drenched and extra tired because of the heat. This trail is one that is less traveled, making it more enjoyable for you to really soak up the views. I'm so happy that I discovered this amazing little hidden gem, and I can't wait to go back to hike a new trail next time around!

3 hours on the lime ridge South loop…read more Amazing short hike on lime ridge. Trail was dry and clear. Views are amazing. You'll get a lot more out of this hike if you read up on the geology. This open space is absolutely covered with earthquake faults. Find a interactive geology map and vou'll be able to track your footsteps over the faults. Watch out for bikes because thev are speeding around. But bike riders were ultra friendly. A bit startled by gunshots toward the end of the hike, but I'm assuming, based on the lack of law enforcement. there is a shooting range somewhere nearby. For this hike there are tons of parking places around the Gulf Club.

"Just okay." I have…read morehiked many of the Lime Ridge trails around Treat boulevard. The trails are usually well-marked, and well maintained. There is little if any trash on any of the trails. Thanks to the park rangers and making its team for doing a great job. Most of the trail are on plain, unpaved dirt roads. They're okay, but there are better options. I like Shell Ridge better. Keep in mind there are no facilities in the park. At least, I have never come across any. On the other hand, everything is free. So overall, a good asset to our community.

This is probably one of the strangest parks that I have ever frequented... probably because I don't…read morereally view it as a "park". At any given time, you will probably find graffiti sprayed on the ground and rocks, beer bottles, cigarettes, and sometimes even broken glass. I always make it a point to look down at the ground when I do decide to take a short stroll through the trails. And when I say short, I mean SHORT! The longest trail is probably only about a quarter mile long. However, I don't come here to walk the trails. This place ironically provides me with a sense of solace during my time of need. You can say what you want about the upkeep, but this park has some of the most amazing views of the East Bay. In the summertime, I come here often just to take in the beautiful views of Mount Diablo. I've come here during the Fourth of July to watch the fireworks and it has always been amazing. Although I enjoy hiking, there are those times when I don't feel like hiking for miles just to get to a view point. I can just take a short drive down Taylor boulevard, park my car and post. There have been times when I don't want to go out but I don't want to be stuck at home. When I feel like this, I will often hop in my car and drive to this park. Sometimes I don't even get out of the car. I'll just bump my music and roll my seat back and just relax. The parking lot is small and has maybe about 8 parking spots maximum, but it is almost never full. People don't stay here for a long time, so there usually are always a few parking spots available. I've had quite a few memories coming here and it almost always ends up being so nostalgic when I visit. I've never walked down to the creepy old house nearby because, well... it just looks super creepy! I don't need to walk down there to find that out; I can already feel it from a distance. When they DO take the time to clean this place up, it's actually not half bad. It's one of my favorite places to go when I need to clear my mind. I'm so happy that this place even exists.

Views and a trail loop - more of a natural open space rather than a park with built in amenities…read more Come here for the views. It is a little bit of a walk but worth it. Natural paths - good for walking your dog. Probably not best for kids - especially young ones. I'm not sure if they will value the view. Most kids just like tik toc and i pads. Great place to come to see some nature. Maybe you are not the type to camp and stay over night in the woods... well, you dont have to. Make an afternoon of it here to get 80% of that experience.

I finally decided to visit this park on my way back from traveling up north. I visited last month…read moreat the end of November. I was by myself so I didn't do any big hikes. I did hike about a half mile on the Mary Bowerman Trail to the visitor center. It was a really beautiful portion of the trail. It was canopies with trees covered in moss. The visitor center is really nice, and very warm. Which was good, because at the top of the trail it is windy and cold. The visitor center is the highest point in the park. It had amazing views! There is a small gift shop and museum in the center. Outside are bathrooms. I later drove down the road and visited Rock city. It was really cool! There are different rock formations that have formed due to wind and water. Kids would definitely love this area of the park!

Baseball field, play structure, tennis courts, basketball court. Beautiful large park…read more Tennis court resurfacing and basketball relining late August thru Oct 10th. Should be complete in a month. Great for kids and picnics is this neighborhood park. Fairly large parking lot too.

Gayle and I recently stayed at a friend's house in this neighborhood and joined them for a nice…read moreSaturday Morning walk. Part of this 2+ mile stroll was through Rudgear Park. The park looks deceivingly small when entering the park for Rudgear, and soon it opens up to some fairly large sports and open fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, dog friendly areas etc., all within a generous green belt. Walnut Creek is blessed to have these kind of parks and lots of regional park-like open space.

I love me some Lime Ridge. Why it's taken me so long to review this beautiful open space is beyond…read moreme. But I'll tell ya that I hold this place near and dear to my heart. This is one of my local faves. The hiking trails seem to the endless. In late winter and early spring, the hills are so amazingly green that it looks fake. I've hiked here during all seasons, day and night. It's always beautiful here, even in the dead of hawt ass summer. I just LOVE dem hills! The hillsides cannot be touched at Lime Ridge. My favorite trail to hike here is the California Riding and Hiking Trail. I usually start at the intersection of the Ygnacio Canal and Contra Costa Canal Trail near Citrus Ave. This trail starts off with a long and steep hill. Many runners train on this hill to increase their endurance. I love it because it challenges me. I'll usually start here and loop around through a couple of other trails. What's nice is that you can go on for miles or just get a short quick hike in. There's so much versatility. The best time to come is during the spring. The spring greens and bright wild flowers and so abundant during this time. Plus, it won't be scorching hot like it is during the summer time. If I do decide to hike here in the summer, it's usually early in the morning or right before sunset. There's absolutely no shade on these trails, so take precautions and bring lots of water. Also, the summertime can bring bugs and those bloodsucking mosquitoes. Bug spray in the summer as well as sunscreen will keep your skin happy. Lately, the trails have been much busier because of quarantine. However, people respectfully keep their distance on the trails and many also wears masks as well. I tend to stick to the same trails which don't seem to be as busy as the ones that are located deeper into Walnut Creek. Either way, it's still worth a visit because the trails are so versatile.

Hiked Sat 3/13/21 at Lime Ridge Open Space, 47 min drive from my house in Fremont. Free parking in…read moremedium size parking lot & on the street. Across the street is Boundary Oak Golf Course where we used their bathrooms (by Taphouse) cuz none at Lime Ridge. We turned Right at Ohlone Trail gate, passing houses in Walnut Creek. Saw a nice pond with lots of water, climbed up, was on private property land, had to go under the fence to get on park land. Did Manzanita Trail, Lime Ridge Trail, went by a bench and near it is summit marker elev 1,986, Blue Oak Trail, Ohlone Trail, went under tunnel, Lone Oak Trail, Savannah Trail, saw Bayberry Pond (was Dry), went through a lower tunnel, Blue Oak Trail. Ohlone Trail & Ygnacio Canal Link if u climb up a few time and keep going you'll find a labyrinth! We saw it didn't go down to walk it, that would have been nice! Blue Oak Trail to Ohlone Trail back to car. Long day we started 9:10am finished 3:30pm.

Beautiful walk in the middle of the city. Can cut through from downtown to other areas of town.read more

I've been Yelp friends with Jennifer N for years. She an avid traveler and hikes everywhere…read more Me? The Four Seasons is how I camp. So when I look for a trail to walk about, I turned to Jennifer's reviews. Creek Walk is perfect for me. Flat, paved, sometimes shaded, and actually quite beautiful. A good mix of the great outdoors and suburbia. The walk has helpful signage and virtually impossible to get lost. While I'm not big on ruffing The Great Outdoors, Jennifer and I share the the same obsession going to the gym. According to check-ins, she's got to be the Duchess of every 24 Hour Fitness in Contra Costa County! 5 stars for my Yelp pal!