Butterfly, 'Secret Wilderness': Contra Costa Photos Of The Week

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Tami Reckler-Smith sent in two breathtaking photos she took last weekend, May 16-17, at scenic Briones Regional Park.

The East Bay Regional Park District describes Briones as a 6,255-acre "secret wilderness surrounded by the towns of central Contra Costa County." Although the park is close to Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord and Martinez, there are peaks within it from which one can see only park and watershed lands for miles in every direction, EBRPD says.

These photos were taken from the Pleasant Hill vantage point, at the base of Lafayette Ridge Trail across from Acalanes High School, Tami wrote in an email to Patch.

Thanks so much, Tami, for sharing these lovely shots with your fellow Patch readers! Contra Costa residents are fortunate to have access to open space such as this.

It's Your Shot: Pictures You Take and We Share

Have you got the next incredible photo/s? If you have an awesome photo —or two, or three!— of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch, we'd love to feature it on Patch. We're looking for high-resolution images that reflect the beauty that is the East Bay, and that show off your unique talents.

So, bring 'em on. No selfies. Not here.

Send your photos to autumn.johnson@patch.com and we'll post the feature on an occasional basis. Or — post it to the Neighbor Posts section of your local Patch and we'll feature it up top. Be sure to also include when and where the shot was taken and any other details about what was going on.