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Evans Grove Complex

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.130.101.192 (talk) at 05:57, 24 March 2015 (Deleted information pertaining to a completely different park, those trees are in Sequoia National Park's Kennedy grove.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Kennedy Grove is a regional park located in West Contra Costa County that contains a three-mile hiking trail with an elevation of 760 feet. The Grove also has picnic areas, volleyball nets, playgrounds, and horseshoe pits. Bird watching is popular here because hawks are almost always spotted. Some hikers have reported seeing golden and bald eagles around the reservoir. There is no camping allowed. Parking is $5 with an extra $2 fee for a dog. Dogs have to be on the leash around the lawn but they are allowed off the leash in remote parts of the park. The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk.[1]

Trail location

The trail begins at the base of the San Pablo Dam and runs along the west shore of the San Pablo Reservoir, crosses over the San Pablo Dam Road. There is a eucalyptus forest and chaparral to the San Pablo Ridge.

History

Before this 222-acre park became an protected area it was home to wheat fields, the site of ranchos, and railroad stations for a railroad that ran from Oakland to Orinda and right through Richmond and Sobrante Hills. It was originally part of the 17,754-acre Rancho San Pablo. Francisco Castro acquired the rancho in 1823, and the grove later became the Clancy Ranch. By 1886 the railroad had scheduled stops from the California and Nevada railroad at Laurel Glen and Frenchman's Curve. The picnic areas around the park are named after some of the former railroad stops. The eucalyptus trees were planted in 1910. This park was honored after the deceased President John F. Kennedy. The park opened on October 22, 1967, and the park is now owned and operated by the East Bay Regional Park District.[2]

Wildlife

In Kennedy Grove is the San Pablo Reservoir where fishing is popular. The reservoir has trout and catfish and is recognized as the one of the finest fisheries in the East Bay. However a fishing license and EBMUD fishing permit is required. You can see flocks of ducks, shorebirds, geese, and white pelicans along the trails. Sometimes deer and bobcats can be sighted.There are also species like quail, dove, and wild turkeys. With predators that roam the skies such as eagles, owls, hawks, and ospreys.[3]

Weather

The area surrounding San Pablo Dam tends to be warmer than it is in the city. The East Bay is warmer than the Peninsula. Summer temperatures vary from 50-90 degrees. Rainfall is common and the highest occurrence is in the months of November thru March. The temperatures dip to 38 degrees in the winter.[4]

  1. ^ "Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area, East Bay Regional Park District, Contra Costa County". Bay Area Hiker. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area". East Bay Regional Park District. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  3. ^ "San Pablo Reservoir". East Bay Municipal Utility District. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  4. ^ "San Francisco and Bay Area Weather". Grant's San Francisco Travel Guide. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
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