Late November: Vizslas Loving Morgan Territory

 Three hours of trail hiking in Morgan Territory.  First part was taken with a four other people and two Vizslas.  One was Louie.  He is one of Bailey's pups.

Louie in front, Risco to the right and Louie's dad Bailey in the back of the log.




 

After 90 minutes of walking with the other Vizsla owners and their dogs, Bailey, Chloe and I still needed some miles to do.  We drove up to another trailhead and headed up into the hills to the west.

For another 90 minutes we roamed some nicely wooded trails and some rolling hills where Bailey and Chloe could run a quarter mile away and still see me clearly as I hiked along the trails.

 

 

Morgan Territory to the West

 A wonderful September morning and we headed back out to one of our "hidden treasures".

Morgan Territory East Bay Regional Park.

Bailey is in "rehab" for a problem with his right front ankle.  A sports injury (tendinitis) from something he did about three weeks ago during a crazy dog hill run.  He had to stay on this 25 foot long leash for this two-hour and 6-mile hike.  For the month of September he is on the DL.  We have to prepare for pheasant season.

About 1/2 an hour into the hike, we stopped at the Morgan Backpack Camp for cooling dip in the water trough and a restroom break.  The East Bay Regional Park District is a first class operation in my opinion.  A very under utilized out door activity as there are thousands of miles of trails throughout the East Bay maintained by this organization.

We got a late start today and didn't start out until about 9:00am.  We entered the Highland Trail entrance which is exactly 7 miles from where Morgan Territory Road branches off from Marsh Creek Road out of Clayton.  It was already 76 degrees.

Made sure my Camelback was full of water as we headed up into the hills west of the only road that runs through this section of country.   Over the last few months we had explored to the east but this was our first excursion to the west.  

 

The views from Highland Ridge trail were spectacular.

Mount Diablo can be seen in most of these pictures.  The twin mountain peaks of Mt. Diablo are the highest points for hundreds of miles around.

Looking west we looked over the San Ramon Valley. To the far side of this valley is the Oakland / Hayward hills. On the horizon are the hills on the San Francisco Bay Peninsula.

In the lower right corner just over Chloe is a wild animal trap.  We came across three of these during our hike.

This shot just reminded me of "Mother Nature".

 The weather was perfect even though it was warm.  By the time we got back to the Jeep the temperature was pushing 90 and rising.

Water is VERY important on these walks.  Always have enough for yourself and your dogs and try and plan your trip having places the dogs can cool down.

24 hours after we did our hike a view of Morgan Territory, a picture from my house in Walnut Creek of fire.  Morgan Territory is on the south east side Mt. Diablo.

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. 

Morgan Territory and Vizslas

Video downloaded onto You Tube on Valley View Trail in the eastern part of the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve.

Our 6.4 mile hike this morning started at the base of Highland Ridge Trail at 7:30.  We started here because the parking area does not open it's gates until 8.

In the two and a half hours, we enjoyed the following trails:

Highland Ridge Trail

Volvon Loop Trail

Valley View Trail

Eagle Trail

and Bay Creek Trail.

All these trails are on the eastern side of Morgan Territory Road.

One of my newest Hidden Treasures.