Trail of the week 1: Eureka Bike Ramp (#46)

In 2013 the Trail Trekkers premiered a new trail list and map. While many trails are used regularly, others may be less well known. In this series we will be introducing them all, one each week, in random (more or less) order. We start this week with #46, the Eureka Bike ramp.

When the Central to Stockton segment of the Ohlone Greenway reopened last weekend, two other, lesser known, trails also became accessible again. The Eureka Bike ramp connects the eastern intersection of Eureka Ave. and Liberty St. to the Ohlone Greenway. We say the eastern intersection, because Eureka and Liberty actually meet twice, once each on either side of the BART right-of-way. As it comes east out of the hills, Eureka descends to about the level of the elevated BART tracks at Liberty. There it stops, and a fence and high retaining wall separate it from the greenway below. You could turn right, and proceed north on Liberty to Stockton Ave., but if you are on foot or bike you can turn left and go south down a gentle slope to the Ohlone Greenway. (Another option for sure-footed walkers is to take the Liberty to Ohlone path (#45), a short dirt path north of the retaining wall.)

The base of the retaining wall is itself significant, since in wet weather it is a gathering place for Pacific Chorus Frogs, also known as Pacific Tree Frogs.  The frog habitat and all three paths were inaccessible during work on the  BART Earthquake Safety Project. As of this week all but two blocks of the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito (Portola to Schmidt to Manila), and all of Albany,  are open for use. Yay!