Nature/Ohlone Trail Work Day, 1/19/09, Santa Teresa Park

The tool trailer was parked by the Bernal Road entrance to the park.

Trail crew working on the Ohlone Trail above the Santa Teresa Golf Course.

This is the start of the Laurel Canyon Nature Trail by the Ohlone Trail. A trail crew led by Sam Drake widened and smoothed out the entire trail. The trail leads into the shady canyon and ends at a seasonal waterfall.

This is how this part of the trail looked on 11/20/08.

A water channel was cut into the hillside to protect the trail.

This is the Nature Trail, with its interpretive markers, part of an old Eagle Scout project.

The Nature Trail was widened and smoothed.

Near the end of the Nature Trail.

Rocky section below the waterfall. There was an unauthorized rock dam here, which was cleared.

This is the picture of the rock dam, taken 11/20/08. The dam would have caused the trail to flood, making it difficult and unsafe to reach the waterfall. The tree here is the same as the one in the center of the previous picture.

The waterfall, with no water yet.

This is the Ohlone Trail just past the Nature Trail junction. The Ohlone Trail is a very popular trail with people of all ages and abilities. For many years, it was a hiking-only trail, but in recent years, it has been opened to mountain bikers. It is one of the most easily-accessible trails in the park. Trailheads are at Bernal Road, the golf course, and the archery range. While it is not flat, on the average, it runs horizontally along the base of the hills. It does not have the long, steep climbs like many of the other trails in the park. It runs above the Santa Teresa Golf Course, mostly out in the open, but has some shady sections.

Drain cut to remove water from the trail

View of the Golf Course from the Ohlone Trail near the work site.

Sr. trail crew leader Greg Bringelson with the trail crew working on the Ohlone Trail.

Greg and the crews widening and flattening the trail.

Trail crews consisted of Sierra Club members, high school students, and other volunteers.

Trail crew leader Woody Collins walking back on the trail. There were more crews beyond this point.

Woody and Trail Watch vounteer Janice Frazier.

Smoothing out the trail. After the trail work was over, the volunteers hiked back on the trail to the archery range.

This is what this section of the trail looked like last year, on 6/16/08. Grass made the trail very narrow and closed up over the trail in some places. It made it difficult for hikers to walk the trail wthout getting ticks on them. Also, it made it harder for bikes and hikers to share the trail.

Last year, also on 6/16/08, this part of the trail was becoming U-shaped due to erosion. Had this erosion been allowed to continue, it would have made the trail more difficult and unpleasant for bikes and walkers. Eventually, it would have turned the rail into a rain gutter, making it virtually unusable and unsalvageable. While the trail is wider now, grass will gradually grow in from the edges of the trail, making it a single-track again.

The pictures below were taken the day after the trail day, on 1/20/09, showing the rest of the trail:

Section of the trail above the golf course lake.

This was taken on 6/16/08. It is the same section of the trail as the one above. Note how deeply entrenched the trail was.

This is the start of the shady section close to the Coyote Peak Trail junction.

Santa Teresa Park Nature/Ohlone Trail Workday

January 19, 2009, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service