Wildcat Canyon’s Rifle Range Road Trail Access Point Reopened

EL CERRITO, CA — The East Bay Regional Park District has temporally reopened the Rifle Range Road Trail Access Point at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park. At the Park District’s request, the City of Richmond recently completed water diversion repairs allowing the trail to be reopened on a temporary basis while a long-term solution is evaluated. The access point has been closed since Spring 2016 due to a landslide.

Public Safety is the Park District’s top priority. The access point remained closed while Park District staff and consulting engineers worked to identify options to safely reopen the trail connection. The trail had been deemed unsafe by Park District staff and geotechnical consultants.

“I’m thrilled we are able to reopen the Rifle Range Road trail,” said East Bay Regional Park District Director Whitney Dotson. “It provides a much used and much needed access point to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.”

“The trail system offers tremendous opportunities for protecting our health and places to exercise,” added Director Dotson.

Wildcat Canyon Regional Park encompasses 2,427 acres along the Wildcat Creek watershed and the surrounding hills and ridges. Easy access from the busy cities of the East Bay makes Wildcat Canyon a popular place for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and those looking for a quiet place to spend an afternoon.

“The Park District understands the trail closure was inconvenient for park users,” said Wildcat Canyon Park Supervisor Patrick McIntyre. “Many relied on the access point for daily exercise and time in nature.”

“The Park District is happy to announce the reopening of this important park access point,” added McIntyre.

In November 2017, to help address the issue, the Park District entered into an agreement with the cities of Richmond and El Cerrito to commission a geotechnical investigative report to assess the causation of the landslide and provide recommendations for repairing it.

The Park District continues to work with all parties to find a long-term solution. The location has a long history of landslides going back to development of the neighboring residential community in the 1970s.

For more information about Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, visit www.ebparks.org.

--Announcement from East Bay Regional Park District; Image via Shutterstock