Family walk to see early flowers in chaparral in Lime Ridge Open Space

The Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation invites you to a walk in Lime Ridge Open Space on February 24, 2019 at 1:30pm to see chaparral on Lime Ridge. We should see early flowers in bloom including Indian warrior, Ceanothus, purple nightshade (solanum), yerba santa and black sage. We might also see Fremont's camus and even manzanita flowers.

This is a family oriented event where parents and children can discover more about nature together. We'll be looking for interesting plants and animals as we walk into the chaparral habitat. It's a chance to learn and to share experiences with others on the walk.

We'll be returning to the same area in later walks to see how the plants we see on this first walk develop through the year. Use your camera (smartphone camera or dedicated camera) to record what you see on this walk and make notes on a notepad or with a voice recorder (using your smartphone.).

We will have a leisurely walk of 2.5 to 3 miles with about 500 feet of elevation change. We will begin at Trailhead near the corner of the Crystal Ranch Parkway and Maplegate Court in Concord and walk into Lime Ridge Open Space. The walk will last from 1:30pm until about 4pm.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a rain jacket and a hat. You may want to bring water. There are no bathrooms in the open space. Rain or very muddy conditions cancel the walk. (We'll let you know of a cancellation or rescheduling a day before the walk.)

Driving directions: From downtown Walnut Creek, drive out Ygnacio Valley Road to Crystal Ranch Parkway. Turn right on Crystal Ranch Parkway and drive about 1.3 miles. We'll be there to meet you at the trailhead just before you reach the intersection with Maplegate Court. Look for a dark blue VW hatchback. You can park along the Parkway.

Street Address: 995 Maplegate Court, Concord, CA

If you plan to attend, please reply to contact@wcosf.org with your name and the number of people coming in your group.