Brushy Peak Regional Preserve is a regional park that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) systems. It is located in unincorporated land in Alameda County, just north of Livermore, California.
Geography
Entering the Park
The preserve's southern boundary is across the street from Springtown, a section of Livermore that is north of the I-580. You can reach the park from Livermore by taking Vasco Road into Springtown, turning right onto Northfront Road (Altamont Pass Road), and then turning left onto Laughlin Road. As you drive north along Laughlin Road, you can see Brushy Peak Preserve on the right and housing developments to the left. After this section of Laughlin Road, the road narrows to a one-lane road with ranches on either side. The road winds through a short canyon before reaching the staging area, where a ranch is located.
Hiking Trails
From the staging area, hiking trails go in three directions: West Side Loop Trail, Brushy Peak Loop Trail, and the Laughlin Ranch Loop.
West Side Loop Trail
The West Side Loop Trail is a 2-mile loop trail. The eastern side of the loop trail runs through a flat valley (part of Brushy Creek), at an elevation of approximately . The trail then turns west, steadily climbing a hill, before it turns south and nears the top of the peak. At this point, it begins to come back down the hill and returns to the staging area.
The West Side Loop Trail runs closest to the Vasco Landfill. As a result, birds can often be seen crowding around the hills to the west of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve. This is most easily seen from the West Side Loop Trail.
Brushy Peak Loop Trail
The Brushy Peak Loop Trail opened in 2008. It is a loop that starts at the Laughlin Staging Area, where the elevation is . The trail follows an old ranch road past several small ponds. The trail turns here, climbing the side of a hill which is covered in eucalyptus trees. The trail continues to rise, becoming a single track trail. It continues to climb through a region of scattered rocks. While reaching an elevation of over a distance of , small oak trees are seen. The narrow trail then goes through a pass and winds down the west side of Brushy Peak. At this point, the trail turns south, winding along Brushy Creek until it reaches the West Side Trail.
Laughlin Ranch Loop / Tamcan Trail
A collection of shorter trails dominate the southeast section of the park. These trails generally go around hills, reaching elevations of to over grasslands. Windmills can be seen from these trails. The southernmost trail in this region of the park, the Dyer Ranch Trail, connects with Laughlin Road near Springtown.
History
Native Americans
The park is named for Brushy Peak (elevation ), a mountain in the Diablo Range, that has had historical significance dating back to Native Americans who lived in the region before the arrival of European settlers. It was a focus of trade routes that connected the Bay Area Ohlones, Bay Miwoks, and Northern Valley Yokuts. According to the EBRPD, "The Ssaoam triblet of the Ohlone peoples was probably the most closely linked to the Brushy Peak area, living in the surrounding dry hills and tiny valleys around the peak and nearby Altamont Pass. Ssaoam populations in the dry summer months may have dispersed and reconverged at various camps throughout the year."
European Settlement
The first European to make an expedition into this part of California was Pedro Fages, who passed through the Livermore Valley in 1772, on his return from Monterey. Mission San Jose (in present-day Fremont) was founded in 1797, and the Ssaoams lived there from 1806 to 1836. As mission lands were converted into ranchos by the Mexican government, some of the people left Mission San Jose to work as laborers on the new ranchos. The land was probably grazing land for cattle from Rancho Cañada Los Vaqueros.
During the California gold rush, Brushy Peak became a hideout for bandits, most notably Joaquin Murietta (1829 - 1853). By the 1870s, the land around the peak was becoming increasingly occupied by immigrants from the east, and less hospitable to the outlaws. In 1900 and 1901, the Bohemian Club of San Francisco held outings on the top of the peak.
Modern History
The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) identified Brushy Peak as a potential city park in the early 1970s, and acquired for that purpose in 1974. In 1997, LARPD and EBRPD formally agreed to cooperate in the further acquisition, planning, and protection of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve.