WELCOME—Augustin Bernal Community Park is a 237- WARNINGS!—The trails of Augustin Bernal Community Park AUGUSTIN BERNAL COMMUNITY PARK Augustin BernAl acre open space community park in the City of Pleasanton offer outstanding opportunities to study California ecology in its Longview Dr offering outdoor recreation and educational opportunities for natural setting, but when hiking in the park be aware of certain Bernal Ave. Golden Eagle visitors of all ages and abilities. Located on the top and east plants and wildlife. Way . Community PArk face of Pleasanton Ridge, the park provides hiking, biking and Staging Area Entrance equestrian trails with spectacular views, plus opportunities to Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversiloba) is very and Parking Gate explore a vestigial landscape that is disappearing in California. common in the park. In open areas, it grows T R A I L M A P North Sharing large sections of its west, south and north boundaries as a dense, leafy shrub. Where it is shaded, it Foothill Rd. with East Bay Regional Park District’s Pleasanton Ridge becomes a tall climbing vine, often entwin- I-680 Regional Park, the park protects a valuable portion of the ing around trees to considerable heights. Its Castlewood Dr ACCESS— ridge and also secures a link in a “necklace of green,” nearly leaves are divided into three leaflets, the edges Augustin Bernal encircling San Francisco Bay. of which are scalloped, lobed or toothed. The Community Park may foliage may turn bright orange or scarlet in the . be accessed from the Golden HISTORY­­—Once part of Golden Eagle Ranch, Augustin fall. The branches are bare in winter and may Eagle Staging Area and Parking Lot. Bernal Community Park was granted to the City of Pleasanton be hard to identify but will still cause poison oak rash. Learn The Staging Area is at the upper end of Golden Eagle Way in 1971 by Walter S. Johnson, a noted philanthropist and to identify and avoid it, as the oil from the leaves and stems can past the control gate of the Golden Eagle Farms residential industrialist who was known for his generous support of the irritate the skin. development. Visitors must present a permit card at the Palace of Fine Arts restoration in San Francisco. When he control gate, available during regular business hours from the donated the land to the City, he did so with the understanding Rattlesnakes belong in Augus- Pleasanton Community Services office. Pedestrian access (no that it be maintained and operated for public park and tin Bernal Community Park permit required) is located from the north side of the park by recreational purposes in perpetuity. The park is named for the and are an important part of the Longview Drive cul-de-sac; however, parking is limited Spanish settler, Augustin Bernal, who held the original land the ecology. The rattlesnake to the lower south side of Longview Drive. Pedestrian access grant for the property. species found is the Western is also possible from both the northern and southern gates of (Crotalus oreganus), subspe- East Bay Regional Park District’s Ridgeline Trail. VEGETATION AND HABITAT—To experience Augustin cies, Northern Pacific (Crotalus Bernal Community Park is to learn about the varied oreganus oreganus). Rattlesnakes are found from below sea level PARK RULES landscapes that can occur side-by-side on a typical site in to above 11,000 feet; they give birth to live young which are • The park is open during daylight hours. California. On the steeper north-facing portions of the capable of biting and injecting venom at birth. The chance of park, there are mixed oak woodlands with Coyote Brush and • Dogs must be leashed at all times in any picnic area, encountering a rattlesnake is slight; however, caution is always gathering site, parking lot or paved roadway of the park. Poison Oak. On the south-facing hillsides, there are large necessary. Rattlesnakes are active during the warm months; they areas of dense chaparral vegetation consisting of Coffeeberry, are timid and will not strike unless feeling threatened. Stay on • Dogs may be off leash in undeveloped areas of the park, provided the dog is under the control of the person Monkey Flower, Toyon and Chamise. Along the ridgeline, the trails and scan the ground in front of you when walking to avoid responsible for the dog. woodland thins out to a savannah featuring annual grasses and surprise. Remember, during hot days, rattlesnakes may well be scattered oak groves. Because much of the park escaped the • No fires, fireworks, firearms or other weapons are active in the evening and at night. permitted in the park. damages of grazing animals, many native species still remain such as the large patches of California Fescue, a native bunch The Western Black-legged Tick is the only • No alcoholic beverages are permitted in the park. grass. As for seasonal color, visitors will enjoy the many native tick of the 49 species occurring in California • Do not remove or damage any tree, plant, or other natural wildflowers such as Baby Blue Eyes, Chinese Houses, and that is known to transmit Lyme disease. materials found in the park. Shooting Star. Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete (a • Do not remove or harm any bird or animal, either wild or spiral-shaped bacterium) that may persist in domesticated, in the park. VIEWS—Views provided from the park are not to be the human body for several years if not • No overnight camping is allowed in the park, unless understated. From the high points along the ridgetop are Actual properly treated with antibiotics. In specially permitted by the Community Services Director. Size distant views to Sunol, Mission Peak and Ohlone Wilderness California, a low percentage of the ticks You are responsible for obeying all park rules. For a areas. Looking to the west, visitors can see sweeping vistas of tested are infected with the Lyme disease spirochete. Adult ticks complete copy of the City of Pleasanton Municipal Code, Kilkare Canyon and the east side of Sunol Ridge. From the are most commonly found from December through June. This Chapter 13.08, Parks and Recreation Facilities, contact the Valley View Trail views are framed through branches of Oak tick can be found on grasses and brush – they do not fly, jump Community Services Department at (925) 931-5340 or go to and Buckeye to the Livermore-Amador Valley with Mount or drop from trees. www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us. Diablo serving as a backdrop. To Pleasanton Ridge Park / East Bay Regional Park GATE 0 N 0 Augustin Bernal 5 .06 1 1 4 L 0 EQUESTRIAN TRAIL I 0 A 0 00 50 14 1 R 1 5 .35 T Community Park 0 0 NE 0 LI 0 E 3 G 1 ID R 0 1 0 3 2 0 1 Park Maintenance 931-5565 0 EMERGENCY 911 0 0 1 1 1 5 .27 0 0 V AL 0 L 0 Pleasanton residents must show identication E 0 Y 1 V IEW TRAIL at the control gate. Non-residents and visitors with .01 AIL .42 IL TR A L horse trailers must present a (no fee) permit card R L T E .08 O N N at the control gate. Permits are available during LI K E G AK ID BLUE O IL R 5 A 0 regular business hours from the 3 R 0 . .45 T 9 .6 To Longview Drive .25 0 6 N 0 O Pleasanton Community Services oce, 1 Y 5 5 0 1 0 O T .31 200 Old Bernal Avenue; or at IL A VIEW TR 0 12 AIL 0 Alviso Adobe Community Park, . R EY 8 BLUE OAK T LL L VA KNOLL L 3465 Old Foothill Road, O N 0 K 0 3 L Wednesday through Sunday, K 1 LONG I 0 A VI A 0 T B EW TR 7 H LU O from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. E 15 E R 00 .41 0 L M 0 I .18 A 2 A L 1 IT R O T . Y VIEW 0 T LE 8 R L A A I L 00 V 11 0 0 4 1 IL .2 PARRAL TRA 9 A CH 0 .07 0 0 1 13 00 LEGEND TRAIL MILES Longview Trail Multipurpose Trails .59 (Hikers, Bicycles, Horses, .4 9 Service & Emergency Vehicles) Golden Eagle Trail .49 1200 Hikers Only Valley View Trail 1.61 (Chaparral & Toyon Trails) 1100 Chaparral Trail .29 Equestrian Trail To Pleasanton Ridge Park / East Bay Regional Park Regional / East Bay Ridge Park Pleasanton To (Horses and Hikers) Toyon Trail .31 E TRAI L L .18 G Mileage Between Points A Ridgeline Trail .66 E N E LD Equestrian Trail O .35 G R Restroom P Parking Gate Blue Oak Knoll Trail .47 Drinking Fountain Horse Trough Vista Points GATE G O L Golden Eagle Staging D E Staging N Trail distance labels are in fractions of a mile. Area to Blue Oak Knoll E A Area G Y Elevation shown in 20’ contour intervals. via Valley View Trail 2.23 LE WA ± 0 is route has an 750’ 0 8 R P elevation gain Feet 0 250 500 1,000 Concept & Design by Sierra Graphics Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks..