I came up here once before, five or six years ago, before the “natural area” had been developed into what it is today. It was winter and we hiked up an old road to a cemetery surrounded by forest and a chain link fence, but couldn’t get inside. On a whim, I decided to come back a few weeks ago. I was lucky; the old man who watches over the cemetery had left it unlocked from the night before.

The natural area is beautiful, but very thick with poison oak, so I stuck to the main trails and didn’t wander around too much. I’d love to come back here in the winter and explore a little bit more when the poison oak foliage dies back.

The cemetery itself is dark and surrounded by trees. The oldest grave I could find was from February 22nd, 1865. Cemeteries like this one are my favorites; hidden away, not neglected, but not overly manicured either, and very very old.