“Another lovely day, mostly solid sunshine. Took a fine and fragrant walk up the west hills with Wanda and Helen, who I am glad to see love walking, flowers, trees and every bird and beast and creeping thing”
– John Muir, April 12, 1895
Join a National Park Service ranger for a Springtime Saunter on Sunday March 24, 2019 on Mt. Wanda, part of the John Muir National Historic Site (NHS) in Martinez, CA. This free, two-hour program begins at 1:00 PM with a moderately strenuous hike to look for wildflowers and learn about plants and animals native to the area. The trail includes about 650 feet of elevation gain, but the reward is a beautiful 360° view from the top.
Visitors should meet at the parking lot on the corner of Alhambra Avenue and Franklin Canyon Road, Martinez (at the Alhambra Ave. exit off Highway 4). Bring water, a jacket, and binoculars (if you have them). Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the trail is steep. If it rains or is too muddy, the walk will be canceled.
Reservations are not required. Please call the John Muir NHS Visitor Center at (925) 228-8860 if you have questions. For more information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jomu.
Created in 1964, John Muir NHS preserves the home and landscapes of conservationist and national park advocate John Muir. Mt. Wanda preserves 326 acres of grasslands and oak woodlands that were part of the original Muir/Strentzel ranch in the Alhambra Valley more than a century ago. Muir named Mt. Wanda after his eldest daughter, Annie Wanda Muir, and he often strolled among these hills with his two daughters. Visitors can follow in Muir’s footsteps by enjoying Mt. Wanda seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.
The John Muir NHS, located at 4202 Alhambra Avenue, Martinez, CA 94553, is open seven days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission to the site is free of charge. For more information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jomu or call (925) 228-8860.
