Park on the side of the road and descend the stairs to begin the trail. It’s noisy close to the road so plan on walking clockwise. There’s a platform around the bend that overlooks the pond. The best birding is when the pond is full and attracting birds that stop over to drink, bathe, and or rest. Nesting is more abundant in wet years and birdsong is plentiful. The trail is narrow and often birds are heard more than seen. The trail ascends slightly with stairs and a walkway that leads you to a small introduced redwood grove. There is a bench to relax on and take in this mini habitat.

The trail widens on the backside. Upslope is an oak grove and downslope are willows and brambles. The  habitat is dense, which can aid in successful nesting and spring/fall migrant stopovers.