If you’ve done a lot of exploring the outdoors, you may have stumbled upon a labyrinth once or twice. Our state is full of them and they are typically hiding in the most beautiful outdoor landscapes. Discovering a labyrinth by accident is always a delightful surprise, even if you don’t quite understand what they are! Labyrinths are beautiful man-made paths that are intended to provide a meditative experience, and the park featured here is full of them. Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve is a great place to explore for its breathtaking scenery alone, but the strangely intricate mazes it contains definitely make it a place to remember.
Located in the Berkeley Hills near Oakland, Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve is hiding the most extraordinary landscapes. The preserve's most notable feature is an extinct volcano, but that's not all you'll find tucked away in this beautiful region!
Believe it or not, the preserve is one of the first three parks established in the East Bay Regional Park District back in 1936. Despite its prominent age, the park remains a true hidden gem of the Bay Area.
The park's 10-million-year-old volcano, named Round Top, is definitely the park's biggest draw. However, you're bound to come across another extremely unique feature of this park during your time here—several strange but beautiful man-made labyrinths.
The park's labyrinths can be reached via an easy-to-follow 2.5-mile hiking trail. The trail starts off at the park's visitor center, where you can also pick up a brochure and a map. The path will immediately take you uphill and through a woodsy region of the park.
The trail will take you to the peak of Round Top which provides an excellent view of the labyrinths located at the bottom of the quarry below. The largest and most notable labyrinth is referred to as the Mazzariello labyrinth, as it was created by an East Bay local named Helena Mazzariello 30 years ago.
Traditionally, what makes a labyrinth a labyrinth is the fact that there's only one path to the center (whereas a typical maze contains several choices.) Traversing a labyrinth is supposed to invite calmness and contemplation, so be sure to go in with the right mindset!
You can spot a second labyrinth further down the Round Top Loop Trail. This one is smaller, but stumbling across it is just as delightful. Surrounded by the preserve's breathtaking landscape, this is truly the perfect spot to spend some time clearing your mind.
Have you explored these oddities hiding within Sibley Volcanic Preserve? These mazes are actually strangely beautiful! Check out another fascinating labyrinth hiding in the Bay Area here.
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