Walking Waterhoods: Sausal Creek — Upper Dimond Park

In 1977, a 90-foot redwood suspension bridge was built 15 feet over the creek. It soon became a popular site for local teenagers who found the swing and give of the bridge entertaining, earning it the nickname, "Hell Bridge." The city event... Read more

Narrow-winged damselflies (Enallagma ebrium), or bleuts, are bright blue-and-black striped damselflies that are hard to miss! Bluets are usually found in lakes, ponds, and marshes, because of their preference for alkaline waters. The Sausal... Read more

If you're out walking and hear a hissing sound (much like air being let out of a bike tire), it migh've come from a banded alder borer (Rosalia funebris). The wing casings and antennae of this striking beetle are dark with white bands, maki... Read more

As you walk along the trail, look for the redwood sorrel's (Oxalis oregana) small pink and white flowers. This perennial herb grows very low to the ground and favors shady spots, especially at the base of redwood trees. The redwood sorrel's... Read more

In 1946, William Mott, Jr. made plans to build a 350-foot long and 80-foot high dam in Dimond Canyon to harness the water from several creeks and create Inspiration Lake and recreation area. Plans changed when Highway 13 began construction ... Read more

The western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common species of honey bee across the world. One of the first domesticated insects, it can be found on every continent except Antarctica. These bees create colonies with a single fertile q... Read more

You can find brittlestem mushrooms (Psathyrella candolleana) from June to November appearing in either small groups or alone in woodland or in well-shaded grassland. The Ohlone people once gathered these mushrooms, and mushroom hunters cont... Read more

The artist's bracket fungus (Ganoderma applanatum), sometimes called artist's conk, is found in most parts of the U.S., across Canada, and on other continents. It grows slowly within the wood of living and dead trees, typically found on har... Read more

The Armenian blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), also called Himalayan blackberry, is native to Armenia and Northern Iran, but grows abundantly in this area. It produces sweet edible fruits in the summer and prickly vines all year long. This agg... Read more

Kashmir balsam (Impatiens balfourii) is sometimes called the "Poor Man's Orchid." Native to the Himalayas, particularly Kashmir and surrounding areas, it normally grows at elevations of 5,000 to 6,000 feet. It was brought by Europeans as a ... Read more

Waxcaps or waxy caps, (Hygrophoraceae) are a family of gilled mushroom that grow in the meadows surrounding Sausal Creek. Waxcaps are only able to identified to the family level, because definitive species classifications have not yet been ... Read more

A Huichin Ohlone tribelet traveled seasonally up and down Sausal Creek for hunting and gathering—they would hunt deer, fish for trout, and forage many wild edible plants like tarweed and blue elderberry. They cared for their home, practic... Read more

Various drainage pipes and systems have been installed in the Sausal Cerek watershed to minimize erosion from seasonal rains (usually in Winter). Different soil types and plants make sections of the area more or less prone to erosion. In pa... Read more

Green moss can be found throughout Sausal Creek and the Bridgeview Trail. Mosses are nonvascular, flowerless plants whose leaves tend to be about a cell thick. These plants play a role in releasing nutrients for other plants and helping to ... Read more

Sausal creek was once a very popular place for Fruitvale-area residents to visit in the late 1800s. Horsedrawn streetcars and carriages brought people up to Dimond Canyon and other areas in the hills for Sunday outings and picnics alongside... Read more

Did you know the pacific gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer) can live anywhere from 12-15 years? These long-living snakes are usually 3-7 feet long with dark brown spots. They enjoy the dry meadows surrounding Sausal Creek where they feed on... Read more

At this point, Sausal Creek reappears from the underground culvert and runs above ground. Above the culvert, the trail splits in two — on the right, you'll find the Bridgeview Trail. The trail is lined with bushes and ivy, while graffiti ... Read more

The arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis) grows in riparian (river) areas and stabilizes river banks against erosion. This tree gave Sausal Creek its name — the Spanish word sauzal means willow grove. Willows produce nectar in the spring which... Read more

If you ever seen a brown or black lizard with dark stripes down its back darting around your home, you're probably already familiar with the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). These lizards are ubiquitous across the San Francis... Read more

Closely related to a blue Jay, the Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a deep blue bird with a black head and crest. Native to western North America, it is the only crested jay west of the Rocky Mountains. They are often heard throughout... Read more

This check dam near the beginning of Bridgeview Trail emerges shortly after Sausal Creek appears from a tunnel. The dam comprises a mixture of stone and wood and has been graffitied over the years, as most man-made structures along the cree... Read more

Coastal tarweed (Hemizonia corymbosa) features small yellow flowers and a turpentine smell that gives the plant its name. With deep roots and small leaves, tarweeds can tap moisture held deep in the heavy soils, allowing these summer-flower... Read more

One of the problems affecting Sausal Creek Watershed is the widespread growth of invasive, nonnative plants, some of which were planted many generations ago. These plants steal nutrients from native plants which negatively impacts the healt... Read more

The southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) can be found in woodland microhabitats formed by eucalyptus litter in Sausal Creek. Ranging from brown to gray and green, they can grow up to 1 foot in length. Native to the Pacific Coa... Read more