In the past few years, I've explored many different entrances to this open space. Surprisingly, many of the entrances are close to or even on private land, with an easement. For example, the entrances nearby Walnut Avenue are often interspersed among largest estates. Generally, the trails are well marked. But not always. And sometimes trails do not show up on the official Park map. Having said that, this is a delightful Park with tons of interesting trails. In most areas there are no facilities or water, so keep that in mind. read more

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Was in the area and looking for a place to take my dog for an off leash walk and this was it. It was after some rains, so lots of muddy spots on trails. We did a nice mile and a half loop, perfect length for my small dog. I got parking, but there are not many spots, so that could be an issue. I also didn't see any bathrooms, forcing me to figure out alternatives. Rolling hills, but nothing too bad. Some native plant restoration work was being done and everybody I passed by was polite and pleasant. The trails are very exposed, so I would limit my hiking here to days with more mild weather, but it wasn't busy a really nice change of scenery for me. read more

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Solar Shell Happy Earth Day 2024! Shell Ridge OSP sits at 1,420 acres and features over 31 miles of trails. It is also home to a really spectacular wildflower display every spring, and this year's "super bloom" did not disappoint. The Good: *As stated above, thirty-one miles of trails that connect you to nearby Mt. Diablo State Park to the south and Howe Farmstead Park to the north. *Easy access to the park, as the trailhead in is just a few miles from DT Walnut Creek. *Dog-friendly trails *Some shaded trails *The hills are small and manageable and go at a nice steady incline. *Gorgeous rolling foothills and scenic city views from the top of them. *Flower displays as far as the eye can see, from yellow fields of mustard to purple pockets of Lupine, and the golden fields of poppies will dazzle your eyes. The Meh: *No restrooms unless you start and end your hike at Howe Farmstead. *Trails are mostly unshaded, so it's not a great place to come on a really hot day. *No bikes allowed, but there's clear evidence of bikes being ridden here. I'm not sure what good a rule is if it isn't enforced. *Trails are just dirt, which is fine when it's dry, but I can tell it's a sloppy mess when it rains. The Ugly: *Parking situation, quite frankly, fucking sucks. They have one lot to access the entrance at Fossil Hill Tall that holds literally eight cars. Normally, this is probably OK, but when the hordes of people show up to see the flowers on the weekends, it's a wild scene, baby. Pro Tip: Get off your ass, get here early, take a little hike while you wait for the poppies to open up, and then snap a few pics and away you go. Conclusion: Great trails, amazing park, but be prepared for crowds at certain times of the year. read more

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Such a great open space for hiking. This space has multiple trails for beginner hikers to expert hikers. I wish there was a little bit more shaded areas, however, the views make up for it! read more

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Fossil Hill trail is where the wildflowers are blooming! Please be mindful of where you are walking and stay on the trail! Enjoy the beautiful sights of poppies and other wildflowers! I was here today 4.15.24 and it's going strong! If you need to get some air after doing taxes come and get some relaxing sights! The area is just beautiful and lush, so green and mossy in certain parts of the trail. There are no bathrooms so just be prepared. The murky grey pond with the ducks bobbing up and down is so cute. Parking lot is extremely small, literally an 8 car lot. You'll most likely have to park in the neighborhood but please be mindful and respect the homes and driveways. Enjoy and hope tax day isn't too horrible for you! Enjoy friends! read more

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Review #012 - 2023 My two older sisters and I have been doing a lot of walking, but we don't get to hike too often. I decided to take them out to Shell Ridge on Monday, November 13th. We showed up at around 9:45 AM and it was still pretty warm considering it's almost fall and I was expecting the weather to be much cooler by this time of year. Luckily, this area has a decent amount of shade so we didn't get too hot before we finished our 3-mile hike. We came across a lot of friendly hikers & their dogs and a good amount of bikers. I've been here before, but we didn't get to hike out this far since we came with our Cub Scout and they didn't want to wear the kids out too much. My sisters said they really enjoyed the hike since it wasn't too strenuous, at least according to the path we chose. They are willing to come back with me again so that's a very good sign. There's a decent amount of benches along the trails, should you need a place to rest. However, we didn't see any restrooms--so, it's probably best to come after you've already emptied your bladder. read more

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Sooo beautiful in spring!! There are various trails that can accommodate long/short and easy/hard hikes. There is not much shade so I'm a fan of going early before it gets too hot. Very few people on the trails which is nice and peaceful read more

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Shell ridge open space An open space, just minutes away from a busy shopping street, right in downtown Walnut Creek, Fossil Hill is part of Shell Ridge Open Space. What is special about Fossile Hill, is that volunteers of Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation (WCOSF) have been restoring native plants for more than 10 years. Their effort affords such a natural beauty for all of us to enjoy. It is evident in the springtime. I especially love the early morning stroll right before sunrise. It is so serene and zenlike. The undulating hills, the muted green grasses, bushes and trees. It is very pastoral. Once the sun had been out, from 10 -11 AM to 4 PM, the gold-orange poppies, the blue lupine, and purple chia together with lush green form a gorgeous spring palette. The trail has a wide ranch-style road, easy for all who are not wheelchair bound. You can do either a short 1/2 mile walk to enjoy wild flowers or the entire 3.5 miles. read more

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A beautiful place for a hike. Come early, it gets really hot and dry by noon. The address mentioned isn't really where the trails are at. One needs to take a right at the mentioned location and drive up to the parking lot at Borges Ranch Run Parking . There's ample parking and over flow parking space. Sulphur Creek is gorgeous! A nice picnic area with grill and water access is available near the parking area. Restroom access available. read more

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It's mushroom season!!! ;) I have been hiking this area so...ooo many times. Looks like the spring here is always early than other places. read more

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Shell Ridge aka the donor! Shell Ridge donates so many of its' trails to other parks within the area. So many times I've hiked through a nearby park and didn't even know that I was hiking within Shell Ridge! So, I finally made it to Shell Ridge by actually driving to one of the entrances (not by accidentally hiking there from another park), and it was really beautiful. Started on the Twin Ponds Loop and hiked into Borges Ranch and back. Tons of wildlife. Tons of wildflowers in the spring. Tons of connector trails and beautiful rolling hills! There weren't too many people on this trail surprisingly, but I did run into some bikers. Be careful on some of the narrow paths because there isn't much room to maneuver and bikes come zooming out of nowhere even though many of these paths aren't even for bikes. I love that you can connect to virtually any park within Walnut Creek from Shell Ridge! I've hiked here from Briones, Mount Diablo, Howe Homestead Park, Old Borges, Sugar Loaf open space, Acalanes Ridge, Castle Rock, and the Diablo Foothills. The trails are so versatile. With its' connection to so many parks, you'll have a whirlwind of different trails to explore. This could also pose as a danger though. It's easy to get lost if you want to venture off to a different trail because the hills can all start looking the same. I've gotten lost here before, and it wasn't fun. Luckily, I was able to find an alternate route back. Take a picture of the map if you want to explore or connect to another trail, or just still to doing an out and back. Also, the wildlife is pretty rampant. Last time I hiked here, I saw a coyote on the trail. Since these trails aren't heavily trafficked, it makes sense. Just be aware of your surroundings. Like most other parks within this area, the trails offer virtually no kind of shade. Prepare for this by wearing sunscreen and bringing lots of water. If you're hiking in Walnut Creek, you're almost bound to enter Shell Ridge at some point or another. And when you do, you'll most likely enjoy it. read more

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We met up at Howe Homestead Park for our hike of the Shell Ridge Open Space, which is maintained by the City of Walnut Creek. The Park is the trail head in the Open Space and there is parking and restrooms here. Starting on the Tovar Trail, the beginning portion was narrow due to the thick grass/weeds. Then the trail opened up as the grass was not thick. From there we took the Indian Creek Trail to the Briones to Mount Diablo Regional Trail before connecting back to the Tovar Trail and ending back at Howe Park trail head for our 5.5 mile hike. The trails led to scenic view of the open hills. There were some narrow trails and some steps down a hill and we pass Willow Spring Pond. The Open Space is home to Acorn woodpeckers and we saw one pecking on a tree on a trail. It's hard to fathom that you can drive about five minutes from Downtown Walnut Creek to reach the trail head to the Shell Ridge Open Space and be in peaceful scenery and greenery and be void of traffic noise and to just hear the pecking of a woodpecker. read more

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PROS: - Dog friendly! - Close-ish to Oakland. - Beautiful views of the surrounding greenery. - Can do a 5 mile hike relatively quickly! CONS: - Tons of gnats everywhere! I definitely got a few in my mouth, there were all these swarms we walked through. - Not a very challenging hike - only 1000 ft of elevation change, and I wasn't too tired at the end. More of a "rolling hills" park. The fact that we did 5 miles in 2.5 hours actually made it feel like it wasn't quite worth the trek from SF. I'm still glad I tried it out, I just may not go back unless I happen to be the in the area and need a short, easy hike! STATS: 5.2 mi, 1000 ft, 2h37m total (2h of moving time). WEATHER: Sunny, warm in mid-March 2019! And the trail is very exposed. There is some shade along Indian Creek Trail PARKING: Free residential parking, plenty of overflow at Marshall Drive. DOGS ALLOWED: Yes! On leash. TRAILHEAD: No bathrooms, no water. THE ROUTE: We generally followed this https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/shell-ridge-borgess-ranch-loop Clockwise starting at the Marshall Drive parking area, we took: - East along Ridge Top Trail - West on Briones Trail - West on Indian Creek Trail - Linked back up heading west on Briones Trail, back to parking lot ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS: In the first part of our hike, we did a straight shot from Ridge Top Trail down to Corral Spring Trail. The downhill we found very badly maintained and steep, uncharacteristic of the rest of the trails we took. Looking back on the trail map, we were actually off-trail and had missed a left turn that probably would have brought us down a much more gradual route! See my photo for clarification. read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - Do NOT hike down the red part, it looks like a trail but is not. It was steep & slippery! Take the green route instead (we missed it). - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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wonderful pace to hike and explore nature great for yoga and meditation many great places for photo sluts as well as nature is in full effect read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - GENO T 1987 - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Went on a great hike with my friend. The trails were well labeled overall and well groomed, and easy to navigate. I have a dog who doesn't love other dogs getting in her space while she's on leash. There are always jerky dog owners out there, but everyone we encountered who had off leash dogs were super respectful about leashing up when passing, which is really important to me. read more

I took the Coastanoan Trail to the Ridge Trail. Definitely easy and well marked. View was meh, but not bad for exercise and fresh air! Happy Hiking! read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Great option on a weekend or after work and is only a few minutes from downtown Walnut Creek. I took the Twin Ponds Loop which is a 7.3 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near WC and is rated as moderate. Elevations - You will hike approx 1,200 feet up on this trail. The first couple miles are flat but the next 3 miles up hill. See a Suggestion- It's easy to get lost back here. Check All Trails for a map of Shell Ridge Terrain- The terrain on the first leg of the trip is on a fire road that is muddy in the spring. Once you start climbing up the trail you'll hit a tight trail with a few steep drop-offs and eventually end up back on another fire trail. Parking-We parked on the street at the Indian Valley Elementary School and did not have any issues. Restrooms and water - Nope! Bring suntan lotion and water! This is an open space and you'll def get toasty on a sunny day. Dogs are allowed and running around everywhere! read more

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Since my original review, I've actually moved closer to a few trailheads to Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek and this has become my go-to spot for local hikes. It's easy to get in to the park via the Briones/Mount Diablo trail near John Muir hospital. You will see the signs for it on La Casa Via and if you bear right on the trail, you will be able to connect with the Ridge trail and the open space in general. It becomes a completely different hike depending on the seasons and trails you take. Some of my favorites include a loop from the Briones Trail to Fossil Hill, Indian Creek and quick connector back on Briones and then the Ridge Trail. I've also ventured on to the Twin Ponds loop trail and some other offshoot trails near the Marshall road entrance. There is still more of the park I've yet to explore. Each hike I take here, I've spotted meandering trails off in the distance waiting to be taken in the future. I always feel safe as a solo hiker in Shell Ridge. On weekends and early summer evenings, there are plenty of people on the trails, yet not overly crowded. The rolling hills, wide open spaces, oaks, ridges, and wooded pathways are a treasure in an increasingly crowded Walnut Creek. Parking tends to be easy to get for times I drive rather than hike in to the park and fellow hikers usually say hello. A few other tips: ~trails get muddy in the winter ~there are cattle grazing in certain parts of the park (last winter I had to go around a large group with calfs that was slightly nerve wracking, but I survived.) ~it gets super hot in the summer-go early or before sunset, and bring plenty of water ~there are a few areas right now that are undergoing some maintenance and planting of oaks and other natives (it's wonderful to see the ongoing care going on the open space) ~If you get on the Walnut Creek open space Facebook page or email list, you can stay on top of activities in the parks or volunteer opportunities. I am thinking of signing up for one of their volunteer days in 2016. Shell Ridge is my happy place and I'd love to give back to it soon! read more

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It was kind of confusing finding this place. The main parking lot was closed too but they had a little lot further up from the entrance. I was looking for a dog friendly hiking place in this area and this place seemed to be the only one. There were a lot of marked trails, which was good. It was just super hot and dry but you kind of expect that when you're in Contra Costa county. I love getting to the highest point of any trail for the views and photos of course, so my puppy and I just kept picking the routes that would go higher and higher. It could get pretty steep here so watch your footing! Also, watch out for tons of cow and horse poop. There's horse riding lessons nearby so I think they take the horses out here sometimes? Overall: I could see this place being really good for joggers. Don't expect that much of a view, but nature is beautiful anyway :) read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - My baby girl resting - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Great place for a walk! Go past the high school, turn right at the sign for Borges ranch, and park at Bob pond. There are bathrooms, picnic tables and grills. Multiple trails of varying difficulty await you. Crazy that this is just minutes from downtown walnut creek! Bring water and a hat, there isn't much shade. Dogs can be off leash in undeveloped areas, but only if they don't chase cows. There are coyotes and rattlesnakes, use reasonable caution. And watch out for the poison oak, our dog found it. I read some reviews that lamented about the dogs off leash; please note that it's perfectly legal and acceptable to have your dog off leash as long as it responds to voice command and stays in sight. If your dog freaks out when off leash dogs approach it, you may want to reconsider bringing your dog here. The leash law is that there isn't a leash law outside of developed areas. read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Another wide-open open space area. But this has more variety than you'd think when you first get there. Oak forests. Hidden-away small valleys. Ponds. And, of course, that huge ridge. Unlike other open space preserves around Walnut Creek, it's easy to get lost in this park; it's so big and has so many trails. Me being part mountain goat, I've been to the top, of course. It looks like it takes a lot to get up there . . . and it does take a lot. And you're rewarded with a 360-degree view of Walnut Creek, Alamo, Concord, Mt. Diablo, the Carquinez Straits. When we had a dog, I took her up here for hikes. She liked it, but she got, um, dog tired. Good for those who take it easy, those who play hard, and those in between. read more

I love walking here with my dogs. It's off-leash friendly! And there are so many trails throughout the park, several with ample shade for hot days but also several exposed to the sun. It's all one of my favorite place to take portraits! The lovely trees, tall grasses, and summer flowers make for such a lovely backdrop. read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - Family photos by Corinna Rose Photography at Shell Ridge - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Fun mini hike/great place to get in a challenging run. We come here pretty often for a quick workout. We usually start at the base and make our way over the three mini hills to the fenced marker. You get beautiful views of Walnut Creek and the neighboring towns from the pinnacle of the hills. If you're there during the right season and day, you can even get to experience the flowers in bloom amidst the various trees. It typically takes us about 40-50 minutes to walk/run across and back and we end up breaking quite a sweat. It's a great place to bring your dog for a walk/jog as well. read more

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Shell Ridge is a great place to hike. Check out Fossil Hill (near the Sutherland entrance) if you want to see a brilliant show of spring wildflowers. The open space volunteer group has restored this section with native plants. Shell Ridge is beautiful all year and is a wonderful place to see wildlife and exercise. read more

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In the Bay Area, you can pretty much reach wilderness within 10 minutes from where you live. If you reside in Walnut Creek, you can hike for miles and miles within the City Limits! Gayle and I recently took a hike that started at the Howe Homestead and ended at Borges Ranch. In between was 2.5 miles of incredible views, wild flowers, barn owl boxes, distant City profiles, and a few red wing blackbirds thrown in. The air was fresh, my legs were strong, my well being was enhanced, and my return will be soon. You can't get better therapy for many times the price! read more

My hiking partner and I enjoyed a very rare sighting on the trail yesterday -- a PAIR of frolicking Goldendoodles! Wikipedia has it that some call this gangly beast a "groodle" or even the more obnoxious "goldipoo". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldendoodle) As for other local fauna, while Golden Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk do fly this open space territory, Turkey Vultures ruled the sky on our hike. Lewis's Woodpeckers ruled the trees (see photo) and ground squirrels ruled the...ground. 30+ miles of trail lead through this former seabed terrain (hence the name -- rocky areas reveal the fossilized marine shells), which now is mostly Oak and Willow-dotted savannah that comprises the lowly flanks of Mount Diablo. Several ponds add some habitat and interest to the landscape. Shell Ridge's 2,500-some acres are essentially backyard exploration for some Walnut Creek residents; the early portion of our trail paralleled an adjacent suburban housing development and the trailhead wasn't but a mile from the downtown intersection of Ygnacio Valley Road and Main Street. Even on a gusty day like yesterday we crossed paths with a lot of folks out with their dogs, and still others on horseback and bicycle. A couple joggers. And then us: the walker-stopper-gawkers. I suggest a hike that leads you along the length of Shell Ridge which offers impressive panoramic views over Walnut Creek, Concord, Martinez and Suisun Bay further north and, of course, Mount Diablo to the east. There are at least twelve entrance points (with attached parking areas) to Shell Ridge. We began began our hike at the Howe- Homestead lot. Shell Ridge offers short and long trails; one way ticket trails and loop trails. Here you will find hikes for every man, woman, child and Goldendoodle! read more

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I go up here to not only geocache, but do a little hiking and dog walking. I love it and it's gorgeous up here, you could get lost in all the green grass. The only drawback I find is a huge drawback. My dog is an older large breed mix who doesn't like other dogs (we adopted her as a young dog so we have no idea why) so though we love walking her, when people do not obey the leash laws it causes problems. Many of the visitors here don't even have a leash for their pet and simply let it run wild. So if you have a pet who isn't the friendliest I'd maybe go with a good dose of worry and if you have a friendly dog...please...keep them on a leash. That's why they have leash laws. read more

"Meandering" is a term custom-made to describe the series of trails that comprise this large swath of open space. Easy parking in front of Indian Valley Elementary School allowed me time to study the trail map board before my friend arrived. It made no sense to me so we just winged it, following one path then another and another. All the paths had markers denoting their names, but after the initial signage there was nothing further to show me where anything led so meander we did. From trail to trail, we roamed up, down, around, and through cattle gates, feeling that we were proceeding in a giant circle that would take us back to the vicinity of our cars. It worked. After about two hours of meandering, we looked downhill and spotted our cars. But on the other side, a challenge remained: a series of ridge-paths leading up, up, and up some more. Each time I thought I was heading to the top, a new series of ridges presented itself once I got there. It happened so many times that it grew somewhat comical. The meandering portion of the hike is wide, open, and grassy. The ridge portion is narrow. I feel like there's a lot here I didn't get to see but that only means that I can return for more surprises. Dogs welcome. Beware of summertime heat (this place seemed very unshaded). read more

Since I got a mountain bike I have been to almost 6 different regional parks in the past month or two. There are so many different places in the bay area to go biking that I rarely get bored. This park is great for hiking, and biking as well!! There isn't that much shade so it's preferable to go on a windy / less sunny day. Also remember to wear sunscreen and plenty of water !! We had difficulty finding the exact entrance so ended up parking next to northgate high school and walking up the street. This park also has lots of horse poo everywhere so be careful when walking. This hike isn't very hard, but the incline in the beginning is a bit tough on bikes. read more

This is the place to go for the best calves work out ever. We did a family hike here yesterday but we came in on through the horse trail off Sutherland. The trail to the Castle Rock area is more for humans as the other trails seem to have both horses and people walking on them. Which we didn't mind had our little apple head chihuahua behaved himself a bit more and didn't try befriending the lovely creatures. As we headed up the top of Shell Ridge, we were amazed at the vast and beautiful views. Such a reward for hiking up those step hills. All worth it and plenty of space to walk around and look over the edges of the hillsides. My black lab pup loved running back and forth up the hills and so did my kids (minus the occasional 'are we there yet' comments.) Be prepared for some serious hiking but definitely worth the trip during the day for some amazing views and a good work out. Looking forward to coming back and getting to Castle Rock. Up and at it. read more

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Great spot for running and biking in the East Bay. Dogs off leash are welcomed. Rolling hills at the base of Mount Diablo covered in grass and dotted with oak trees. Seemingly endless fire roads and singletrack networking all over the park. Imagine it can get blistering hot, however wonderfully cool in the mornings early. Spotted plenty of turkey and two big, hairy, slow-moving, fearsome-looking, super-cool tarantulas on the trail and the entry road. read more

I continue to be amazed at how many nice hikes are available throughout the East Bay. Shell Ridge is a real treasure, especially for locals as it is super convenient from a lot of directions (you may want to scout out the trailhead that is easiest for you to get to/find). Once there, you'll find a huge network of trails that offer scenic vistas and options for every level of challenge. You'll want to bring along a map, because there are many different routes and loops, and without my AllTrails app, I might have gotten lost, or off course. Overall, though, the space is pretty open (duh), so you can probably find your way one way or another. I look forward to coming back when things green up a bit more, as the vistas will be that much more colorful. So, it is certainly a great spot for hiking, dog walking, or mountain biking for those along the 680 corridor, but not sure it is a destination hike. read more

Super pretty and green in the winter/ spring. I hike here every week, there are many trails to explore, you can't get lost! Easy to medium hikes, you can spend 45 min to 3 hours hiking around. Going up to the top of the Ridge is worth it, the views are spectacular! Sunsetty goodness abounds if you time it right. Watch out for rattlesnakes in the afternoon, enjoy the bird songs all day. read more

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Came for a morning hike. Good weather, nice breeze. Bring some water and wear sunscreen. Hikes fairly short, I think 45min? Wasn't hard so it's good for beginners. Very nice view when you reach the top! read more

Shell Ridge Open Space - The top - Hiking Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

I love trail runs here. I haven't ran into an issue with it being crowded whatsoever and the parking lots seem to be available (although I've just run there and haven't needed to use them). It's pretty well maintained and not too long so I don't get worried about ticks. It's pretty open so bring water and a hat/sunglasses on warm days! read more

Was worth the very narrow road drive that was meant to be a one way....ha! Unless my mr magoo eyes have mistaken. I was a little lost finding the trail but there are many maps to go around. I could not figure out exactly where I was in terms of north south, but eventually I found the shell ridge trail. It was a nice hike, didn't see any snakes even though it was hot. So that was a plus. Free parking another plus..and other things besides hiking, such as the farm. read more

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Shell Ridge is my latest crush. I cannot get enough of this sprawling series of trails, incredible views, and cute doggies roaming freely. It's amazing that you can drive 5 minutes up the hill from downtown Walnut Creek and be completely surrounded by greenery, hear only the sound of chirping birds and your own thoughts. It's fresh air and free therapy at it's best. We enter at Sutherland Drive, off Walnut Blvd, head through the gate and to the right. I highly recommend making your way onto the "ridge"...you'll see it, the highest peak cutting through the middle of the open space. On this narrow spine of trail, you get 360 views of the east bay. It is so worth the vertical trek. We make up our own names for landmarks along the way, like Hobo Crest, Dead Salmon Pond, and Deep Hill. You can make up your own names too, so it feels like your personal park! Or, you can do this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPwA4oJdIs8 read more

I lived at the edge of the Shell Ridge Open Space (Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation) for the best part of 40 years. I took approximately 10,000 hikes in this wonderland of hills, creeks and meadows. I developed a shamanic relationship with this magical land while exploring it's secrets with many wonderful friends and pets. The Shell Ridge Open Space literally saved my life in it's role as a place of worship, exercise and escape from the tedium of Western Civilization. I give thanks to the open spaces from enriching my life with unconditional blessings. read more

Love hiking and running shell ridge. It's beautiful and has many places to begin and end. The people are always courteous on the trail and move out of the way for bikers and runners. Just be careful of rattlesnakes. They are out year round but especially when it's dry and hot. Be careful oi you let your dog off leash if not snake trained. I don't usually let my dogs off here unless it's to play on the water, but because of the drought it's been a long time since there's been enough water anyway. Lot's of different starting points. Great for running, hiking and mountain biking. read more

Still loving this open space in my backyard. Hiking, running and cycling are awesome activities to do here. For those of you on mountain bike, be careful of the leash-free dogs and always give total right away to the horses. We are entering the season where you're likely to see rattlesnakes. Sometimes smaller ones will be curled up on the fireroad or singletrack trail. Please give them total right away. They don't want to have anything to do with you and will not attack you unless you startle them. Just be careful if you go off trail or climbing around rock outcroppings. Enjoy the occasional coyote, bobcat and fox sightings. read more

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