About Us

Our range doesn’t run on its own — it’s built, maintained, and improved entirely by club volunteers. Every target bale is handcrafted by members, from collecting donated carpet to constructing wooden bases, compressing the cores, and hauling them up the trail.

This DIY spirit is the heart of Briones Archers, and we welcome members who want to contribute and learn..

Briones Regional Park was created in 1964 through a visionary lease agreement with EBMUD, preserving vital watershed land for public enjoyment. Since then, it’s become a haven for outdoor lovers, including archers.

The Briones Archery Club was established in the late 1960s, evolving from the original Roving Archers Club of El Sobrante. Founding members like Bob and Millie Dean, Faye and Smitty Smith, and Vern Thompson dedicated themselves to creating a permanent archery home.

Back then, volunteers gathered donations, built targets from scratch, and cleared poison oak-lined trails with nothing but hand tools and determination. Their goal was simple: to build a place where archers could shoot, connect, and take pride in what they created.

When the original range was lost to development, they didn’t give up. Instead, younger members like Morris Abbott, Bernie Shapiro, and Dennis Duffy helped relocate the club to Briones Park — where it thrives today.