Big event on my birthday, Part 2

The second event that happened on my birthday was us finally hiking along the Black Diamond Mines park in Antioch. I saw an article in the Sacramento Bee on the mines back in November 2010 and have been aching to go since then. This area was once California's largest coal mining operation, with some estimated four million tons of coal (or black diamonds) extracted from the earth between the 1860s and the early 1900s. Since the 1970s, the East Bay Regional Park District started to acquire land to establish the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve which now comprises about 5,375 acres.

Something out of the Wild West

For sure, the Black Diamond Mines area looks like something stuck in the Wild West period, straight out of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (see here and here). A creaky windmill and vintage water tower greets visitors as they drive into the park. Rolling hills, golden in color and spotted with clusters of trees, against a clear blue sky provide for a majestic backdrop. One wonders if Blondie would have felt right at home here.

View from the highest point at
Rose Hill Cemetery

Five small towns once existed around the mines; they have all been torn down. What still stands are the grave markers at the Rose Hill Cemetery. It's about a 15 minute hike uphill from the main area of the park to the cemetery. Sparse trees provide limited shade from the sun along the trail. The cemetery is positioned atop the hill and overlooks the hiking trails snaking below, a monument to the lives of the former residents. (Interestingly, many of them were originally from Wales, UK.) There is a sense of serenity and calmness there, an overwhelming silence save creak of the tree trunks and the rustle of leaves and branches. Sitting under the shade of a tree, the Rose Hill Cemetery is a welcome respite from hiking in the sun.

The Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve is definitely worth a visit. The trails are easy, so they can be taken gingerly. Entry into the park is free on the weekdays, but only $5 on the weekends. Mine tours are usually available but some are closed for maintenance until March 2012. Despite that, it's a beautiful area and a casual hike that leads you back through time.

Here are more pictures for your perusal:

Entrance into one of the coal mines

Across from the visitors center

A scenic view from the cemetery