Ted's Hiking World Rockville Hills Regional Park
near Fairfield

April 26, 2022

It's not too hot out today, so I have ventured westward in the Sacramento Valley to a new venue.  This park is criss-crossed with trails and is quite popular with mountain bikers.  Oddly enough, e-bikes are specifically prohibited; I have mine in tow but wasn't planning to use it here anyway.  Acknowledging the sign warning me not leave valuables in the car, I pay the three-dollar fee and head for the gate.

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That poster at the kiosk bothers me, because it is misleading.  Albeit unsure about the other critters, I do know that none of the three varieties of rattlesnake shown exist in northern California.  One lives only in the southern state, and the others reside east of the Rocky Mountains.  It's a pretty picture, I suppose; but why is it here?  Normal park exhibits more meaningfully concentrate on the local wildlife.

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All the bikers have disappeared, which is good

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The lake is quite pleasant

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Rose Clover *
Spider Lupine

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Up ahead, some kids are on a guided tour

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Heading up the nearest hill

Wow!  That stretch proved a lot steeper than was expected.  I hope that there is another way down.

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This could be the park's high-point

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View to the west

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Red Starthistle *
False Bindweed

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Harvest Brodiaea *
California Poppy

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The lake is back in view

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False Babystars *
Chamise

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Foxtail

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Even the trees have flowers

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Purple Owl's Clover

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Blue Dicks

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Green Valley to the north

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Orange Bush Monkeyflower *
Fernald's Iris

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Woolly Sunflower *
Chaparral Clarkia

Determined to make a complete loop of this walk if possible, I have been taking mostly lefthand turns so as to avoid returning to the lake.  The latest sign points toward some sort of cave.

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It must be up there *
Well, that is a cave, I suppose

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That's a first — directions to nowhere in particular

The next cave is real enough, but I am disinclined to make the steep scramble.

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If those were real pictographs, I would climb up there

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On the Outer Trail

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The Lower Quarry route

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Hugging the road at the end *
Wild Radishes line the fence

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My bike is still there


§: Well, this was about what I expected — an unremarkable area with some nice April flowers.

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Personality *
Flowers *

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(clockwise loop)

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