April Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Views · Wildlife

From the Mine Hill Trail, the April Trail starts off through the woods. It soon emerges from the woods on a hillside, with views of the San Francisco South Bay area and East Bay hills, to the right (northeast). About .2 miles from its trailhead, it rounds a U-turn bend, and the old mining trestle, April Trestle, remnants come into view on a distant hillside.

April Trestle carried cinnabar (mercury ore) mining cars into, and out of, the April Tunnel that went deep into Mine Hill. The site of the old April Tunnel entrance is at the left (southeast) end of April Trestle. Mine Hill rises to its summit of 1,728 feet, from the site of the old April Tunnel entrance.

The April Trail continues on to April Trestle that is about .5 miles from the start of April Trail. After running next to April Trestle, the April Trail does a U-turn and runs along the hillside overlooking April Trestle that is a short ways below the trail. Towards the site of the old April Tunnel entrance, April Trail veers left at the steep hillside of Mine Hill.

The April Trail continues through the woods, on the hillside of Mine Hill that is to the right of the trail. Soon a small wooden structure comes into view. This is the restored Powder House. Blasting powder used to make the mine tunnels, shafts, etc. was kept in the Powder House.

After passing the Powder House, April Trail rejoins Mine Hill Trail about .1 miles past its start on Mine Hill Trail.

Wooded and brush. Deer.