Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland is a special place for many of us, with its wide variety of trails and wonderful views, right here in the heart of the East Bay. But it’s been a tough couple of years for JMP, with many more users seeking escape from pandemic boredom and now a wet, windy winter. We needed the rain, but the park is in dire need of tender loving care. A lot of tender loving care.
At BTCEB, along with our partners at the city and other trail user groups, we’ve always put a lot of time into JMP. Now we’re ratcheting up the TLC with a series of trailwork days. We’re removing downed trees, repairing damaged trails and improving drainage. And we’re not going to stop until JMP is back where it should be: an East Bay gem for all trail users to enjoy.
This last Saturday, the crew assembled to work on two of the trouble spots: Palos Colorados and Big Trees. We rerouted Palos Colorados back in 2015 to bypass a section that was too steep and too fragile. It’s a tribute to the quality of that work, led by the skilled (and extremely patient) Henry Mitchell, that we haven’t had to touch it in nearly eight years!
And now we were back, with BTCEB Director Tom Gandesbury in charge this time. After hours of work with McLeods, mattocks and shovels, Palos Colorados is good as new.
Meanwhile, the other half of the crew was hard at work dealing with drainage problems on the flowy Big Trees trail. BTCEB has also done a lot of work on Big Trees over the years, re-routing around fragile areas and adding rock to toughen the trail bed. Considering all the use (and abuse) it gets the trail is actually in great condition. Still, standing water is the enemy and several places needed help to get the water moving in the right direction – off the trail!
There’s a lot more to do to restore Joaquin Miller Park to pristine condition. But, through the efforts of BTCEB and our partners, we’ll get there. And did I mention trailwork is fun and rewarding? It’s a gift that keeps on giving, too: when you ride a trail that you’ve helped to build or maintain, it feels a bit more special. You know there’s a bit of you in it.
Rebecca Lewington, BTCEB Board Member-at-Large.
