Enjoy Rancho on a Monday morning! You’ll hike a counterclockwise loop through the preserve with Docent Naturalists Anouchka Gaillard, Nancy Weintraub, and Peter Maxwell. This moderately- to vigorously-paced route includes the Rogue Valley and Upper Wildcat Canyon trails and has 800 feet of elevation change. You'll traverse multiple habitats while observing and discussing how water availability is impacting the ecosystem. Will you see a newt? Will there still be water in Rogue Valley Pond? Come find out! Bring a snack.
Meet near the restroom at the bottom of the hill in the preserve parking lot farthest to the right. From I-280, take Foothill Boulevard south and turn right almost immediately onto Cristo Rey Drive. Continue about 1 mile, veer right around the traffic circle, and turn left into the park. After entering the preserve, turn right and drive approximately 0.3 miles to Lot 6.