The Hobbit Tree in Sycamore Grove Park

“Teapot view” of Hobbit Tree

The Hobbit Tree is an old sycamore tree in Livermore's Sycamore Grove Park.You can get to the tree by walking for about half a mile from the park's Wetmore Road Entrance on Arroyo del Valle Regional Trail to the trail's junction with Olivina Trail. The Hobbit Tree stands between the trail and the streambed. The site includes two benches.

Doorway and hole of Hobbit Tree

The hollowed-out sycamore houses various creatures. Hobbit-size humans find it easy to walk inside the tree through a narrow doorway or slide down to there through the oval hole. I found myself tall enough to simply look through the hole. Doing this from the Arroyo del Valle side, I got a peekhole view of the grasslands and the hills that backdrop the Olivina Winery ruins—historic structures, but younger than the Hobbit Tree. 

In a recent Bay Nature article, Sylvia V. Linsteadt shares her Hobbit Tree knowledge and discoveries:

I stopped on the Olivina Trail to visit an old sycamore known to park personnel and visitors as “the hobbit tree.” It's not hard to see why—from the outside, the tree resembles a fantastical teapot with a window, and what's more, it's partially hollow, with an arching doorway that opens into the tree's interior. Someone placed a stump just inside, and I sat there for a long time, looking up into the sycamore's hollow trunk, into darkness, trying to imagine the life of such a tree, roots down in the alluvial gravel of the old Arroyo del Valle, tall branches clattering in the breeze and home to countless birds, insects, and mammals. 

Reference and more about Sycamore Grove Park

Sylvia V. Linsteadt: Western sycamores speak of an older California. Bay Nature Oct. - Dec. 2017, 16-20+52.  Link: baynature.org/article/western-sycamores-speak-older-california.

Sycamore Grove Park south of Livermore, California

A sycamore with a view: Hobbit Tree peekhole

Sycamore Grove Park is a small semi-urban park surrounded by neighborhoods, wineries and orchards. The ruins of the old Olivina Winery can be found within this open-space park with its many loop trails. Hiking, bicycling and horseback riding trails traverse sycamore and oak woodland as well as grasslands. Unpaved roads and single-track paths over hilly landscape offer varying vistas of the valleys and mountains of the Diablo Range, including the Mt. Diablo Summit and North Peak north of Livermore. If you enjoy relaxing in riparian habitat, you may just want to stroll along the trails on either side of the willow-lined Arroyo del Valle, which runs through the park.

Sycamore bark patchwork

The park is named for California's native western sycamore trees that you can explore on the brookside plains. Platanus racemosa (family Platanaceae) trees grow over 100 feet (35 m) tall. Trunks commonly divide in two or more strong trunks. The bark typically builds a patchwork of white, gray and beige layers. Older and darker bark slowly peels away.
 

Arroyo del Valle seen from Magpie Loop Trail

The Hobbit Tree, a hollow tree with a look-through hole, is the most popular sycamore in the park and a fun site for photo shoots. Sylvia Linsteadt explains that western sycamore trees can live for hundreds of years and that the oldest tree sprouted in what is now Sycamore Grove Park some 300 years ago [1]. Describing the grand old sycamores amid flat grassland on either side of the Arroyo del Valle streambed, she writes about the once common, now rare sycamore alluvial woodlands in California:

Such wide, graveled banks are a classic feature of sycamore alluvial woodland, and they're integral to the tree's health and longevity. A distinct and vital ecosystem in California, sycamore alluvial woodland is characterized by summer-dry streambeds that branch and braid out through the sandbars, silt, and gravel beds deposited by winter rains and floods. [...]. Livermoore's Sycamore Grove Park is among the few preserved alluvial woodlands left in the East Bay, and as such it provides us a window into an older California.    

The flooding that occurred during the 2016/2017 winter rains hopefully boosted the revival and healthy growth of those sycamores that had been damaged in drought years.


Getting there
Sycamore Grove Park has two main entrances (a few miles south from downtown Livermore): the Wetmore Road entrance at the park's northwest end and the Arroyo Road entrance at the southeast side, not very far from the Del Valle Regional Park entrance.

Wetmore Road Entrance

To get to the Wetmore entrance, drive west (best on 1st Street) from downtown Livermore to get on Holmes Street. The latter takes you south and continues as Vallecitos Road. Turn left on Wetmore Road and, after 0.3 miles, find the park entrance to your right.
To get to the Arroyo entrance, drive south on S L Street from downtown Livermore. S L Street continues as Arroyo Road. After passing the Arroyo Road/Wetmore Road junction with the historic Olivina Gate, follow Arroyo Road for another 1.5 miles and find the park entrance and ranger station to your right across the Wente Vineyards.

Ruins of the old Olivina Winery

References and more to explore

[1] Sylvia V. Linsteadt: Western sycamores speak of an older California. Bay Nature Oct. - Dec. 2017, 16-20+52.  Link: baynature.org/article/western-sycamores-speak-older-california.
[2] Livermore Area Recreation & Park District: www.larpd.org/open_space/sycamore.html.

Grass Lake Trail: from Lily Lake to Grass Lake in the Desolation Wilderness

 Grass Lake

From the Glen Alpine trailhead at the north side of Lily Lake, a westbound gravel road leads past private cabins and decaying buildings to the Glen Alpine Springs Historical Site, located one mile from the trailhead. Interpretive displays explain the history of the site and illustrate how its resort structures once looked. 

At a junction 1.6 miles from the trailhead, Glen Alpine Trail continues northwest to Mt. Tallac, Half Moon Lake and Susie Lake, while the 1.1-mile-long Grass Lake Trail veers southwest to Grass Lake. Soon you will leave the riparian forest into a more open, glacial granite landscape with scattered conifers. At one point, you need to cross Glen Alpine Creek. A log across the creek comes in convenient to hold on in case the step-rocks are slippery.

Fractured rock structure near Grass Lake

Beyond this crossing, the single-track trail remains its gentle uphill path through small canyons and around fractured granite structures, occasionally covered with pinemat manzanita or with a few trees on top. The granite scenery continues at Grass Lake. Although the lake has some shallow corners with grass growing on its shore, the overall appearance of the lake is dominated by the granite rocks and cliffs surrounding it.

Getting to the Glen Alpine trailhead

The trailhead is located at the end of a narrow, paved one-lane road south of the Tallac Historic Site. From Highway 89 (about one mile west of Camp Richardson), turn onto Fallen Leaf Lake Road. Follow the road along the entire length of Fallen Leaf Lake. Be prepared to stop to let oncoming traffic pass. Also watch for pedestrians, bicyclists and dogs, especially while passing  the lakeside homes and cabins. Past the fire station at the far end of the lake (about 4.5 miles south of Hwy 89), follow the road as it winds uphill. Find parking after crossing a bridge over Glen Alpine Creek.  

Glen Alpine Creek waterfall between Lily Lake and Glen Alpine Springs

Majestic Oaks Trail: a short trail through the oak forest of Caswell Memorial State Park

Oak forest of Caswell Memorial State Park in California's Central Valley

Majestic Oaks Trail is a short hiking trail through dense oak forest. This less-than-a-half-mile-long trail connects with Fenceline Trail and Gray Fox Trail and intersects with River Bend Trail in Caswell Memorial State Park, California. Some of the majestic valley oak trees in the park are said to be more than 60 feet tall and can have a circumference of up to 17 feet. Wild grapevine is taking over the underbrush—and in many places is trying to reach for the higher branchwork as well.

The spreading oak forest canopy is amazing. You are in an oak jungle. To appreciate the size of a single valley oak, see the broad-crowned oak tree in the Cosumnes River Preserve, another small Central Valley park, in which old valley oak trees are preserved and new ones are planted to keep the Valley alive with valley oak.

Caswell Memorial State Park: shaded trails through an ancient forest

Wild grapevine drapings in Caswell Memorial State Park

Caswell Memorial State Park is a preserve of riparian woodland six miles southwest of the city of Ripon in San Joaquin County in California's Central Valley. The east- and south-side boundary of the park is the meandering Stanislaus River with its bends and sand beaches.

Grapevine branches hanging over Gray Fox Trail

The riverside park stands as an example for a mature oak riparian forests; now rare, but once much more prominent in the valley landscape. The most striking feature of the park is the ancient forest —actually, most of the preserve consists of dense forest. Tall oak and cottonwood trees grow here, many of which have been conquered by wild grapevines with hanging and swinging branches. Numerous shaded trails loop around interesting forest sites and some provide access to vista points alongside the Stanislaus River.

River Bend Trail vista: Stanislaus River at river bend

The riparian ecosystem is teeming with wildlife. Racoons, foxes, skunks, weasels and squirrels live here. The smaller riparian brush rabbits and riparian wood rats have their burrows or nests in the thick understory—hidden, but still not completely safe from predators. Jordan Summers writes about these small mammals [1]:

Sitting at the bottom of the food chain, they are meals for raptors such as great horned owls, osprey, and Swainson's hawks; they are also on the menu of all the mammals listed above; and they are even taken by snakes. No wonder they live in seclusion.

Park history

The plaque at the park entrance says that Caswell Memorial State Park was donated in memory of Thomas Caswell (1843-1921), early day rancher and humanitarian, and his sons Wallace Caswell and Henry Caswell. The park brochure shows a picture of Thomas Caswell on his Modesto ranch and provides further details:

Seven hundred acres [2.833 km²] of riparian forest along the river were purchased by Thomas Caswell, a farm equipment manufacturer and rancher, in 1915. In 1950 the Caswell family created a legacy for the people of California by donating 134 acres [0.542 km²] of forest to be preserved as a state park, so future generations might experience the valley in its original natural state.

Getting to Caswell MSP

The park address is: Caswell Memorial State Park, 28000 South Austin Road, Ripon, CA 95366. Phone: (209) 599-3810.
From downtown Ripon head west on West Ripon Road. Turn left on Austin Road and drive south. The road leads into the state park. An entry fee has to be paid at the kiosk. After continuing for less than half a mile on the shaded road to its dead-end, the parking lot, rest rooms and picnic tables are found on the left side.

References and more to explore

[1] Jordan Summers: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles, Sacramento. Menasha Ridge Press, Birmingham, AL, 2008.
[2] Caswell Memorial State Park. Links: Website and Park Brochure.
[3] Campground map of Caswell Memorial State Park. Link: https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/557/files/CaswellMemorialSP_CampMap021015.pdf.

River Walk Trail in Cosumnes River Preserve

Cosumnes River, Central Valley, California

The Cosumnes River Walk in the Cosumnes River Preserve includes trails along the Middle Slough and loop trails with access to the Cosumnes River. The trails will lead you through grasslands and riparian forest. You are invited to combine various trail loops into your overall path. If you are headed to what is called “The Point”—a scenic place from where you can see the Cosumnes River and the entrance to Tihuechemne Slough— your round trip will be at least three miles long. A Nature Trail Guide with a trail map is available at the visitor center

From the preserve's visitor center your walk will start like the Wetlands Walk over the bridge with the beautiful, often overlooked plaque illustrations of animals and plants. Instead of turning left for the Wetlands Walk, turn right to stroll south alongside Middle Slough. The water in the slough may look stagnant, but, since it is connected with San Francisco Bay via the Delta waterways, it has a slow in-and-out flow: Middle Slough is a tidal slough influenced by the bay tides.

The Guide features many points of interest including the majestic valley oak, growing in the oak savannah to the left of the tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad. You'll find a variety of other plants such as live oak (less common to the preserve), willow, native and non-native blackberry, wild California rose, Santa Barbara sedge, cattails—and, yes, poison oak.

Long, flat, green blades of Santa Barbara sedge

Leaves of three, let it be!

Alongside the Cosumnes River you will find a few points with small openings in the riparian forest enabling riverside bird-watching. Seasonally, great blue herons and egrets roost and feed here. The visitor center handout with the title Cosumnes River Preserve describes the origin of the eponymous river as follows:

Just over 80 miles long, the Cosumnes River begins in the great Sierra Nevada mountains, deep in El Dorado National Forest. Its head waters rest at an elevation of 7,600 feet and the river is fueled mostly by rain runoff and some snowmelt. The three forks of the Cosumnes flow through lush conifer forests and tumble over the huge rocks of granite canyons. As the river drops into the drier foothill environment, it coalesces into one channel. Oaks and gray pines dominate the landscape.

In the Central Valley the river slows its flow and feeds the aquifer below. Less than a mile away from the preserve's slough and river trails, the water of the Cosumnes River joins that of the Mokelumne River on its way into San Francisco Bay.

Tihuechemne Slough/Cosumnes River junction

Wetlands Walk Trail in Cosumnes River Preserve

Potato-shaped gall growing on valley oak tree

Wood duck illustration on bridge plaque

At the north side of the visitor center of Cosumnes River Preserve is the trailhead for the Cosumnes River Walk and the Wetlands Walk Trail. A bridge with metal plaques on its handrails, illustrating local animals and plants, crosses Willow Slough. Turn left when you get to the open land with rail tracks in view.

Bridge over Willow Slough

Turn left again at the next junction, from where another bridge (see picture) takes you across Willow Slough to an “orchard” of valley oaks: these trees were planted by preserve volunteers in 1988. They are much younger and smaller than the majestic valley oak you will encounter while exploring the River Walk Trail farther south.

At the branches of some oak trees you will notice yellowish brown or dark brown galls—often ball-shaped, occasionally potato-shaped like the one shown above. They develop when wasps lay their eggs in the bark. I saw  numerous valley oak trees with dense clusters of galls. Judging by tree appearance they do not harm the growth or well-doing of the trees.   

The valley oak trees populate most of the area north of the slough between the railroad tracks and Franklin Boulevard. The trail loop intersects with Franklin Boulevard and continues southwest toward the boardwalk and back to the visitor center. At the end of the half-mile-long boardwalk you will find a viewing platform. Wildlife viewing here is most interesting when the ponds are flooded and the area turns into wetland, providing opportunities to see ducks, geese, swans and shorebirds. Wading birds such as ashy gray sandhill cranes with their bare red-topped heads roost in the ponds of the preserve. The significance of the preserve as a crane stop is highlighted by featuring them in the Cosumnes River Preserve logo and in the crane sculpture in front of the visitor center.  

Boardwalk with viewing platform during the dry season