Best rocks
These are some of the other best rock monoliths and formations in the Bay Area and beyond. Sometimes they can look like animals, body parts and Swiss cheese. One of the best strategies is to look for sandstone. You can often find shells fossilized and embedded in sandstone that show the region was once the bottom of the ocean. In addition, native tribes would hollow rock bowls and use them as stone grinding mortars for the seeds of acorns.
EAST BAY HILLS
Rock City Complex, North Peak/Walnut Creek: Mount Diablo State Park, (925) 8372525, www.parks.ca.gov. Castle Rocks, Shell Ridge/ Walnut Creek: Shell Ridge Open Space, city of Walnut Creek, (925) 943-5800; www.walnutcreek.org — under “things to do,” click on Open Space, then in the left column, link to Shell Ridge; Diablo Foothills Regional Park and Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area, (510) 544-3086, or through regional park headquarters at (888) 327-2757, option 3, ext. 4526, www.ebparks.org. Berkeley rock monoliths: Indian Rock Park, Remillard Park, Great Stoneface Park, Mortar Rock Park; city of Berkeley, Parks and Recreation, (510) 981-2489, www.ci.berkeley.ca.us. Newly discovered Bird Head Rock, Wind Caves/San Ramon: Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, (888) 327-2757, option 3, extension 4537; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org. Flag Hill, Cerro Este, Maguire Peaks/Sunol: Sunol Regional Wilderness, (510) 544-3249 or (888) 327-2757, option 3, extension 4559; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org. Sibley volcanics/Berkeley: Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, (888) 327-2757, option 3, extension 4554; East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org. Vasco Caves/Brentwood: Vasco Caves Regional Park (permit only), East Bay Regional Park District, www.ebparks.org.
PENINSULA SOUTH
Tafoni Monolith/Skyline: El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, (650) 6911200, www.openspace.org. Goat Rock/Los Gatos (Skyline): Castle Rock State Park, (408) 867-2952, www.parks.ca. gov. Rooster Comb/Gilroy: Henry W. Coe State Park (best access to Rooster Comb is from Bell Station), (408) 779-2728, www. parks.ca.gov.
MARIN COUNTY
Ring Mountain outcrops/Tiburon: Marin County Parks and Open Space, (415) 499-6387, www.marincountyparks.org. Bolinas Ridge/west Marin: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, (415) 561-4700, www.nps. gov/goga. Breach Whale Rock/west Marin: (Breach Whale Rock is an unofficial name; it’s located south of Coast Camp) Point Reyes National Seashore, (415) 464-5100; www.nps.gov/pore.
OTHERS OF NOTE
Lost Arrow Spire, Yosemite: Yosemite National Park, (209) 372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose. Tufa Towers, Mono Lake: Mono Basin Scenic Area, (760) 6473044, www.monolake.org. The Palisades, Calistoga: Robert Louis Stevenson State Park c/o Bothe-Napa State Park, (707) 942-4575, www.parks.ca.gov. Summit Rock, Twin Peak, above Lake Tahoe: Granite Chief Wilderness, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, (530) 5432600, www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu. The Nipple, above Blue Lakes: Pacific Crest Trail, Mokelumne Wilderness, Eldorado National Forest, (530) 622-5061, www.fs. usda.gov/eldorado. Pinnacles National Park, Paicines: Pinnacles National Park, (831) 389-4486, ext. 262, www. nps.gov/pinn. Mobias Arch, Alabama Hills/ Lone Pine: Inyo National Forest, (760) 873-2400, www.fs.usda.gov/inyo. Devils Postpile/Mammoth Lakes: Devils Postpile National Monument, (760) 934-2289, www.nps.gov/depo. Sierra Buttes, Sierra City: Tahoe National Forest, (530) 9943401, www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Castle Crags, Castella: Castle Crags State Park, (530) 2352684, www.parks.ca.gov.