Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
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About The Park
East Bay residents have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks. The preserve was later named in honor of Robert Sibley, who helped found the District and served for 10 years on its board of directors.
Round Top, one of the area's highest peaks, is made up of lava and volcanic debris left over from a 10-million-year-old volcano. During the past 10 million years, massive tectonic forces on the Hayward and Moraga earthquake faults uplifted the Berkeley hills, folding bedrock formations and tilting the Round Top volcano complex on its side.
Softer sedimentary rock from the Orinda Formation eroded away, exposing the Round Top volcano. In addition, quarrying in the north half of the preserve has revealed cross sections of the bedrock geology, providing an unsurpassed outdoor laboratory for studying volcanism in the Central Coast Ranges. Back to top
Park Features
Round Top (elevation 1763 ft. above sea level) is the preserve's most prominent feature.
The unstaffed visitor center at the Skyline Boulevard staging area has displays illustrating the preserve's geology. A self-guided brochure is available at the staging area highlighting the preserve's geological features.
Several trails provide access throughout the preserve. The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline between Wildcat Canyon and Anthony Chabot Parks. Round Top Road goes from the Sibley visitor center to the top of Round Top. Round Top Loop Trail circles Round Top peak. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.
From Old Tunnel Road on the northwest side of the park, the paved Quarry Road ascends and meets the east end of Volcanic Trail. Quarry Trail connects the middle of Volcanic Trail to a point lower down on Quarry Road. Finally, Pond Trail is a short trail segment that descends to a couple of ponds on the north side of the preserve. Back to top
Park Activities
Most trails are hiking and equestrian only. A few trails are multi-use. Dogs are permitted at Sibley, but are not allowed on adjacent Huckleberry trails. A visitor center at the park shelves self-guided tour brochures so guests can stroll the park and learn of its historic significance at their own leisure.
Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Bicycles are allowed on the wider-gauge fire trails and paved roads, but are not allowed on Round Top Road from the fork .15 mile east of the visitor center to the top of Round Top. Back to top
Park Accessibility
Round Top Road is paved to the top of Round Top. (Watch for occasional vehicles using the road.) There is also a 600-foot, paved wheelchair path north of the visitor center that ends at a viewing platform. Quarry Road, beginning at Old Tunnel Road, is also paved. Back to top
To Reach The Park
From Highway 24 take the Fish Ranch Road immediately east of the Caldecott Tunnel. Continue 0.8 miles to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Turn left and go 2.4 miles on Grizzly Peak to Skyline Boulevard. Turn left and drive .1 mile to the preserve entrance on the left.
The closest bus line, AC Transit #305, runs only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. From Lake Merritt BART, 19th Street BART, or Rockridge BART take AC Transit bus 59 or 59A; these bus lines go to the Montclair Transit Center. From there, transfer to AC Transit bus 305 and exit at the stop on Colton Boulevard and Ridgewood Drive. Walk the short distance from Colton to Skyline Boulevard, turn left and proceed to the preserve. It is a mostly level, 0.9-mile walk that passes the Huckleberry Preserve staging area. Please call AC Transit 511 (TDD/TTY: 1-800-448-9790) or visit www.transit.511.org to confirm transit information. Back to top
Trail Map
Park Info
- Address
- 6800 Skyline Blvd
Oakland, CA 94611 - Download Brochure
- Phone Number
- Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4554
- Local Weather
- Maps
- View Trail Map
- Download PDF Map
- Yahoo Map
- Park Hours
- Open between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. unless otherwise posted or permitted
- Park Events
- Click here for upcoming events
- Parking Fee
- No fee
- Dog Fee
- No fee
- Camping Reservations
- No reservable campgrounds
- Picnic Reservations
- No reservable sites
- Emergency Number
- 911
- EBRPD Headquarters
- 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757
Park Update
- Grazing Update
- Cattle grazing in Sibley will be on a seasonal rotation in 2008. The cattle will be removed from the preserve around the middle of April, and brought back in the early fall.