A Unique Botanical Treasure Huckleberry
On the most barren “rises” or rocky knolls, However, the unusual edaphics of this shale/chert silky catkins in late December. The rare western Botanic Regional Preserve brittleleaf manzanita and pallid manzanita uckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve condition will greatly slow this successional leatherwood dangles golden blooms in early January, dominate. These manzanitas, process. Just how long it takes for the and the pink-flowering currant displays pink blooms OAKLAND is an ecological jewel. The native plant particularly the former, are the community found here is seen nowhere early stages of its succession to develop somewhat later. Creamy-white and pinkish floral East Bay Regional Park District H true shrubby pioneers of these into the latent stages, no one knows for sprays of creambush, and ripening thimbleberries else in the East Bay and represents a relic plant 2950 Peralta Oaks Court knolls, and actually require sure. These early successional stages, appear from May through July. The bush monkey association found only in certain areas in California these barren sites for Oakland, CA 94605 where ideal soil and climatic conditions exist. or the presence of these unique flower’s orange, funnel-shaped blossom contrasts ebparks.org their continued health chaparral species, are the basis against the silvery-gray foliage and sky blue blossoms The vegetation association of this Preserve finds and survival. Tel: 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 for the Preserve. of the silver bush lupine. Late summer and fall bring For callers that have hearing or speech disability, its roots in past climates and geologic history. The Preserve’s location due ripening huckleberries and the red-berried clusters The plants originated in the distant past along the An unusual feature of the Preserve call 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service. east of the Golden Gate, with is the year-round display of plants in of the Pacific madrone. southern coast of California when the climate was resulting exposure to winter rain N ORINDA O D Y
bloom. The rare pallid manzanita As winter approaches, the bare twigs of deciduous . A N
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R A more moist and tempered by the cool coastal fog. R and summer fog, results in cool, is clothed in clusters of small, shrubs emerge with hints of new life as young leaves 24 C ROAD Today, similar vegetation is found on the islands FISH moist conditions which aid in Huckleberry URST white- to rose-tinged, urn- unravel and silken catkins glisten in the morning RANCHR Botanic Reg. PINEH off the Santa Barbara coast and in isolated pockets WILDCAT CYN. OAD Sibley natural succession in which Volcanic Preserve Reinhardt Redwood Tilden Regional Park shaped flowers as early as dew. There is an endless array of color and form RK DR. BL. Preserve on the mainland coast from Point Conception S. PA
S Roberts plant species thrive for a time BOTANIC KY . L November. Coast silktassel in leaves, twigs, flowers, and fruits year-round INE D Regional D BL. PEAK R SKYLINE GARDEN to Montara Mountain south of San Francisco. R Rec. Area
Claremont E N BL.
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but are gradually replaced by GRIZZL Y O P
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is adorned with long, draping along the Huckleberry Interpretive Loop Trail. N I
H S D Preserve A U R ROAD
BART E Huckleberry Preserve has a year-round display C Q R L other species. In this way, the A IL D BERKELEY JO M O 13 WO CLAREMONT AV. D of blossoming plants, many rare to the East Bay. Temescal L E
I R AV. manzanitas eventually succumb to OXFORD N PARK TELEGRAPH AV. Reg.Rec. C SHA TTUCK AV. AV. O Area Y A L N Stroll along the narrow, winding self-guided other species such as huckleberry, W D TERR.
A OAKLAND BL.
Brittleleaf manzanita 35TH O MORAGA Huckleberry Interpretive Loop Trail to explore the silktassel, and chinquapin. R GR B A HIGH All botanic illustrations courtesy of the Jepson Herbarium, UC Berkeley N BROAD WAY D FRUITV ALE AV.
A heartland of the Preserve. Many plants that you V . All this time, and in the absence of fire, leaf and ST. AV. NIVERSITY AV.SAN ASHBY PABLO AV. AV. encounter are usually confined to the immediate branch litter is deposited, soil development U SE STAY 13 north coast region. Notable here are the dense Help Protect and Preserve PLEA 580 Lake ST. 880 becomes richer and deeper, and each succeeding Merritt E. 14TH McLaughlin thickets of shrubby chaparral, including species such L HIGH ST. species’ leaf canopy continues to develop upward, ON TRAI Eastshore State Park AV. as coast huckleberry, coast silktassel, and chinquapin. eventually shading over and killing the previous 980 PARK ST. Please enjoy your Regional Parks safely, and help us GRAND species. Over time, this succession – a natural 61 WEBSTER ALAMEDA The unusual geology of the Preserve, belonging protect and preserve your parklands by complying North 880 to the Claremont shale/chert formation, owes its part of the evolution of California’s landscape – 80 ENCINAL AV. with park rules and regulations. AV. 0 1 2 Miles McKAY CENTRAL Crown Beach
AV. Photo: Jerry Ting origin to the stratified skeletal, siliceous remains of will progress toward oak/bay forest, in which bay & Crab Cove Rev.20200720 microscopic diatoms and radiolaria, interspersed laurels and live oaks move into the chaparral areas Safety and Etiquette Rules with thin bands of shale. This formation was laid to shade out the chamise and manzanitas. • Stay on trails. Taking shortcuts can be dangerous Visitors are responsible for knowing and complying To Reach Huckleberry: down in a deep ocean basin, solidified and later In the past, fire played an important role in and causes erosion. with park rules (Ordinance 38), available online 7087 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94611 uplifted and exposed to erosion probably about maintaining the early, pioneer stages of this • Carry and drink plenty of water. Dehydration at ebparks.org/rules. 12 million years ago. Today it is exposed as hard, successional process. An adaptation to fire by these From Highway 24 in Oakland, take the Fish is a leading cause of injuries on the trail. • Dogs and horses are not allowed but they can pass brittle bands of interbedded chert and shale. “pioneering” chaparral species are the swollen Ranch Road exit just east of the Caldecott Tunnel. through Huckleberry on the Skyline National Trail. Continue .8 miles to Grizzly Peak Blvd. Turn Besides the extremely poor water holding capacity basal trunks, or burls, from which new healthy • Be prepared for sudden weather change conditions. left and go 2.4 miles on Grizzly Peak to Skyline of this soil due to its fractured and gravelly texture, shoots sprout prolifically and develop into maturity • Bicycling, camping, wading and/or swimming • Trails can be slippery, rocky and steep. Proceed Boulevard. Turn left and drive approximately one- the nutrient values are low relative to other in the years following a fire. Other species of this is not allowed. carefully at your own risk. half mile to the park entrance on the left, past local soils. This unusual edaphic (soil-influenced) chaparral community will re-seed themselves in the • Wildlife may be present on the trails. Feeding • Alcoholic beverages are not permitted within 50 Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. condition favors pioneering chaparral species burn sites. This early pioneer plant succession will or approaching wildlife is dangerous and illegal. feet of roadways or parking lots, or in posted areas. and precludes the immediate intrusion develop toward maturity, and the whole process of Public Transit: Call AC Transit to plan your trip of other local species. species replacement will continue until fire returns. • Keep the park beautiful. Pack out what you pack in. by dialing 511 or see 511.org. 1300 C D o n Interpretive Loop Trail IN HUCKLEBERRY C tr o a A Hiking s REGIONAL BOTANIC PRESERVE. C ta Photo: John Rush John Photo: o S Skyline National Trail / u K n Interlude: D ty Y SIBLEY N L Bay Area Ridge Trail / Anza Trail O R. D D T I 1200 R A N ELVE la VOLCANIC D m E Hikers & Horses Only – No Bikes Botanic C o e except passing through on the u d REGIONAL n a o le t Hikers & Horses Only – No Bikes Stops along Skyline National Trail. y HUCKLEBERRY
BLVD. PRESERVE DOGS MUST BE UNDER VOICE 1100 S BOTANIC Hikers Only – No Bikes or Horses the self-guided 1300 K CONTROL AT ALL TIMES. B Y A A L .12 HORSES MUST STAY N Y I REGIONAL Mileage Between Points N Huckleberry Z A ON THE SKYLINE TRAIL. E A
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N T E PRESERVE Paved Road
Interpretive R 21 A A 1000 A T R 21 tart o the I IO Stops on Interpretive Loop Trail Loop Trail .32 San L LeandroID N nter ret e G A E L T oo ra l T R Parking The self-guided 1000 RA A Dogs and horses are not IL IL .05 1200 Restroom Huckleberry Interpretive 20 L Creek 1000 allowed but they can pass North Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) le err 1 OW Loop Trail is a 1.7-mile Water ER through Huckleberry on the Information Panel tag ng rea U H P U .43 Skyline National Trail. loop. Allow two hours P C EBE SIBLEY E KL 20200720 Rev. Gate R R to hike the loop and read Interpretive Panels V .44 RY VOLCANIC I 1400 H .12 900 FPO V L L IL L UC O 0 1/8 1/4 Mi. LA A KL O REGIONAL the numbered botanic . N E O NO B 1100 WER PIN 1. Pink-flowering 10. Jimbrush R VA E P O E V L H D R T ContourPRESERVE interval 20 feet A .15 interpretive panels. U Currant (Ribes (Ceanothus sorediatus) 2 R R .08
A L R
1300Y . S T N T
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If you prefer a less 11. Canyon Live Oak N O R. A O P
R T 19 Z R SIBLEY VOLCANIC 2. Ocean Spray (Quercus chrysolepis) T .
strenuous trail, skip the N H ower A 5 (Holodiscus discolor) W 4 1000 REGIONAL PRESERVE loop’s descent into the 12. California Bay M O neh rst OD 3. Pallid Manzanita (Umbellularia californica) CT. MA ra lhead N 17 bay forest. Just take the 6 7 PINE Z 18 HURST (Arctostaphylos 11 RD. 13. Douglas Iris SKYLINE BLVD. A Upper Huckleberry Loop 1200 pallida) N 8 .03 (Iris douglasiana) I T Trail following panels A DR. Contra Costa County 10 16 4. Chinquipin 9 15 14. Manzanita Barren ARR 1300 one-through-15, O Alameda County (Chrysolepis W 14 OR l ne at onal ra l To Moraga Habitat H 12 T E .56 C then return. chrysophylla var. E A a rea900 dge ra l 15. Manzanitas Barren D .03 N minor) H POLICE, FIRE, N n a ra l O DR. CO .11 5. Brittleleaf Manzanita 16. Bay Trees Take Over M MEDICAL EMERGENCY 9-1-1 13 Park Stats EW G .22 .38 (Arctostaphylos O LE • Year opened: 1973 17. Wood Fern O NCEBRPD Headquarters 1-888-EBPARKS 1100 D OU crustacea) (Dryopteris arguta) R U • Acres: 240 D T R Park Office D 1-888-327-2757, opt. 3, ext. 4532 P .35 . R P • Access to the 6. Manzanita Burl 18. Fern Species . E TRA R P ST IL TDDHOMEGLEN LN. 510-633-0460 I R 15+-mile-long NEHU 7. Intermediate 19. Western Sword Fern O A K L A N D Delta de Anza Trail. Successional Stage (Polystichum munitum) • Originally acquired er 8. Coast Huckleberry 20. California Hazelnut The Regional Parks Foundation offers 1000 HUCKLEBERRY to connect the neh rst
(Vaccinium ovatum) MembershipsSARONI to park users. Bene ts include .18 (Corylus californica) KY ra lhead Skyline National free parking, swimming, and dog entry, with S LIN BOTANIC REGIONAL E 9. Western Trail from Sibley 21. Pacific Madrone discounts on camping, shing, admission, B D DR. S L A H ANY V PRESERVE to Redwood Leatherwood (Arbutus menziesii) and more. For information, call 510-544-2220 E C O D H E D . W PHER N regional parks. (Dirca occidentalis) or see RegionalParksFoundation.org. RO R AR D.