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Photo: Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The former ranch of early Walnut Creek pioneer Frank Borges, Old Borges Ranch is the home base for Walnut Creek's Shell Ridge Open Space activities. The ranch complex includes a blacksmith shop, numerous outbuildings, and farm equipment displays. It also features a barn and covered trellis available for group reservations. The Borges family home, built in 1901, houses historical displays of the early 1900s. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Old Borges Ranch is a great place to go if you forgot or always wondered what growing up on a farm was like.
The Old Borges Ranch is a 1,035 acres (419 ha) historic district in the Mt. Diablo foothills within the 2,600-acre (1,100 ha) Walnut Creek Open Space in Contra Costa County, California. A former cattle ranch, Old Borges Ranch includes multiple historic buildings, a ranger station, farm animals, and access to trails.
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Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area is a public park in the East Bay Regional Park District. The park is adjacent to Diablo Foothills, in a scenic canyon along Pine Creek. The area is dominated by oak woodlands and prominent sandstone formations. Volleyball courts, softball fields, picnic sites, and a swimming pool are available for public recreation. The pool complex features a 30 feet by 70 feet swimming pool and deck areas. In addition, the complex is fully accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the bathhouse and an accessible lift into the pool. There is a beach access fee to enter the swim area. Swimming is allowed only when lifeguards are on duty.
This is an 18-hole municipal course overlooking Walnut Creek.
This is a 177-acre open space in the southern part of Walnut Creek. Visitors can enjoy amazing ridgeline views, scenic trails and a walnut orchard. There are also picnic areas and restrooms.
Built by early Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records. The museum is on the National Register of Historic Places and belongs to the city, but is operated by the Walnut Creek Historical Society. Museum tours are offered every week from February to October.
This 2½-acre public dry garden preserves an exceptional example of Southwest American garden design, demonstrating the beauty and excitement possible in a water-conserving landscape. Internationally recognized as one of the finest private gardens in North America, the garden was the first in the United States to be sponsored by The Garden Conservancy. The garden showcases rare and unique species of cactus, succulents, palms, and desert trees, while still maintaining the lush and manicured style typical of Northern California.
This multi-use, whole-access trail runs between Concord and Pleasanton. The Walnut Creek part of the trail goes directly into the heart of downtown Walnut Creek. The trail abuts what's left of the actual waterway named "Walnut Creek," which is now mostly routed underneath Broadway Plaza. Widely used by dog owners, cyclists, and recreational buffs, the Iron Horse Trail follows the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way established in 1891 and abandoned in 1977. If you walk your dog on the Iron Horse Trail, please use the complimentary pooperscooper bags provided for your convenience.