We had an amazing time last month visiting the monarch butterflies that winter in a butterfly preserve in Pacific Grove, California. After that trip, I started reading Sue Halpern's Four Wings and a Prayer: Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly. (London: Phoenix Books, 2001.) Thus it was a lovely surprise to find out there are small gatherings of butterflies our local East Bay!
Point Pinole Regional Park (5551 Giant Highway, Richmond) is a lovely nature area of over 2,000 acres located north of the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge and features a fishing pier, hiking trails, playground, etc. Eli loves the foot bridge over the railroad tracks so he can periodically watch Amtrak chugging below. And every winter Point Pinole is also host to hundreds of butterflies.
Hiking through the eucalyptus forest...
We brought a stroller to carry our picnic and gear, but Eli ended up in it to rest his legs and save some time. We hope to go back and will use our sport stroller. Although we made it, our poor umbrella stroller wasn't the best choice for off-roading!
Following the butterfly signs the park put out...
Our buddies Mama Tiffany and Robynn had a good time watching too.
When we hiked in, it was chilly. The butterflies in their small clusters were opening their wings to the sun, yet there wasn't much movement.
Soon after our arrival, however, the wind settled and it became noticably warmer. The butterflies flexed their wings then many went looping off through the trees above. Eli and I lay down on the forest floor. Breathing in the smell of the eucalyptus leaves beneath us, we watched butterflies flittering and swooping and zipping through the air. Although there were a lot more butterflies at Pacific Grove, we'd only seen them on a cold day when they weren't moving. Watching the moving clouds of butterflies at Point Pinole with Eli is one of those beloved mama memories I'll never forget.
Click HERE for more information about viewing local butterflies. There are small clusters wintering at Ardenwood and Albany Hill Park as well. Here is our hiking path from the Point Pinole parking lot to the butterfly grove -- just over a mile each way.
One Mama's Two Cents:
The butterflies won't be wintering much longer, but we hope to make it back to visit. Perhaps the best bet is an early picnic lunch, arriving when it is chilly and then watching as the butterflies stir to life. They remain still until the temperature is over 55 degrees. Bundle up yourself because the grove is near San Pablo Bay and the wind can be cold. There are no benches or tables in the butterfly grove, but the ground is clear and flat. We saw signs warning of poison oak yet didn't see the plant itself.
We visited on a weekday. There is no entry/parking fee then and it is less crowded. On warm weekdays there are usually plenty of folks visiting, but be aware that Point Pinole is isolated and can be a little lonely when the weather isn't quite as nice. See the park brochure for information about shuttle from the parking lot to the fishing pier. The shuttle passes near the butterfly grove, which could reduce the hiking distance to about a quarter of a mile each way.
(Thanks Nicole and Tabitha for more information about the butterflies!)
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