Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve |
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Round Top, an extinct volcano at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
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| Location | Alameda & Contra Costa Counties, California |
| Nearest city | Oakland, California |
| Area | 928 acres (3.76 km2) |
| Created | 1936 |
| Operated by | East Bay Regional Parks District |
The Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve is a cool park located in the Berkeley Hills of the East Bay area in California. This park is part of the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD). It covers about 928 acres (3.75 square kilometers) and is found just east of Oakland, California. The park stretches across parts of both Alameda County, California and Contra Costa County, California. You can enter the park from Oakland using Skyline Boulevard, or from Contra Costa County via Old Tunnel Road.
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Park History and Name
This park was one of the very first three parks created by the East Bay Regional Park District in 1936. It was first called Round Top Regional Park. The park is named after Round Top, which is an extinct volcano in the Berkeley Hills. An extinct volcano means it's a volcano that is no longer active and won't erupt again. Round Top is about 1,761 feet (537 meters) tall. The park was later renamed after Robert Sibley, who was the second president of the EBRPD, shortly after he passed away.
Discovering the Park's Volcano
The preserve is home to an ancient volcano that was active about ten million years ago. This volcano created most of the lava rocks that you can see under the hills in the East Bay today. Geologists, who are scientists who study rocks and the Earth, call these rock layers the Moraga Formation.
Over millions of years, the Earth's movements, like those along the Hayward Fault, pushed and folded these lava rock layers. This tilting caused the Round Top volcano's opening to be turned on its side. Because of this tilting, and also because of natural erosion (like wind and rain wearing away rocks) and a rock quarry that used to be here, we can now see inside the volcano. This makes it a great place to learn about how volcanoes work. Scientists from University of California, Berkeley have found that the lava inside the volcano is about 9.5 million years old.
Fun Activities at the Preserve
There are many trails at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Most of these trails are perfect for hiking and horseback riding. Some trails are also open for other uses, like biking. Round Top Road is a paved path that goes from the visitor center all the way to the top of Round Top. The park does not have campgrounds or picnic areas. The visitor center at the Skyline Boulevard entrance is not staffed, but it has brochures that can help you take a self-guided tour. It also shows cool pictures and information about the area's geology.
Exploring the Hiking Trails
- East Bay Skyline Regional Trail: This long trail, about 31 miles (50 kilometers) in total, goes through the Sibley preserve. It follows the ridgeline that separates Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Anthony Chabot Regional Park.
- Round Top Road: This paved road leads from the Sibley visitor center up to the very top of Round Top.
- Round Top Loop Trail: This trail circles around the peak of Round Top.
- Volcanic Trail: This trail used to be a road for hauling rocks from the quarry. It has many interesting stops for the self-guided volcanic tour.
- Quarry Trail: This trail connects the middle of the Volcanic Trail to a lower part of Quarry Road.
- Pond Trail: This is a short trail that goes down to a couple of small ponds on the north side of the preserve.
Mysterious Labyrinths
You can find at least two man-made labyrinths inside the preserve. A labyrinth is like a maze, but it has only one path that leads to the center. It's often used for walking meditation or quiet reflection.
The first and most popular one is called the Mazzariello Labyrinth. It was built in 1990 and given as a "gift to the world" by a local resident named Helena Mazzariello. Many hikers visit it to pray, meditate, or see the small items left in the center by previous visitors. Even though the park has specific open hours, people say that the labyrinth is visited all day, every day.
If you continue along the Round Top Loop Trail, you'll find another marker that leads to the Volcanic Trail. At Post No. 4, you can see a smaller labyrinth shaped like a heart. It's not as fancy as the Mazzariello Labyrinth, and it doesn't seem to be used as much.
Some people have talked about other, older labyrinths hidden in the preserve. However, a group called Friends of the Labyrinth says these are just stories, as they haven't found any proof. They even checked high-quality aerial photos and couldn't find any signs of other labyrinths.
Planning Your Visit
The park is open all year round, so you can visit any time!
- From November to February, the park and gate hours are 7 AM to 6 PM.
- From March to October, the park and gate hours are 7 AM to 10 PM.
There is no fee to park your car, and you don't have to pay extra if you bring your dog.
