three bridges trail

Last Saturday Jim and I had the afternoon to ourselves and so we spent part of it going on this great hike. I  thought I'd share some pictures with you.

The Three Bridges Oak Preserve Trail is a three mile hike that winds up the side of the mountains just to the west of Atascadero. The switchbacks make it an easy climb. The last section is a bit steeper, but still not difficult.

We heard that it's totally worth it to climb that last little bit. Making it to the top was definitely our goal. We passed through the little gate that makes it so horses and bicycles can't go through and the climate seemed to change. The shrubs were different ... no more oaks and pretty green grasses. It was hotter with the lack of trees but made the little bits of shade we came across much more enjoyable. 

Once at the top, the shade of the oaks was so refreshing! The view of Atascadero and the mountains to the east was gorgeous and well worth the climb!