helps to quiet the mental chatter of your daily life.


“Hiking allows my brain to re- lax,” says Orinda resident and Save Mount Diablo board member Doug Knauer. “I feel the events of the day just slough off my body. When I am on the trails of Mount Diablo, I breathe better air, feel the sun on my neck and hear the sounds of nature. It puts energy back into me, in a peaceful sort of way.”


There is beauty in the simplicity of nature as a source of health. It is


free, always accessible and literally, in our own backyards.


For more information about local trails and green exercise resources, visit the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBParks.org) for a download- able guidebook. Dogs are permitted at nearly all the parks, but check the website (click on Activities and then Dogs) for a list of exceptions. Also visit SaveMountDiablo.org for a calendar of planned, guided hikes. Find more group trail runs and rides at DirtDog TrailRunners.com and ForwardMotion


RaceClub.org.


Dina Colman, MBA, is a health writer and consultant in Danville. She is completing a master’s degree in Holistic Health Education at John F. Kennedy University and through her website, provides information on healthy living through nourishment of the four quadrants of our lives: mind, body, relationships and environment. For more information, visit Four QuadrantLiving.com.


HIT THE TRAILS WATERFALLS


falls trail, mount diablo state park Location: Clayton Length: 4.8 miles round trip Additional info: No dogs; no bikes; no facilities Trailhead: North side of Regency Drive, about 200 feet from its end Route: Donner Canyon Road to Cardinet Oaks Road, to Falls Trail, to Middle Trail and back You don’t have to travel to Yosemite to see waterfalls. This trail provides views of the hidden cascades that flow down from Mount Diablo’s North Peak. Falls Trail is best in early spring when the creeks are full. It does have some steep areas on Donner Canyon Road, but the Falls Trail is relatively easy.


PANORAMIC VIEWS stonewall panoramic trail, claremont canyon regional preserve Location: Berkeley Length: 2.62 miles round-trip Additional info: Dogs allowed; no bikes; no facilities Trailhead: Stonewall-Panoramic Trailhead off Stonewall Road, a block north of the Claremont Hotel Route: Stonewall-Panoramic Trail, out and back Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve is located in the Berkeley and Oakland hills, behind the Claremont Hotel. The first mile is a steep climb from Stonewall Road to the top of the ridge, but once you reach the top, you are rewarded with a panoramic view of Oak- land, Berkeley, San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. This hike is one of the 20 featured in the East Bay Regional Parks District 2011 Challenge.


DOG-FRIENDLY AND CONVENIENT madrone trail, Las trampas regional wilderness Location: Danville


Length: 5.5 miles round-trip Additional Info: Dogs allowed; no bikes; water at trail- head and at Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site Trailhead: Iron Horse Trail, at Railroad and Prospect avenues Route: Iron Horse Trail to Camille Avenue, to Camille Lane, to Las Trampas Mount Diablo Regional Trail, to Madrone Trail, to Del Amigo Trail, to Starview Drive, to Del Amigo Road, to Iron Horse Trail and back to trailhead.


This trail was voted the most popular by FMRC mem- bers because it is easily accessible from the Forward Motion store in Danville, which is the starting loca- tion for most group runs. The route requires a climb to reach the Madrone Trail, but is relatively easy after that and also goes right by the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. Many variations can be made to the route to make it longer. This is a great trail for anyone who lives or works near Danville and wants quick access to local beauty.


KID-FRIENDLY AND EASY


iron horse trail and Lafayette-moraga trail If the hilly dirt trails are not right for you, two wonder- ful paved trails that are both kid- and dog-friendly are good for running, walking, biking and rollerblading. The Iron Horse Trail runs for more than 30 miles from Dublin to Concord. The Lafayette-Moraga Trail runs just under eight miles through the Moraga Valley.


BIKE-FRIENDLY AND ADVENTUROUS pleasanton ridge and mount diablo state park Favorite mountain biking areas include Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park (Thermalito, Ridgeline and Sinbad Creek trails) and Mount Diablo (Wall Point/BBQ Ter- race and Shell Ridge).


natural awakenings March 2011 19


Photo by David Luczynski


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