Brushy Peak Regional Preserve

Last updated
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve.jpg
A view down a trail in Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
Location Map San Francisco Bay Area.png
Red pog.svg
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
Relief map of California.png
Red pog.svg
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
Nearest city Livermore, California
Coordinates 37°44′59″N121°42′30″W / 37.74973°N 121.70832°W / 37.74973; -121.70832
Area1,912 acres (774 ha)
Operated by East Bay Regional Parks and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) systems
OpenCall for times
StatusLimited access

Brushy Peak Regional Preserve is a regional park that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) systems. It is located in unincorporated land in Alameda County, just north of Livermore, California, and is named after Brushy Peak.

Contents

History

Pre-contact

The park is named for Brushy Peak (elevation 1,702 feet (519 m)), a mountain in the Diablo Range, that has had historical significance dating back to Native Americans who lived in the region before the arrival of European settlers. [1] It was a focus of trade routes that connected the Bay Area Ohlones, Bay Miwoks, and Northern Valley Yokuts. [2] According to the EBRPD, "The Ssaoam triblet of the Ohlone peoples was probably the most closely linked to the Brushy Peak area, living in the surrounding dry hills and tiny valleys around the peak and nearby Altamont Pass. Ssaoam populations in the dry summer months may have dispersed and reconverged at various camps throughout the year." [1] Today, access to the top of the mountain is closed to the public to protect grounds that were sacred to ancient Native American tribes. [2]

European settlement

The first European to make an expedition into this part of California was Pedro Fages, who passed through the Livermore Valley in 1772, on his return from Monterey. Mission San Jose (in present-day Fremont) was founded in 1797, and the Ssaoams lived there from 1806 to 1836. As mission lands were converted into ranchos by the Mexican government, some of the people left Mission San Jose to work as laborers on the new ranchos. The land was probably grazing land for cattle from Rancho Cañada Los Vaqueros. [1]

During the California gold rush, Brushy Peak became a hideout for bandits, most notably Joaquin Murietta (1829 - 1853). By the 1870s, the land around the peak was becoming increasingly occupied by immigrants from the east, and less hospitable to the outlaws. In 1900 and 1901, the Bohemian Club of San Francisco held outings on the top of the peak. [1]

Modern

Brushy Peak Regional Preserve Brushy Peak Regional Preserve 13.jpg
Brushy Peak Regional Preserve

The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) identified Brushy Peak as a potential city park in the early 1970s, and acquired 507 acres (205 ha) for that purpose in 1974. In 1997, LARPD and the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) formally agreed to cooperate in the further acquisition, planning, and protection of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve. [1]

On April 3, 2014, two conservation groups, Center for Biological Diversity and the Alameda Creek Alliance, announced the acquisition of a 79 acres (32 ha) land parcel known as "Eddie's Flat", adjacent to the western boundary of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve. [3]

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Livermore, California</span> City in California, United States

    Livermore is a city in Alameda County, California. With a 2020 population of 87,955, Livermore is the most populous city in the Tri-Valley, giving its name to the Livermore Valley. It is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area, making it the easternmost city in the area.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">East Bay Regional Park District</span> Special district in California, US

    The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is a special district operating in Alameda County and Contra Costa County, California, within the East Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area. It maintains and operates a system of regional parks which is the largest urban regional park district in the United States. The administrative office is located in Oakland.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve</span>

    Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve is a small regional park mainly located in the city of Oakland, California, and administered by the East Bay Regional Park District. The park is named for the canyon in which it is situated, Claremont Canyon, out of which Claremont Creek flows on its way to its confluence with Temescal Creek. Previously the canyon was named Harwood's Canyon, and then later as Telegraph Canyon. The name was changed to Claremont by a developer of the nearby Claremont district.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunol Regional Wilderness</span>

    The Sunol Regional Wilderness is a regional park in Alameda County, the eastern San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California. It is located near the town of Sunol, south of Pleasanton and east of Fremont.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-Valley</span> Area of the East Bay

    The Tri-Valley area is grouping of three valleys in the East Bay region of California's Bay Area. The three valleys are Amador Valley, San Ramon Valley, and Livermore Valley. The Tri-Valley encompasses the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and San Ramon, the town of Danville and the CDPs of Alamo, Blackhawk and Diablo. The area is known for its Mediterranean climate, wineries, and nature. It is primarily suburban in character. The United States Census Bureau defines an urban area centered in the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin with a 2020 population of 240,381, ranked 167th in the United States in terms of population. The total population of the area is estimated to be 361,000. It offers more affordable living accommodations than the cities of San Francisco and San Jose.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mission Peak</span> Public park in California, United States

    Mission Peak is a mountain peak located east of Fremont, California. It is the northern summit on a ridge that includes Mount Allison and Monument Peak. Mission Peak has symbolic importance, and is depicted on the logo of the City of Fremont. It is located in Mission Peak Regional Preserve, a regional park operated by the East Bay Regional Park District.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooks Island Regional Preserve</span> Island in the United States of America

    Brooks Island Regional Preserve includes both the 75-acre (30 ha) of Brooks Island above the low-tide line and 300 acres (120 ha) of the surrounding bay. The only public access to the island is via an East Bay Regional Park District naturalist tour.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Briones Regional Park</span>

    Briones Regional Park is a 6,117-acre (24.75 km2) regional park in the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) system, located in the Briones Hills of central Contra Costa County of the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Valle Regional Park</span>

    Del Valle Regional Park is a part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) in an unincorporated region of Alameda County, California, 10 miles (16 km) south of the city of Livermore. The park covers 4,316 acres.

    Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is a regional park in Contra Costa County, California. Located east of Clayton and north of Livermore, California, bordering on Mt. Diablo State Park, it is part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). The preserve was founded in 1975 with fewer than 1,000 acres (400 ha), but EBRPD has gradually acquired more property, and, since 2015, the preserve encompasses 5,230 acres (2,120 ha). The main access roads run from Livermore and Clayton.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohlone Wilderness</span> Regional park in United States

    Ohlone Wilderness is a 9,737 acres (39.40 km2) regional park in the United States that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) system. It is located in southern Alameda County, near the cities of Fremont, California and Sunol, California. It is located between Mission Peak and Sunol Regional Wilderness.

    Round Valley Regional Preserve is a regional park just outside Antioch, CA and Brentwood, CA that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) system. It is on Marsh Creek Road, approximately 5.2 miles (8.4 km) west of the intersection with Vasco Road. The park was begun in 1988, when Jim Murphy sold 700 acres (280 ha) of land to EBRPD. The land originally belonged to Mr. Davis' grandfather Thomas Murphy, an Irish immigrant, who had purchased the land in 1878 for a farming and ranching operation. The preserve has since expanded to encompass 1,911 acres (773 ha).

    Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve (SRRP) is a regional park in Richmond, Contra Costa County, California and is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) system. The park preserves one of the few habitats of the Alameda manzanita, which is deemed extremely rare, according to EBRPD.

    Citizens for East Shore Parks (CESP) is a United States environmental organization that focuses on the acquisition and preservation of parkland in the San Francisco Bay Area. CESP works to protect open space along the East Bay shoreline for natural habitat and recreational purposes through a combination of advocacy, education, and outreach. Since its founding in 1985, CESP has worked to secure approximately 1,800 acres (730 ha) of public land, primarily through the creation of the 8.5-mile (13.7 km) long Eastshore State Park in 2002.

    Vasco Road is a roadway over the Diablo Range that connects Livermore and Brentwood, California. Although it is not part of the California State Highway system, it is the principal north–south commuter route serving eastern Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The two counties are each responsible for maintaining the portion of the road within their boundaries.

    Vasco Caves Regional Preserve is a natural and cultural protected area located on the eastern slope of Mount Diablo, on Vasco Road within eastern Contra Costa County, California. It was created to preserve wildlife habitats, California chaparral and woodlands, native plant communities, and Native American rock art.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vargas Plateau Regional Park</span>

    Vargas Plateau Regional Park sits on a plateau in the Fremont Hills of Alameda County, California that overlooks the San Francisco Bay, Niles Canyon, and the cities of Fremont, Union City, and Newark. The elevation of the park is about 1,000 feet (300 m), making it an important link with nearby ridge-top parks such as Garin Regional Park, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, Mission Peak Regional Preserve, and Sunol Regional Wilderness.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Five Canyons Open Space</span>

    Five Canyons Open Space (FCOS) is located in Castro Valley, in Alameda County, California. Five Canyons is a multi-agency collaboration between East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD), Alameda County Public Works, Hayward Area Recreation and Parks District (HARD), and several homeowners associations. EBRPD is the lead agency for this open space. FCOS opened in 1998, consists of 300 acres (1.2 km2) and 5 miles (8.0 km) of trails and has almost no amenities. The main visitors are hikers, bicyclists, equestrians and dog walkers. Restrooms and drinking water are available at HARD's nearby Five Canyons Park.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Brushy Peak</span> Mountain in the American state of California

    Brushy Peak, also known as Brushy Knob or Las Cuevas, is a summit in Alameda County, California that overlooks the Livermore Valley. North of the valley, it is part of the Diablo Range. It rises to an elevation of 1,686 feet (514 m) and is the location of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve; there are guided tours to the peak itself.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 East Bay Regional Parks District-Brushy Peak Regional Preserve
    2. 1 2 "Brushy Peak: hiding in plain sight. Stienstra, Tom. SFGate. January 19,2013. Retrieved September 2014.
    3. Press release by Center for Biological Diversity. April 3, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.

    See also