Oolampali

3 mile hike on Sunday: Oolampali History Day and hike on the Oolampali Loop. Ghastly hot climbing an exposed hill for much of the elevation gain, although the switchbacks are professional graded and therefore never too much, then AHHH oak woodlands & small seasonal stream (year-round, I expect, given the history of the place). It's a lovely trail. If I'd had more time, I'd have liked to climb to the top and into the Mt. Burdell area. We saw lots of western fence lizards (aka blue bellies), one small black snake, and a baby woodpecker screeching for food from a hole in a tall agave shoot, while gorgeous black, white & red mom (or dad?) foraged in a nearby tree. It's the site of the largest settlement of Miwok Indians, there's a tiny recreated Miwok village, the only causuality of the Bear rebellion happened there, then it's an early Marin settlement during the Victorian era. It's about the most underused park I've ever seen, though considering that you have to risk your life crossing 101 traffic (GAH!!) to get there, it's understandable.