Fernandez Ranch
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
Features
- Picnic
- Accessible Restrooms
- Accessible Parking
Information
- Website:
- jmlt.org
- Address:
- 1081 Christie Road, Martinez, CA, 94553
- Region:
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Phone:
- Info: (925) 228-5460
- Hours:
- Dawn to Dusk
- Dogs:
- On leash
Dogs on-leash near picnic areas. Dogs off-leash on trails if under control at all times - Last Visited:
- November 2019
This beautiful 1,185-acre open space easily reached from Hwy 4 in Martinez, provides a bucolic retreat from nearby urban congestion. Miles of trails are open to hiking, horesback riding & cycling; only the 1.5-mile Black Phoebe Trail is identified as wheelchair accessible. Oak-studded slopes and freshwater wetlands give way to Rodeo Creek, whose banks are cloaked in Coast live oak. Since the property borders a working ranch you'll likely see grazing cows and at dawn and dusk deer emerge from the woods. In the springtime, poppies, lupine and the threatened Mount Diablo sunflower — that only grows in Contra Costa County — blanket the ranch in vibrant color.
Trails and Pathways
- Trail:
- Black Phoebe Trail
- Time to Complete:
- 30 minutes
- Trailhead Location:
- Turn left after crossing the bridge
- Trail Length:
- 1-2 total miles
- Typical Width:
- 30 in. to 4 ft.
- Typical Grade:
- Level
- Typical Terrain:
- Firm
Trail Overview: This out and back 1.5 mile trail parallels Rodeo Creek; you can't see it, the south meadow on the other side provides vistas of pasture land and rolling hills. A bench nearly halfway is a good place to take in the view and look for western fence lizards, California meadow voles, coyotes, and other species that prefer open grasslands. Just beyond the junction for Whipsnake Trail the trail becomes too rugged and narrow so turn back at the junction.
On our visit we also went a short distance on both the Windmill and Woodland trails but turned around after less than .2-mile when we reached a gate that was too difficult to open for either of us wheelchair riders. Both trails were wide enough however they were quite bumpy which made it less enjoyable than the Black Phoebe Trail.
More Info: Trail may be muddy after rains.
Accessibility Features
The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.
- Accessible Parking:
- Yes – designated accessible parking, van accessible, firm, level or slope no greater than 2%
- Accessible Restroom:
- Yes – At parking lot, There is a 2-3" threshold on to the concrete pad that the restroom is built on which may be problematic to navigate over.
- Accessible Picnic Table:
- Yes – firm & stable path to tables, firm & stable surface, 27" or greater knee clearance
- Good to Know:
- Very little shade and can be hot in summer & fall.
