Briones Regional Park: A Wildlife Hub

Among the dozens of East Bay Regional Parks there are a handful for which critters and creatures seems to have a greater affinity. Usually boasting many acres, these parks give larger animals like deer, coyotes and bobcats ample land to hunt and make their home. Briones Regional Park is one such place: over 6,000 acres teeming with large, small, winged, scaled and furry wildlife.

Briones is accessible from Highway 24 and has five different staging areas, from Lafayette to Martinez. To get to the Bear Creek Staging Area (one of the larger parking areas), take the Orinda/Camino Pablo exit (just east of the Caldecott Tunnel) and head north. Turn right on Bear Creek Road and follow it for about five miles to the staging area, which will be on the right.

Any staging point will work, though, and you can take a look at a park map to decide which one is best for you. Once you have a map, you can also trace your route. With so many trails it’s not hard to plan out your own loop, so you don’t traverse back over the same stretch of trail twice. Just keep in mind that the terrain here is largely composed of dips and rises, so be careful to limit your miles.

The park’s intricate web of trails are generally wide and well-maintained, with most allowing dogs, bikes and horses. (Signs indicate areas where dogs must be on-leash.) Whether you traverse by foot, hoof or tire, just be sure to take your time and absorb your surroundings. Oftentimes deer, squirrels, snakes, tarantulas and other creatures hang out just off the path, offering a rewarding sight to the observant.  

A wide variety of birds is another perk of Briones, so look to the sky and up in the trees as well. Red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures can often be seen circling overhead, and a plethora of smaller birds stick closer to the ground.

In the rainy season, newts travel to the park's lagoons to breed, and park naturalists lead "newt walks" for visitors. Cattle sometimes graze in the park; it's best to leave them to their own devices.

Being so large, this is the kind of park that you need to visit several times before you really see it all. It’s worth coming back to, if even just in hopes of seeing some elusive wildlife like a bobcat. The terrain varies enough so that you aren’t always just walking over rolling hills either. Parts of the park are shrouded by forests of shady trees, while others are in the middle of open grassland. Several streams, lagoons and mountain peaks can also serve as focal destinations on any hike.

Briones Regional Park has too much to offer for me to point you toward one specific area. That’s why I invite you to grab a map and explore. You really can’t go wrong as all sections of Briones are beautiful for different reasons. Chances are you will encounter some interesting wildlife along the way, making it an outing to remember.

At a Glance:

Briones Regional Park
Address: 2537 Reliez Valley Rd., Martinez
Hours: 8 a.m.-sunset
Best time to visit: Preferably when the temperature is under 90 degrees; usually hot during summer and early fall
Cost: $3 when kiosk is attended (usually only weekends), $2 dog fee
Great for: Hiking, biking, dog walking, horseback riding
Could be better if: You encounter some wildlife