January 24, 2015
Black Diamond Regional Preserve, various trails, Antioch, CA
Total distance walked: 5.75 miles

On a sunny yet chilly morning, I ventured westward. The San Joaquin Valley lay beneath a dense fog, and shortly after leaving the Sierra foothills, the gray mist engulfed me. By the time I arrived at my parents’ home in Antioch, the sun had emerged once more. It was the perfect day for my first hike of the year.

Joseph, my 30-year-old son, has recently developed a keen interest in hiking and backpacking. He met me at my parents’ house and joined me for this hike. It had been many years since our last hike together, possibly since 2001 when we hiked to Volcano Lake near Sierra City.

We made our way to the Stewartville trailhead, conveniently located at the end of my parents’ neighborhood. The wide gravel fire service road wound its way through the hills. When Joseph was a child, he would always hike ahead of us. This time, we walked side by side, enjoying our conversation.

Cows grazed peacefully on the verdant hillsides, a picturesque scene. We watched them trotting downhill. Their movements were far less graceful compared to the mountain bikers who zoomed past us at high speeds.

The powerful whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of a hawk’s wings echoed above us as it flew by. Ground squirrels scurried for shelter when spotting the predator. As we rounded a corner, the striking silhouette of Mt. Diablo came into view.

We veered onto the Prospect Tunnel Trail, making our way into the dark burrow at the road’s end. This tunnel, from the coal mining days of the 1860s, was originally an exploratory passage. It stretches 400 feet but is blocked after 200 feet. Inside, the tube was moist, causing my glasses to fog up instantly—not that I could see much in the darkness anyway.

After exiting the tunnel, we retraced our steps back to the main path. From there, we embarked on a 500-foot ascent along the Corcoran Mine Trail. The path grew narrow, steep, and rocky. Joseph charged ahead just as he used to when he was a kid. I paused to appreciate the scenery, though mostly to catch my breath.

As we reached the top, views of the grassy hillsides unfolded before us.

From the crest of the Corcoran Mine Trail, the City of Antioch lay beneath us, shrouded in a blanket of fog.

Next, we made our way down the aptly named Acorn Trail, beneath a canopy of barren oak trees.

Finally, we embarked on the Old Homestead Loop Trail. Back in 2011, my father and I hiked this trail in sticky mud. This time, although the terrain was dry, it was terribly rutted and equally challenging to traverse. As Joseph and I made our way back to the car, we reminisced about the past and pondered the future.

I’m thrilled that he has reignited his passion for hiking. I look forward to spending many more hours together on the trails in the coming year.