Tolay Lake Regional Park Photos

Return to Tolay Lake Regional Park

Headed back
Coppertone leads the way on the West Ridge Trail back our starting point. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
A little bit of everything
Near our turnaround spot the view included a bit of everything to see here. Open grassland, boulders, cows, thin tree lines and even a vineyard in the distance. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Tolay Lake
Looking down the valley towards Tolay Lake. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
West Ridge Trail
Looking back on the West Ridge Trail. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Cows and Cowgirls?
The park's resident cows kept a close eye on the equine visitors and their riders along the trail. They were not interested in being rounded up. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Canyon
Looking up the small canyon that feeds into Vista Pond. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Looking back
Looking over Fish Pond towards the buildings at the park trailhead. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Vista Pond
Lots of cows seemed to enjoy the relative solitude around Vista Pond. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Pond Trail
Pond Trail's surface was dry and fractured at the start. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Cache Cow
After finding our first Geocache of the day this bovine passed by on its way to better foraging. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Lakeville Road Trail
Like most trails at Tolay Lake, the path along Lakeville Road Trail is wide with open skies. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Shade
As the sky cleared and temperatures rose even the cows were seeking shade under this lonely tree. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Headed back
Coppertone heads down the mountain back to the trailhead. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Trailhead, in the distance
From the Three Bridges Vista Point, looking out over the width of Tolay creek's valley back towards the park's headquarters and our trailhead. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Mount Tam
Mount Tam resides in the distance at the center of the shot. Rolling in the foreground at the hills of Tolay Lake Regional Park. On clearer days the Golden Gate Bridge can be spotted, part of the reason for this spot's name, Three Bridges Vista Point. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain and Sonoma Speedway as seen from Three Bridges Vista Point. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Downhill
Looking back on the trail towards the most treed portion of the trail. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Getting close
The trail continues to ascend along East Ridge Trail a bit less than a half mile from Three Bridges Vista Point. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
A few more trees
There are few trees in the park, but along a section of trail that parallels a seasonal creek there are a bit more. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Looking back
Looking back towards the trailhead on the opposite side of the valley. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Barn and Pond
From the East Ridge Trail looking over an adjacent property's barn and pond and vineyards on the rolling hills. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Vineyard and cows
The vineyard on the left is private property adjacent to the park. Near the center is the first of several gates along the trail. A coupe of cows can be seen hanging out. Looking for a way to open it? (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Towards the ridge
The few trees along the Causeway disappear and it's open skies for most of the hike. Our goal is straight ahead. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
Causeway
The Causeway Trail crosses Tolay Lake. Chimney Swifts loved darting between the trees, and us. (Photo by Austin Explorer)
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