Bay Area Hikes: Round Valley in Brentwood

It was February when we tripped to Round Valley Regional Preserve in Brentwood, CA. With the area having received some rains over the winter months, the greenery was back for the season and it made for a very pleasant hike with girlfriends.

That morning had only a few cars in the parking lot, the hills were lit with some soft morning light and we had the trails almost to ourselves barring a few bovine beings up early and doing what they most like doing — grazing.

Trails of Round Valley

We took the Miwok Trail that morning. We took the bridge over Marsh Creek and then the trail to the right of the hills before us. Later, we crossed Round Valley Creek and walked a portion of the Murphy Meadow Trail or a part of the Miwok Trail that went around Round Valley, before we retraced our steps.

The first part Miwok Trail is perfect for a hike moderate-in-difficulty. It goes up a hill and down and around, and up and down again. And if it’s a winter morning, it’s lit up to look very picturesque.

And the part of what might have been Murphy Meadow Trail — if I’m not mistaken (it could have been a part of the Miwok Trail around the Valley, too) — was simple and easier as the terrain was fully flat. This was because this was where the land seemed to look like a ‘Round Valley.’ The area was open and there were broader views of the landscape.

Later on the way back, we went up a part of the Hardy Canyon Trail just for want of a bit more of a ‘climb.’ There were some trees that filtered the light that fell on that part of the hills and it was a very pretty picture.

The view of the valley from that hilly area was another pleasing sight.

Beware of cows

You might have noticed that I mentioned cows. We saw more cows than hikers that morning. At one point towards the beginning of the trail we had passed a lone cow, and as we were admiring the view from a slightly uphill part of the path, the cow that seemed to be minding its business suddenly charged at us as if to acknowledge our presence and remind us that we were in her territory. Maybe she even meant to let us know that she had a calf or two further up the hill, and on the other side of the trail.

She stopped a few seconds later seemingly having felt she had done her job. And we, we were sure thankful she hadn’t decided to run up the hill with us. From then on, we were cautious every time we saw cows cross a trail or even graze near the paths. Believe me, there were many of them and I don’t think I’d come across that many on the east bay trails before or after that. (More about cows in the East Bay, in another post.)

Tips for the hike

• Layer up if it is in the winter/ spring months that you decide to hike there.
• Make sure to carry water
• Make sure to wear comfortable shoes
• Be aware of the cows in the area, too. 
• Think about how much traffic you’d like to see on the trails. (Most of the hikers or groups of hikers seemed to arrive when we were on our way out. If you want a quiet hike, I suggest you go before 9 in the morning. After that the place is moderately trafficked.)

More:
Bay Area Hikes
California Trip Ideas

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