This is shaping up as a fine spring for wildflowers in the East Bay Regional Parks and other open spaces.
Perhaps due to recent rains, flowers are flourishing in several dependably colorful areas. Personally, I can recommend the Manhattan Canyon Trail at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. There are nice displays too along the north end of Old Briones Road at Briones Regional Park near Martinez. And there are lots of poppies on the Briones Crest Trail up the hill from the Bear Creek Staging Area. Vargas Plateau off Interstate 680 in Fremont is great for poppies too.
For a guided wildflower walk, join naturalist Francis Mendoza from 8:30 to 11 a.m. April 29 for a hilly, 3-mile hike at Garin Regional Park in Hayward. Francis’ hike is for ages 12 and older.
Garin Park is located at the end of Garin Avenue off Mission Boulevard. Meet Francis at the Red Barn Visitor Center. For information, call 510-544-3220. By the way, no flower picking, please, in any regional parks. Leave the blooms for others to enjoy.
Oakland hills: Naturalist Susan Ramos and interpretive student aide Bellal Naderi will lead a moderate, 2-mile walk from 10 a.m. to noon April 29 in search of wildflowers at Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland hills.
The preserve is on Skyline Boulevard about a mile south of the intersection with Grizzly Peak Boulevard. For information, call 510-544-3187.
Fremont: Lizards will leap in a program from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 29 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont with Francis Mendoza.
The group will look for blue belly and alligator lizards during an easy 1½-mile walk. Find out how lizards are our allies in the fight against Lyme disease.
The program is for ages 8 and older. Coyote Hills is at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. Meet Francis at the visitor center. For information, call 510-544-3220.
Berkeley: There are two interesting programs in the works at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley. First, you can hang out with the naturalists and spiders from 1 to 2 p.m. April 28.
Then from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 29, it’s “Fun with Felt” with naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder. You can get your hands wet while making felt and learning about wool and sheep. Meet at Tilden’s Environmental Education Center, which is at the north end of Central Park Drive. Call 510-544-2233.
Again in Antioch: From flowers on Earth to stars in the sky, naturalist Kevin Dixon will lead an after-hours hike from 6:30 to 10 p.m. April 28 at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. The group will experience a quiet, moonlit time in the park. It’s free, but registration is required. Call 888-327-2757, select option 2 and refer to program number 20395.
Oakley: Macro Mayhem is the name of the game from 2 to 3 p.m. April 29 at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. The naturalists will help with collection and identification of plankton and macroinvertebrates (water bugs) to discover their role in the wetland ecosystem. Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. Call 888-327-2757, ext. 3050.
Online: This is just a sample. There are lots of great activities scheduled all the time in the regional parks. Check out the website, www.ebparks.org for details.
Ned MacKay writes a regular column about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at nedmackay@comcast.net.