The lingering ghosts of coal mining days remain in the foothills south of Antioch and Pittsburg.
In later years, sand mining extended the mining history to fuel the local steel mill and glass factory.
Then, cattle grazing took over the area, until in the early 1970's the East Bay Regional Park District acquired the expanse to preserve the history and wilderness.
Today, the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve stands as one of the finest parks in the Regional Parks system.
The park features many miles of trails suitable for hiking and mountain biking. Dogs are allowed. There is a lot of history here.
The Rose Hill Cemetery overlooks GZ. Gone but not forgotten - this is the final resting spot for miners from many countries.
Tours of the Hazel-Atlas Mine offer a look into the the sand mining days.
The Greathouse Visitor Center offers a look into the past. Grab a park brochure and take a mine tour (reservations recommended).
The published coordinates are for parking. See the Additional Waypoints for the Bronze Plaque at the nearby starting point
To qualify for a find, submit answers to CO via email:
(1) how many towns comprised the mining district ? Name them.
(2) how many major mines constituted the mining district ?
(3) As you face the Rose Hill Cemetery on the hill to the west, there is a large sign board with bins containing park brochures/maps. How many bins do you see ?
Park hours are 8 am until sunset. An entrance fee is required unless the entrance booth is not staffed.
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.