8/3/2019 Nejedley Staging Area to F Street Trail Guide
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The Nejedly Staging Area is located off Carquinez Scenic
Drive. From the upper parking lot, hikers have the choice of
three trails to reach the top of the skyline. A center trail
follows the arroyo while two other trails, one on each side
of the arroyo, follow the ridges that form the arroyo.
The arroyo trail (or center trail) begins at end of the parking
lot, through a gate and straight up to the top. Hikers with
dogs or children may want to consider one of the side trails
Nejedley Staging Area To F Street in MayRound Trip - 4 - Miles
Elevation Change - 600 Feet
rather than this path. The arroyo trail stays muddy until late
in the season and much of the trail has encroaching Poison
Oak.
Watershed Divide
Rankin
Drainage
Merle
Creek
Nejedley
Staging Area
F Street
Alhambra Ave
Berrellesa St
Talbart
St
Escobar St
Carquinez Scenic Dr.
To
Hy-4
Gate
Trail
Other Trails
8/3/2019 Nejedley Staging Area to F Street Trail Guide
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May 2005, db, Nejedly to F Street LR
There is a trail on the left hand side, starting at a gate located
in a picnic area. This left-side (or east) trail immediately
turns left, and then climbs the hill behind the St. Catherines
Cemetery. After passing behind the cemetery it again turns
uphill. Passing through a gate on the left one gains access tothe Rankin Park fire road. Following the road uphill the
hiker passes through yet another gate, passing back into the
East Bay Regional Park, and on up to the top.
The right-side (west) trail also starts through the gate at the
end of the parking lot. It follows the fence on the right, then
up the hill, becoming a single track through classic Califor-
nia Oak Woodlands. At the top, this trail intersects the fire
road along the ridge. Turning left, the road heads southward
towards HY-4. Only a few feet up the road, a single-track
trail joins the road; this is the arroyo path from Nejedly
Staging. A few dozen paces further, another fire road
branches off to the right (it loops back to Shepherds Can-
yon at Ozol). Continuing ahead, the road rises up to cross
over a small ridge. This ridge is a watershed divide. Surface
waters along the trails from the Nejedly Staging Area drain
directly into the Carquinez Strait. On the other side of this
small ridge, the surface waters flow first into the Alhambra
Watershed and then flow to the strait.
After crossing the watershed divide, the East trail from the
Nejedly Staging Area joins the main road. As the main road
proceeds south, a wind-mill pump and stock pond can beseen down-slope on the left. The surface waters from this
collection area flow into Rankin Park, then to Alhambra
Creek.
Beyond the next gate is the Shuman-Perry property, re-
cently acquired by the EBRP. At this writing, the house and
horse stables are still standing, but their future is unclear
After passing the Shuman place, another stock pond can be
seen down-slope to the left, close to three magnificent oak
trees, standing together, but apart from other trees. This
pond is the beginning of Merle Creek, which also flows to
Alhambra Creek. By mid-summer, both the Rankin and
Merle ponds may be dry. Continuing south, the trail inter-
sects the F Street trail. If the hiker continues on instead of
turning to the F Street trail, Hy-4 will be reached. The F
Street trails takes the hiker down to Alhambra Ave. Turning
north (left) the hiker follows Alhambra Ave until it dividesinto two one-way streets, Alhambra Ave and Berrellesa
Street, at the County Medical Center (Merrithew Hospital)
If it is a hot day, there is a respite in a small Redwood grove
on the hospital grounds. After the streets divide, follow
Berrsllesa to Escobar, Escobar to Talbart, then to the Car-
qunizez Scenic Drive and back to the parking lot.
Entrance to the Nejedley Staging Area
Right-Side trail from staging area
Oaks above Merle Creek