Sunday Drive: Morgan Territory

What you'll see: Here's a holiday drive that you can top off with a great trek, hike or bike. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is perched on a ridge in the East Bay hills that provides views to the east across the San Joaquin Valley to the snow-blanketed Sierra Nevada on a clear day. The drive to the park ventures across the foothills of the remote back flank of Mount Diablo. Mountain bikers can enjoy a network of trails and ranch roads that pass through oak woodlands and by several cattle ponds en route to views, wildlife sighting opportunities and do-it-yourself picnic sites.

Volvon Loop: Link the Volvon Trail to Blue Oak and Valley View trails to create a 5.7-mile loop. You get views of Mount Diablo, Los Vaqueros Reservoir, the Central Valley and beyond to the Sierra.

Bring binoculars: Those familiar with the high Sierra can identify the Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne wilderness areas near Carson Pass. You can also make out the high-rises in Sacramento.

Grinding mortars: Explore pockets of sandstone rock formations peppered in the grasslands to find acorn grind mortars. They look like small bowls in the rock. This is where the Volvon tribe ground acorns into powder to leech out the bitter taste.

Dog friendly: At Morgan Territory, like most East Bay parks, you can let your dog run off-leash, providing it is under absolute voice command.

Cows: The bovines that roam the park in the winter can chop sections of road into quagmires for bike riders and create uncomfortable encounters for all. Note, however, the land is historic grazing habitat for tule elk, then later for cattle. It helps wildflower blooms in spring and reduces fire danger in summer. The cows also enhance the ground squirrel population, which provides prey for wintering golden eagles and other predators.

Now you know: The park is named after Jeremiah Morgan, who started a ranch here in the 1850s.

Cost: Parking, access free.

A secret: Few know there is a backpack campsite 3 miles into the park. Closed for winter, reopens in late March. Non-potable water available, cook on camp stoves. Reservations at (888) 327-2757, option 2, Ext. 1. $5 per person per night, $8 reservation fee for the group.

How to get there: From San Francisco, take Interstate 80 east over the Bay Bridge and stay right for the I-580 split. Drive 34 miles on I-580 to Livermore and Exit 52B for North Livermore Avenue. Take that exit, turn left and go 3.6 miles to Manning Road. Turn left and go 0.5 miles to Morgan Territory Road. Turn right and drive 5.8 miles (becomes narrow, go slow) to the park entrance and parking on the right.

From Clayton: From Clayton Road, continue east to Marsh Creek Road. Continue on Marsh Creek Road for 3.4 miles to Morgan Territory Road. Turn right and go 7.2 miles to the park entrance and parking on the left.

Contacts: Map/brochure, East Bay Regional Park District, available in box at parking area, or (888) 327-2757, option 5, Ext. 2; ebparks.org.

This article appeared on page B - 10 of the San Francisco Chronicle