Sobrante Ridge Botanic Regional Preserve, Botanical regional preserve in Contra Costa County, United States
Sobrante Ridge Botanic Regional Preserve is a botanical park in Contra Costa County spanning approximately 277 acres, combining oak and bay woodland with coyote brush scrub and open grassland. These varied habitats support many native plant species and offer visitors a diverse natural experience.
The land was originally part of Rancho El Sobrante, a Mexican land grant given to Juan Jose Castro in 1840 for cattle ranching. Its transformation from grazing land to today's botanical preserve reflects a fundamental shift in the region's land use and conservation goals.
The preserve connects several neighborhoods through its three entrances and serves as a green retreat for nearby residents. Visitors encounter well-marked paths that lead through different habitats, enabling daily interaction between people and the natural landscape.
The preserve is accessible through three different entrances and features a network of dirt roads and trails for hiking and cycling. Conditions are most pleasant during dry months when paths are easier to navigate and plant life is most visible.
The preserve protects one of the last remaining populations of Alameda manzanita, a plant species found nowhere else in the world. Many visitors overlook this rare shrub, unaware of its importance to the region's botanical heritage.
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