Bobcat treed by Vizslas during EBRP hike

 Early this morning, Bailey and Chloe were enjoying running ahead of me at the Morgan Territory Regional Park.  100 feet ahead of me from behind a clump of trees and rocks sprang a bobcat running easily in front of my two Vizslas toward me and the large blue oak tree  that stood to my right.

The ease that the bobcat was able to sprint, first across the open space, and then its effortless ascent up the tree made me smile, while at the same time frustrating both Bailey and Chloe.

Great looking animal.  First wild one I have ever come across in my five years of hiking the hills in the San Francisco East Bay.

Morgan Territory is a Hidden Treasure IF done at the right time during the summer. 

 This morning the air was cool enough for an easy two-hour and six- mile hike through some dry fields and oak and manzanita

 covered hills and valleys.

To hike Morgan Territory safely and enjoyably, you want to have plenty of water (I use a three-liter Camelback) for your self and your dogs, and make sure you watch the temperature.

 Today it was 72 when we got to the gate as it opened at 8 a.m with a cool breeze out of the west.   At 10:15 a.m. we pulled out of the parking lot.  The Jeep temperature gauge read 75.  Perfect morning. 

I have a deep affinity for the East Bay Regional Park system.  Almost all the trails are dog-friendly and having the dogs off-leash is fine if they are well-behaved. 

The East Bay Regional Park System has more acres available to the public then any other park system in the country. 

http://www.ebparks.org/

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco. The system comprises 113,000+ acres in 65 parks including over 1,200 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature study. We acquire, manage, and preserve natural and cultural resources for people to enjoy now and in the future.

 I use them as often as I can.

  3,000 miles+ of off-leash hiking with Bailey and Chloe over the last four years.

 

The fire trails make hiking enjoyable. 

  They are almost all 10 foot wide and are cleared once or twice a year with motor graders or bulldozers. 
  Clearing and leveling fire roads would be a job I would LOVE to have.
 This is important for the park system to do so fire equipment can get into the hills to battle any fires.