Black Ranch Meadows

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.8 miles / 2.9 km
Duration: 1 hour or less

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Overview: A multipurpose trail popular with local joggers around a valley containing one of China Camps Camping areas. A great place to sneak in some exercise after work.

Segments of the trail look down into the campground below.

This trail provides access to higher elevations and trails with greater difficulty.

Tips: The deer are fairly tame.

Parking at China Camp gets pretty busy on peak days.

Points of Interest

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Trail Head

Trailhead Turtleback, Miwok Meadows, and Back Ranch Trail. Take the Back Ranch Trail. On this walk, there were a LOT of deer and they show no fear of humans.

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Figs

Figs growing wild along the trail.

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Junction

Shoreline trail to Back Ranch and campground. Informational signage on wetlands. Take Left Fork along the Shoreline Trail. You will enter Bay, Madrone, Live Oak forest on a gentle upslope. Below you will be a portion of the campground.

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Junction

Intersection Ridge Trail heads uphill. Continue on Bay View Trail.

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Junction

Intersection. Powerline Trail and a bridge. Continue across the bridge.

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Junction

Access to campground area below. Continue along Shoreline Trail.

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Loosing Elevation

Switchbacks start. 3 courses on an easy grade under a Bay and Madrone canopy. All along the trail has been slowly gaining elevation.

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Junction with a road in.

Trail head for the Back Ranch and Bay View Trails. Camping self registration and parking for the campground located here. To finish the loop make your way to the far end of the parking lot and meet up with some landlocked wetlands.