The entry to the park is just to the left when traveling north and just to the right when traveling south. Keep an eye peeled as the road rounds a large curve. Here we looked to the right from the entry gate with yeilded a view of the road looking back down it to the south.

Because the preserve lay at the apex of a sweeping curve in the road, visibility was good for pulling back out onto Skyline Boulevard.

Entry to the preserve was free. A large gravel parking lot provided room for a dozen or so cars. It did not appear possible to access the preserve via public transportation. Later research showed that one could access the preserve using the AC Transit #305 bus, that only ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The only restroom was a single wooden outhouse at the corner of the parking lot. On this day it had shown signs of recent cleaning.

Entry was at the back of the parking lot. The gate was posted with signs prohibiting bicycles and dogs. Another sign warned of the risk of "Car Break-Ins" and provided hints for preventing loss.

A single picnic table was available for day use. It was in good repair and included a metal container to accept hot coals from a barbecue.

The stand provided two key brochures. A map and history entitled "Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve" and a guide to the nature walk called, "Huckleberry Self-Guided Nature Path." The latter included a full description of the botanical item indicated by numbered signs found alongside the path during the walk.

The self-guided walk began at the top of a valley located in the classically dry east bay hills above Oakland.

The self-guided trail soon descended into the tangles of a valley forest. The trail was wide and clear and ran below these trees.

Mature older trees lined the path. Many with powerfully wild trunks that spread as if arms open to envelope us.

The trail soon narrowed and became uneven. This self-guided trail turned out not to be suitable for the disabled. It later included narrow s-curves and and stairs.

Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) bordered parts of the trail, lending it a somewhat tropical feeling.

Downhill from the trail grew a dense forest that threw stripes of shade across the path.

The numbers on posts along side the trail indicated numbered items inside the "Huckleberry Self-Guided Nature Path" pamphlet. This number, for example, described the, "California Hazelnut," a tree which grew just behind the sign.

The California Hazelnut (Corylus californica) with its multiple trunks.

The trail continued and became shadow splattered from the surrounding forest. Notice the mature California Hazelnut just to the left of the trail.

A fascinating assortment of twisted limbs and burls were found here and there along the trail. Here, one root ran underneath another.

The trail wrapped around an eroded cliff face with details that could suggest animal forms to the imaginative.

Here was where Huckleberry Self-Guided Path joined briefly with Skyline Trail. Because horses were permitted on Skyline Trail, equestrians were possible on the next section of path, but none were seen that day.

The self-guided path continued past a run of fanned out tree trunks. Although a bit disorienting in this shot, the path appeared perfectly normal in person.

Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) The large and showy, glossy-green fronds identify this fern.

Following the Western Sword Fern, the trail took on the appearance of a faerie tale path.

A miniature forest sprouted from the top of a long horizontal tree trunk.

Wood Fern (Dryopteris arguta) had a soft, feathery appearance that readily distinguished it from the dark, leathery fronds of the earlier western sword fern.

A jogger passed us heading back up the trail toward the parking lot. But because we were still on the shared path with Skyline Trail, it was also possible he was jogging on that longer trail.

Continuing down, the trail narrowed and began a series of switch-back steps down a dramatic drop into a valley.

The Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis, Lauraceae) you see was in the process of shading out all competition.

The valley was deeply shaded by huge mature trees.

At the base of the valley, steps led up and out to continue the self-guided tour.

And it was not just a few steps that led up and out of the valley. Each was a retaining board, back filled with dirt to form a step.

Just as the walker was beginning to tire at the top of the steps, a side trip was indicated that led to post #6.

A Manzanita Barren from the pamphlet, "Note the exposed, rocky soil. The manzanitas are the shrubby pioneers here. Young huckleberries, seeded in by bird droppings, are already slowly taking over the low manzanita canopy. After a time, the huckleberries will completely enshroud and kill these chaparral pioneers, and succession will develop onward."

Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) with thickened, grass-like leaves and its elegant purplish-blue flowers of spring.

Back out of the first side trip, a second side trip appeared for yet another detour.

Western Leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis) From the pamphlet, "Flowers December to March. Deciduous. Just before leatherwood breaks dormancy, the intricate naked branchlets produce lemon-yellow blooms at tips. Due to a peculiar S-shaped arrangement of its wood fibers, leatherwood has very flexible, pliable branches, hence its common name. Extremely rare."

Jimbrush (Ceanothus sorediatus) From the pamphlet, "The thorny, rigid, twiggy growth produces soft blue blossoms in spring. Like most Caenothus, an ardent pioneer of disturbed or burned-over soils. The Indians made shampoo from the flowers of this species."

Canyon Live Oak (Quercus chrysoepis) From the pamphlet, "This oak can be identified by the sometimes grayish but usually golden fuzz on the leaf undersides. Stout acorns rest in the thickened, fuzzy, golden cups. Also has a basal burl."

Coast Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) flowers April to May. It has bright or dark glossy-green leaves, hedge-like growth, and black berries.

Alongside the main trail could be found the occasional manzanita. Here was one manzanita with a burl at the base of its trunk.

In one clearing, the randomly twisted arms of manzanita suggested a modern dance.

Chinquapin (Castanopsis chrysophylla var. minor) From the pamphlet, "The keeled (boat shaped), dark green leaves with a golden fuzz on the undersides, and the spiny, yellow, bur-like fruit encasing several hard nutlets, make the chinquapin hard to be mistaken. Fickers, jays and perhaps other birds readily extract the nutlets from the thorny burrs in fall and winter. Note the basal burl."

Brittleleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos crustacea). Low, spreading growth and bright green, petioled (stalked) leaves easily distinguished this manzanita.

Near the trails end it once again attained a view of the East Bay hills.

Coast Silktassel (Garrya elliptica) a compacted, rounded growth and dark green leaves with a whitish fuzz on the undersides.

A bench appeared along the path. The bench afforded a view of the surrounding hills.

Pink-flowering Currant (Ribes glutinosum) was the last numbered plant stop on the trail. In mid-summer, it was no longer flowering.