Las Trampas Trails, Downtown Danville, and a Chicken Slider

Fro my local friends, none of this will be new to you. But for my other Bay Area readers, a trip to Danville might be a novel idea. So for today’s Day’ve Trip, I suggest you start off with a hike through the Las Trampas ridge area. You’ll get fantastic views, fresh air, and enough trail time to satisfy your step goals for the day. Maybe even a massive bloom of wildflowers. Then head to Downtown Danville to do a little exploring of the shops and restaurants. Finish off with a classic West Coast IPA and the “Money Burger” at Danville Brewing Company. Or pick the other option: the tastiest Chicken Slider on the planet at Revel Restaurant & Bar.

What to do: Hiking in the Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve is best done in spring and fall, but can be terrific all year round (maybe not in the 90+ degree mid-day heat of summer). Springtime gives you green and rolling, oak-studded hills, an array of wildflowers, and terrific views of the Bay Area and the Mt Diablo Range. The ridge at the center of the 5700-acre wilderness stretches from The Alamo – Walnut Creek border in the north to San Ramon in the South and was formed by the uplift from two geologic faults.

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You can see by the map above that there are a many trails you can take. Below is a favorite of mine when the wildflowers are out (some years see entire hillsides of California poppies that bring out the amateur photographer in all of us). Drive to San Ramon and head to the far end of Bollinger Canyon Road, to the Las Trampas parking lot where Bollinger meets Rocky Ridge Rd. The map below shows the highlighted trail route I suggest.

Rocky Ridge Trail: From the Parking Lot, walk up the Rocky Ridge View Trail about 3/4 of a mile (the combo of sections showing .15, .30, and .28 miles on the map). At the top of that hill, stay left on the Rocky Ridge View Trail southward for another .75 miles. When it splits to Rocky Ridge Loop vs Rocky Ridge View, stay left on the View Trail towards the Elderberry Trail. This will lead you along an amazing ridge with views in all directions. Take the sharp turn left turn onto Elderberry Trail for the next 1.67 miles back down the hill to Corral Camp, then turn left back to the Parking Lot where you started. It is maybe 6 miles, so allow yourself two hours or more, depending on how often to stop to gawk at the great views.

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Eugene O’Neil house: Another great trail option starts in Alamo at the end of Hemme Ave. Start at the staging area and follow the Ringtail Cat Trail to Virgil Williams Trail and the Madrone Trail, then back again (see the large map above). You can also walk back through the neighborhoods along Camille Avenue or Starview Drive and the Iron Horse trail. Along the Madrone Trail you will come upon a California State Historic landmark which is the Eugene O’Neil Historic “Tao House”.

Nobel laureate playwright Eugene O’Neil lived here with his wife Carlotta in the 1940’s when he was writing award winning plays like “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and “The Iceman Cometh”. If you are paying attention, you will walk through a small gate to see the gravestone of their beloved dog, nicknamed “Blemie”, to whom Eugene penned a beautiful tribute in his “Last Will and Testament of Silverdene Emblem”. If you are a dog lover, you’ll love this.

Destination – Downtown Danville: I’m a little biased because I live here, but Downtown Danville is about as quintessential “small-town USA” as you can get. If you haven’t visited before, come on down and stroll the sidewalk restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, bars, and restaurants that line Hartz Avenue, Railroad Avenue, and the side streets that feed them. It’s a great little destination unto itself and the food options are extremely good. So come here before or after your hike. Come on back any time. Danville Brewing Company, Revel Kitchen, Primo’s Pizza, Norm’s Place, Pete’s Brass Rail, Bridges, The Vine, The Peasant & The Pear, Harvest, Albatross, and Cielito are all long-term institutions or terrific newcomers to Downtown Danville.

What to Eat: Revel Kitchen is owned by the same wonderful family that owns the highly-acclaimed Esin Restaurant, as well as the Social Bird in Lafayette. While known for many delicious things, my rec for your first time at Revel Kitchen would be the Chicken Sliders. I really don’t have enough superlative descriptions to tell you how delicious these babies are. Home made biscuits, with delicately fried tender chicken, topped with garlic aioli, red pepper jelly, Napa slaw, and cheddar cheese. The flavors are a perfect harmonization of savory and sweet and represent maybe my favorite sandwich in the Bay Area. Your order comes with two of them, so share with someone so you can also try the Avocado Bruschetta, the Lamb Sliders, or the Shrimp and Grits. Save a little room, because Chef Esin deCarion made her reputation as a baker of amazing desserts.

Adult Beverage Option: The Danville Brewing Company (sometimes known locally as “The DBC”) opened in 2016 (trust me on this, I was literally the first guy in line when they opened). A great array of award-winning brews await you here, so make sure you’re not the designated driver on this visit. Order a 6-beer tasting flight (a few ounces each), and share with a friend to discover your taste. For me, It’s the Hop Magee IPA, the signature Danville IPA, Hello Strata, or the Celestial Haze. But for those a little more adventurous, try a taste of the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. It’s a smooth and malty spiced amber ale that, on a cold day, will make you feel like you’re under a warm blanket with a fresh-basked oatmeal spiced cookie that your mom just pulled out of the oven. If you didn’t already eat at Revel Kitchen, now would be a good time to try the Money Burger at DBC. It comes with “billion dollar bacon” and smoked gouda, but I always choose to add etc optional sunny-side up egg on top. You may need to go out and hike again to work it off, but it’s worth it.