Donald Drive Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Occasionally vehicles use this road to access some of the homes on the ridge - be careful. Parking at the west entrance is limited to parallel parking on the road (Donald Dr). There are no restrooms at the trailhead, but there are restrooms at the main parking area for Orinda Oaks Park off of Moraga Way.

Starting at the gate on the west end, the path follows the top of the ridge through Orinda Oaks Park until it reaches the Mulholland Ridge Open Space Preserve and becomes the Mulholland Ridge Trail. At about 0.15 miles from the gate there is a junction with the Ridge Trail, which descends down the southwest slope to the main parking area of Orinda Oaks Park. At about 0.35 miles a connector trail to the Donald Reservoir Trail departs right (southwest). At 0.44 miles the the trail reaches the park boundary and enters Mulholland Ridge Open Space.

Flora include oak trees, trailing blackberry, poison oak (watch out!), coyote brush, grasses, and many other plants typical of the oak chaparral of the Bay Area. During the winter, especially after rain, many fungi can be found, especially on dead trees and decomposing logs. In the spring, wildflowers bloom for weeks. Fauna include many species of birds, especially acorn woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, kestrels, chickadees, jays, and much more. Deer, coyotes, rabbits, western fence lizards, and other common animals to the area can also be seen.