A good way to the top of Black Mountain without the long climb from Rancho San Antonio, Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is also the trail connection to the headwaters of Stevens Creek. There are several entrances on Page Mill Road before you get to Skyline. The main entrance has ample parking and is almost opposite the parking lot for Los Trancos Open Space Preserve, a park I will most likely not review. Los Trancos is small with few trails, while Monte Bello is large with many interesting trails.

The oblique light of late afternoon and early morning often shows features missed during the flat light of noon. Deer tracks are clearly visible here in this late afternoon image looking down Stevens Creek Canyon. I was on my way to the top of Black Mountain when I shot this picture. Any one of three entrances on Page Mill Road will take you sooner or later to Old Ranch Trail and thru the permit only overnight campground (with running water and a phone) to the top of Black Mountain. I like going in at gate #MB03 which has roadside parking and takes you past an interesting pond with some sort of reeds growing. This pond is not marked on the map which you can get from the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. The map requires the Adobe Acrobat reader.

From about the same spot looking back the trail climbs steadily and gently towards the campground which is very close to the top of the mountain.

The campground is a good shady spot to rest and fill your water bottle or call your Mom—"Mom, I'm almost there!" , "Be careful dear." I can't really imaging what camping there would be like, being a Yosemite high country backpacker, but it would be good as a shake down cruise. If something went terribly wrong, getting out would be easy, especially if your tent flooded in rainy weather, but I might do that in my backyard.

Anyway, arriving at the top of Black Mountain near sunset is rewarding. And parking at the roadside is helpful so you can walk back late and not worry about your car being locked in the parking lot which closes half an hour after sunset. People are just staring out at the scenery with "Do not disturb" looks about them. If I come with a friend we stop talking or keep our voices down so as not to disturb and to loose ourselves in the view—

	Later afternoon looking over South Bay and the gash of Permanente.
	Looking north from the rocks at the top with Mt. Tam in the distance.

Mt. Diablo from just east of the summit. This is a very serene place above the chaos below.
Looking back at the summit of Black Mountain from near the same spot as the shot of Mt. Diablo.

Although a serene spot, there is one downside—the antennas at the top of the mountain:

Trees, trees, trees. I am fascinated by the trees, particularly the oaks in their varied forms and in different lighting—