Rim Valley
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 12:20PM This is a bowl route, you start up on the rim, go down in to the valley, and up to the rim on the other side. Repeat as often as your heart allows.
Location: Lafayette Reservoir Recreation Area
Trails Taken - This short hike starts at the intersection of Rim Trail and Rheem Trail. Take the Rheem Trail down to the valley floor. When you meet the intersection of the trail with the path to the reservoir, the trail turns in to Canyon Trail. Go straight on Canyon Trail to the other lip of Rim Trail. Return the same way.
Mileage- 2.2 miles round trip.
Trailhead - End of Campolindo Drive, no water, no toilets, limited parking in residential area.
Notes and Impressions - Just once back and forth on this trail is good exercise, but doing it twice is even better. There are steep climbs, especially on the Rheem Trail side. The valley floor tends to get wet in the spring. The trail itself can get muddy, but there are also a few streams that cross the path, and you'll need to jump them or go through them. Halfway across the valley you can connect with the .4 mile trail to the paved reservoir path. If you come down on the Rheem Trail, run to the reservoir and back, take the Canyon Trail to the other lip, come back down and repeat, you'll have a 3 mile route with some nice hill climbs. There are some beautifully shaped trees along the way, and the valley is home to quite a few noisy birds, especially scrub jays.
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