Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - WelcomeMagazine_08.09 - Index

PARKS
Parks
Park your outdoor adventures here
East County boasts a
treasure trove of parks, from
cozy playgrounds nestled in
the heart of town to expansive
and interconnected regional
parks.
A 10-minute drive from
downtown Brentwood,
Round Valley Regional
Preserve provides over 2,000
acres of hiking, from panoramic
vistas to intimate
wooded canyons. It’s a popular
destination for equestrians
as well as wildflower enthusiasts.
Adjoining Round
Valley are two other magnificent
parks: Los Vaqueros
and Morgan Territory. Los
Vaqueros Watershed, owned
and operated by the Contra
Costa Water District, features
a 1,500-acre reservoir wellstocked
with some of the
liveliest fish in the region. Its
marina supplies anglers and
boaters with all they need
for a memorable day on the
water. The park’s 55 miles of
trails are a hiker’s paradise. Its
western trails provide access
to the rugged expanse of
Morgan Territory Regional
Preserve. Like Round Valley,
Morgan Territory is part of
the East Bay Regional Park
District. Its lowland valleys
mark the headwaters of a
body of water vital to far East
County recreators: Marsh
Creek.
Marsh Creek Trail sideswipes
Round Valley, swings
north and bisects Brentwood,
then flows through Oakley
and spills into the San
Joaquin River at Big Break. A
Science Center at Big Break is
under construction. The ninemile
route from Concord
Avenue in Brentwood all the
way to Big Break in Oakley
is fully paved – a feature on
which East County hikers,
cyclists, dog-walkers and baby
strollers fully capitalize. Marsh
Creek Trail will eventually
extend south through Cowell
Ranch and an eventual state
historic park, all the way to
Round Valley.
West of Big Break, in
neighboring Antioch, is
another jewel of the East Bay
Regional Park District: Black
Diamond Mines Regional
Preserve, where tours of
60 Welcome! The Magazine of East County 2008-2009