"Travelers should be aware that paths leading nowhere are also part of the trip." Raul Ruiz

The Vista Point access is about halfway between Highway 92 and Edgewood Road. Of the three access points, we prefer the one on St. James Road. If you choose Canada Road, remember that this road is closed to cars and restricted to bicycles, skates, etc. from 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. each Sunday.

Starting at the St. James trailhead, you will pass through a gated area with narrow pedestrian access to the side. The trail, which is an old gravel and sometimes asphalt road, crosses a grassy level area and then slopes downhill to the south. Just inside the gate are narrow trails running north and south. These are part of the popular cross-country course used by local and regional high school and community college teams. Races are usually held in the fall. As you follow Sheep Camp Trail to the south, you are in full view of the I-280 freeway with views of upper and lower Crystal Springs Lake. The trail continues downhill to the road, which crosses under the freeway to the Vista Point on the west side. As you hike downhill, note that the "trail" is actually an old asphalt road complete with a drainage gutter on the east side. Perhaps a reader can tell us when this road was built and how it was used.

Cross under the freeway, and continue through a gate and sign that reminds visitors that the Vista Point is closed between sunset and sunrise. I don't know if the gate is actually locked, but if so, you can step through the fence just north of the gate.

Continue along the road for a short distance, and you will soon be at another gate marking the Sheep Camp Trail. This short stretch to Canada Road is the most pleasant part of the walk. You are soon separated from freeway noise and welcomed into a quiet forest area with small meadows. Much of this portion is quite level with a drop to Canada Road near the end. Along the way, you will see some wonderful coastal and black oak trees covered with moss. On the south side of the trail, tight, brilliant green moss grows on the trunks of coastal oaks, and on the north side, moss hangs as nature's beard from now bare, black oaks. A little farther on, you will see a forest of mostly pine trees on the north side of the trail, but very few pines are on the south side. These could be knobcone pine, a native to California found on dry slopes and adapting well in poor soil conditions.

The trail passes under a high tension electric line and then drops down to the trailhead at Canada Road. There are two seasonal streams near the end.

This is a very pleasant short walk, but somewhat frustrating in that it is well fenced on both sides with access to the adjacent watershed prohibited. More the pleasure if we were able to explore the woods and meadows on either side.