A 928-acre preserve in the Oakland Hills featuring exposed volcanic rock formations from a 10-million-year-old volcano. Trails wind through eucalyptus groves and grasslands to labyrinths and geological formations. The Round Top peak at 1,763 feet provides ridge-top views of the surrounding hills.
Photography Guide
Best Time
morning
Crowds
Quiet
Shot Types
landscapedetailwide
Best Seasons
springfall
Practical Tips
Free parking at the Skyline Boulevard trailhead. The volcanic formations are a short hike from the parking lot via the Round Top Loop Trail.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
A massive oak with thick, moss-covered limbs arches over a narrow dirt trail, creating a dramatic tunnel of branches and dappled morning light. Dense woodland surrounds the path, with sunlit leaves and shadowed undergrowth framing the scene. Photo: TaoHexi / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A small stone labyrinth is arranged on a dirt slope, with a black Buddha statue centered on a rock and surrounded by offerings, candles, shells, and other objects. Dry grass and scattered stones frame the winding path, giving the scene a quiet, handmade feel. Photo: Dragonhawk12 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Golden grass-covered volcanic hills roll across the frame under a clear blue sky, with dark rocky outcrops and scattered shrubs breaking up the slopes. Thin trails and a few power towers are visible on the ridgeline, giving the wide landscape a rugged, open feel. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Sunlit, dry grassy hills fill the frame under a clear blue sky, with dark green tree clusters and three tall power towers on the ridge. A rocky outcrop on the right shows reddish exposed volcanic rock, and faint trails cut across the slopes. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC0A dirt trail winds through golden grassy hills and dense green shrubs in the preserve, with rolling ridgelines and hazy blue mountains layered in the distance under a clear morning sky. The sunlit slopes and scattered trees give the scene a dry, open feel. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC0A western bluebird perches on a barbed-wire fence beside a weathered wooden birdhouse, with soft-focus eucalyptus trees filling the background. Sunlight catches the bird’s blue wings and orange chest in the bright morning scene. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0A western bluebird perches on a barbed-wire fence beside a weathered wooden birdhouse in a sunlit field of dry grasses and small yellow wildflowers. The background is softly blurred with green trees, giving the scene a quiet, morning feel. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0A slender garter snake glides through shallow water tangled with green aquatic plants and small white flowers, with sunlight glinting off the surface. The tight composition focuses on the snake’s striped body as it weaves between stems and submerged branches. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC0A Western bluebird perches on a barbed-wire fence beside a weathered wooden birdhouse, with soft green foliage blurred in the background. Sunlight catches the bird’s blue wings and rusty-orange chest, giving the scene a bright morning feel. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0A western bluebird peeks out of a weathered wooden nesting box mounted on a fence post, with barbed wire crossing the foreground. Softly blurred green trees and bright morning light create a calm woodland backdrop. Photo: Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
