Walking the Fine Line Between Spring and Summer: Hiking the Vallecitos - Ohlone Wilderness Loop at Del Valle Regional Park

Date: March 25, 2025
Place: Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore, California
Coordinates: 37.574447, -121.692138
Length: 2.7 miles
Level: moderate

 

On the Sunday afternoon before Memorial Day I had an urge to go visit my elder chika at her work place in Del Valle Regional Park. I invited Pappa Quail to come alone and both of us brought our cameras. After seeing our daughter for a bit and meeting her colleagues we asked her to recommend a small hike for us and she suggested we'd go on the Vallecitos Trail because there were wildflowers blooming there still. 

Our hike as captured by Pappa Quail's GPS

 

The Vallecitos Trailhead is across the park road from the main campground area but when we arrived there we found that there wasn't a parking space - the campground overflow parking was fully reserved. The nice attendant at the campground entrance booth directed us to a parking area at the road junction about half a mile before the campground. We thanked him and drove off to park where he showed us. We thought we would walk along the road to the trailhead but at the junction we found a trail going down to the campground and we decided to walk through the campground rather than on the road. 

Campground Trail

There were any oak trees along the campground trail, and tall bushes between them. Numerous titmouse birds tweeted and hopped between their branches but eluded our cameras altogether. 

The turkey vulture flying overhead was a lot more cooperative. The vulture circled gracefully above us a couple of times before moving on to look for carrion somewhere else. 

Turkey Vulture

There were plenty of other birds in the bushes besides the titmice. The black Phoebe was also more cooperative with the camera - these birds often sit out in the open, ambushing flying insects. 

Black Phoebe

The airwaves were full with bird calls, most of which those of acorn woodpeckers. These are social woodpeckers, very industrious and very noisy, and they don't try to hide from view. I love hearing their calls, it reassures me that all is well in that piece of land. 

Acorn Woodpecker

We exited the campground, crossed the road and started up Vellecitos Trail. Shorty we came upon an acorn woodpecker granary tree. The dead tree was holed by the birds where they stash acorns in the fall and managed them throughout winter. 

Only about half of the holes had acorns in them, not surprising considering the season. What did surprise me was that one of these acorns had sprouted inside its hole, and developed into a small oak sapling. It was very cute to see, although I felt sad for that little baby oak - its chances of surviving and growing into an actual tree are infinitesimal. 

Spider webs glistened in the bright sunlight that filtered through the oak canopies down to the ground. The spiders themselves were not visible, probably taking refuge in the corner somewhere. 

There were a few wildflowers blooming along the trail, dominated by late bloomers of the third wave of spring bloom. 

Ithuriel's Spear, Triteleia laxa

Among the wildflowers I've seen on this hike was the common yarrow. So common it is that I often ignore it. It is however, quite beautiful and I do love seeing it on my hike, even before it blooms because of its delicate, feather-like leaves. 

Common Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

The trail curved to the west and on the north-facing slope the vegetation was thicker and greener. There were however, more wildflowers blooming on this part of the trail. 

Wind Poppy, Papaver heterophyllum

The trail ascended steadily, following the contour of the hill. Vallecitos Creek was below us but we couldn't see to the bottom because of the slope's angle and the vegetation in between. I listened carefully but there was no sound, not even a faint one, of running water.

Vallecitos Trail

Of all the flowers I have a soft spot for roses. I especially love wild roses that still have the delicate, minimal appearance and all of their reproductive organs. I was thrilled seeing a blooming rose on he hike - one single flower on that entire loop. 

Ground Rose, Rosa spithamea

It was a hot day so we sure welcomed the shade, even partial shade, along that art of the trail. We could hear bird activity all around us, but the birds were in the trees and the bushes, not making themselves visible. Pappa Quail moved on ahead while I lingered by the wildflowers, even common ones.  

Rough Hedgenettle, Stachys rigida

The sunnier parts of the trail were adorned by the sticky monkeyflower bushes, which were at their peak bloom.  

Sticky Monkeyflower, Diplacus aurantiacus

Not only flowers display color. My eyes were attracted to the reddish new shoots of the California laurel trees. The chance of these shoots to become branches of any significance is fairly small. They are more sort of an insurance for the tree, something to bounce back with should anything happens to its main body. 

California Laurel, Umbelularia californica

The trail and the creek reached the same level. We crossed a side wash and past it the trail steepened considerably. Now we were huffing and puffing on a dusty uphill slope. 

Vallecitos Trail

That steepness wasn't the main problem of that part of the Vallecitos Trail. It was also overgrown with thistles and other thorny plants. We hd to push our way through the thin line between the walls of spiny vegetation, and while doing so I raised my arms to avoid being scratched. 

In a few places the trail was eroded. In one spot Pappa Quail stumbles because the trail collapsed under his weight and the soil slid down the side slope. He quickly regained his footing thankfully, and didn't fall down. Coming up behind him I went past that place very carefully. 

Purple Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla 

We were getting near the junction with the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. In his desire to get out of the thorns Pappa Quail rushed ahead and soon vanished behind a curve of the trail. I was bringing up the rear at a much slower pace. 

Elegant Clarkia, Clarkia unguiculata

I caught up with Pappa Quail where he stopped to take some photos - he had spotted a covey of California Quail in the bushes. The quail took off, emitting their warning calls. In a second all were gone but one male that remained behind, and Pappa Quail had a good opportunity to take photos of his nick-namesake. 

California Quail, male

Higher up Vallecitos Trail the trees opened up and revealed the thick line that the Ohlone Wilderness Trail (which is a dirt road) scarred into the opposite hill. 

We passed by a sunny patch of disturbed slope that had a few mule-ears plants. The mule ears were past their peak bloom but I stopped by one of them anyway - there was a large bee in the middle of one inflorescence. The inflorescence was already on its finishing stage and the bee was very still and didn't look like it was collecting any pollen. The bee wasn't dead either, but I have no idea what it was doing there. Perhaps taking a nap. 

Gray Mule-ears, Wyethia helenioides, with a bee

We reached the Ohlone Wilderness Trail and welcomed with relief the nice breeze that dried our sweat and cooled us off. The way back down on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail actually started with a mild uphill walk, but the dirt road trail was wide and comfortable to walk on.  

Ohlone Wilderness Trail

Now we were out in the chaparral, and the chaparral was dominated by chamise bushes. The chamise were in peak bloom and they were gorgeous. Like white clouds the covered large patches of the hillside. 

Chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum

Another common chaparral bush there was the black sage. The black sage bloomed as well although it was past its season's peak. The strongest thing about the sage was its pungent smell. Perhaps I should try steeping it some time. 

Black Sage, Salvia mellifera

Across the valley rose the eastern hills which were less forested. The spaces between the oak patches was covered with annual invasive grasses that were already dry and yellow. 

Across the gulch of Vallecitos Creek however, the hill slope was very much green still. That slope was nicely forested and bush covered areas between the trees were all orange colored from the sticky monkeyflower bloom. 

There were a few toyon bushes blooming along the trail. The toyon was just beginning its bloom season. 

Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia

Exposed rocks on the slope above the trail revealed vertical sediment rock layers - evidence of the ancient past. Of times when seas deposited minerals and tectonic forces later pushed these rocks above ground and are still bending and reorienting these layers now. 

The Ohlone Wilderness Trail spans the mountainous area between Fremont to Lake Del Valle. I've hiked all of it in segments, doing the Mission Peak part separately, both west and east, and the Sunol to Del Valle part on a later backpacking trip in May of 2021. The eastern part I've hiked yet again on an in and out day hike to Murietta Falls. Now it was the forth time I was on the eastern part of this trail, walking it at east without any time pressure, and no blisters on my toes. 

Ohlone Wilderness Trail

A single elderberry bush that had mostly gone to fruit was still sporting a few late flowers. Later in the summer the green berries will have turned dusty blue, attracting birds to the sweet and laxative bounty. 

Blue Elderberry, Sambucus cerulea

Many deerweed shrubs were also blooming along the trail. This lovely lotus stands high above the ground, unlike most of the lotus genus members. 

Deerweed, Acmispon glaber

Moving uphill towards the trail curve the vegetation changed from chaparral to an oak savanna. The grasses, nearly all of them invasive species such as wild oats, were completely dry. Most of the wild oats have dispersed their seeds already but some of the plants were hanging on to them yet. 

Ohlone Wilderness Trail

Around the curve of the trail Lake Del Valle came into view. The lake, like almost all other lakes in the area, is a human-made reservoir. It was nice to see how full it was. That trail curve was also the highest point of our hike. From there it would be a steady downhill all the way to the lake. 

From the trail's crest we also had a nice view of Mount Diablo, standing aloof, aside and above the entire region. For a moment I had the urge to fly there. I'll settle on driving, though. 

Mount Diablo

I was giving my full attention to Mount Diablo and to the lovely blooming buckeye trees when Pappa Quail called my attention to the ground. There it was - a mariposa lily blooming right below my nose and I nearly missed it.  

Clay Mariposa Lily, Calochortus argillosus

We resumed descending down the trail. The lower we got the bigger the lake was in our view, but also more obscured by the trees. I focused again on the slopes across Del Valle. They looked very empty and dry. Summer was there already. 

Lake Del Valle

The trees became more dense as we descended lower into the valley. It was also much later in the day now and the long shadows helped keeping us cool. I pointed out to Pappa Quail that our chika will be done with her work shift and make it home before we do. 

Ohlone Wilderness Trail

There were a few more mariposa lilies blooming lower along the trail. These lilies were of a different species. I love seeing mariposa lilies - they are such beautiful flowers and many of their species are also endemic, growing in very limited areas. 

Butterfly Mariposa Lily, Calochortus venustus 

More downhill we got to see more birds as well. Or perhaps it wasn't the altitude so much as it was that the heat of the day was now subsiding and the camouflaging shadows longer. It is more challenging to see and to photograph birds that keep to the shade. 

California Towhee

Throughout the entire hike we passed near buckeye trees in full bloom. Buckeye trees look different in each season. The first sign that tells me that spring is here in the East Bay is the budding foliage of the California buckeye, the earliest deciduous to wake up from hibernation. By late May these trees are covered in fragrant, butterfly-attracting blossoms. They look like fancy chandeliers, their beauty unmatched. They would also be the first to drop their leaves - as early as August. Still hanging on to their large, brown nuts they assume the eerie, bewitched look. In winter they drop their heavy seeds they pose as dead. Now, they were at their peak activity and their aroma was dense, almost intoxicating. 

California Buckeye, Aesculus californica 

I inhaled deeply every time we passed a buckeye tree. Below us the lake grew bigger. We scanned the water surface from above but saw no speciel activity. I guess the boaters were done for the day. 

There was plenty of activity along the trail however. Pappa Quail was seeing more and more birds, and was also photographing some of them. 

Lesser Goldfinch, male

I found some blooming coyote mint and offered Pappa Quail to smell its leaves. This pungent mint relative can be steeped into a nice hot beverage. 

Coyote Mint, Monardella villosa

Sometimes linger behind to get a specific view of the trail or a feature along the trail. In this case - the view of a blooming buckeye that glows in the late sun rays. 

Eventually the trail slope eased, almost leveled. We walked briskly now, not wanting to finish too late. We did stop however, when we heard the sound of movement on the side of the trail. A gopher was outside of its burrow. It was struggling inside a knot of vegetation. Eventually it got itself free and darted into its hole, and we got its photo when it peeked outside. 

Botta's Pocket Gopher

On the last stretch of the Ohlone Wilderness Trail we were attracted to another sound - the warning calls of a quail. This time it was a female quail. We didn't see who she was warning. Perhaps she had chicks there, or perhaps she was emitting the calls just to let us know that she'd seen us.  

California Quail, female

We neared the park's west lake road. The grasses between the oaks there was completely dry, but among them were harvest brodiae plants in full bloom. 

The brodiae is a geophyte - it has corms below ground where it stores water and sugars. It is able therefore, to bloom without having its green leaves anymore. The energy production phase of these plants was over for this year. 

Harvest Brodiae, Brodiae elegans

When we reached the west lake road I suggested walking along the lake shore but Pappa Quail wanted to get back to the car, so we started walking up the road to the junction where we were parked. 

West Lake Road

Ahead of us a large animal was going into the road - a single deer was crossing the pavement on her way towards the lake. 

Black-tailed Deer

There were many people near the lake still, and soon we found the reason why the deer was heading over there - trash left by people. In this case - an improperly discarded watermelon rind. Not the most harmful thing that deer can snack on, but certainly not a good thing for them either. It isn't good for wild animals to get used to eating human food. The deer stayed there even as people were coming into the parking lot. She did run off though, when the car started moving. 

Black-tailed Deer

We arrived at the junction. Resisting the urge to go to the bridge and look down I followed Pappa Quail to the car. I was thankful that he was driving, it was a long day for me already. I was also thankful for the chance, even on a busy day, to have had the time to go see my daughter where she was happy on the job, and to have such a lovely, peaceful hike with Pappa Quail, in an out of reception park just before the big heat of summer.