Round Valley Regional Preserve

Round Valley Regional Preserve is a nice park in the East Bay, in the Bay Area, California. It is located in the east of Walnut Creek, and east of Mount Diablo.

Walnut Creek is an expensive town in the East Bay. The entire Bay Area is expensive, but Walnut is particularly expensive. AND it has this nice park. 

Iconic Easy Bay's hills

This is an iconic East Bay park: rolling hills, spread trees, grass, and wide trails. When you hike after the rainy season, these hills become amazing green as I wrote several times at this blog. 

Winter, however, these hills are all brown. This season is not as popular as green season, but I still love the East Bay's rolling hills. It is amazing to see the dramatic changes in these hills. It is fun coming back to this area in a different season.

Somehow, since I was little, I always like the open vista. East Bay's climate is really hot in summer, and then dry except for short rainy season, so deep forest can't be formed. Such weather pattern makes the hills are mainly on for grass with sparse trees. I like to oversee the coming rolling hills ahead from below or look over undulating hills. 

Another feature of East Bay's parks are cows. A lot of parks has livestock owned by farmers. They are sometimes on the trail. It is fun seeing them. 

East Bay's trail in winter and summer is not popular, because summer is very hot and winter hills are not green. However, I like this winter brown hills, too, as much as green ones. Besides there are not many people, so it is good.

A lot of parks in the Bay Area used to be place for American Indian tribes. This Round Valley Regional Preserve was home of tribes, too. According to the brochure, East Bay and San Joaquin Valley groups of native Americans met this area for trading.

Until I came to the U.S., I know little about native Americans. I am not a really big fan of history at school, however, it is interesting to learn Native American histories. A lot of mountains, national parks, forests, local trails are related to Native American histories and it can't be separated. 

Most Bay Area hiking trails are related to California Indian history. One of National Parks in Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is all about dwelling of Native Americans. I would like to write about those trips on another occasion on this blog.

After I moved to New England, I think back winter in the Bay Area is NOTHING. It is just chilly. Of course Sierra has severe winter and snow, but Bay Area hiking is pleasant for all round year. 

カリフォルニア・イーストベイの公園、ランドバレー・リージョナルプリザーブ。イーストベイのウォルナッツクリークという街、マウントディアブロの東ににある公園だ。ウォルナッツクリークはイーストベイの高級住宅街。大きな家に素敵なトレイルがすぐそばにある。。。羨ましいものだ。

私はここのトレイルが大好き。イーストベイ特有のローリングヒルズ、散らばった木々、広いトレイル。冬は茶色、春は緑に全体が染まる。その変わり方はすごい。イーストベイの夏は蒸し暑い。イーストベイがベイエリアの中で一番変化に富んだ場所かもしれない。

もう一つイーストベイの特徴は家畜の牛が公園で放牧されていること。時々、牛がトレイルに立ってたりして面白い。まあハイカーが近づいて行くと普通は逃げるがたまに逃げないヤツもいる。

さらにもう一つ、ここはかつてはネイティブアメリカンがいたところ。ほとんどのベイエリアのハイキングの場所はネイティブアメリカンが住んでいたところだ。ここは イーストベイのトライブとサンジョキアンバレーのトライブが時々あって物々交換などをしていたと考えられている。

アメリカの国立公園や森、山などはほとんどが元々はネイティブアメリカンが住んでいたところが多い。ベイエリアもそうだし、例えばコロラドにあるメサバーデ国立公園はネイティブアメリカンの住居跡をフィーチャーした公園だ。いつかメサバーデに行った旅もブログで書きたいと思う。

ベイエリアにも一応冬はあるが、ニューイングランドに来てから思うと、厳寒とは言い難い。。もちろんシエラは厳寒だが。