▁major ▁land mark ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁is ▁the ▁man - made ▁N icas io ▁Res er voir . ▁ ▁N icas io ▁is ▁scen ically ▁very ▁attract ive ▁with ▁for ested ▁and ▁open ▁rid gel ines ▁surrounding ▁a ▁wide ▁rolling ▁valley . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁along ▁Lucas ▁Valley ▁Road ▁follows ▁a ▁narrow ▁valley ▁with ▁mostly ▁for ested ▁hills ides ▁above ▁it . ▁ ▁Oak , ▁bay , ▁and ▁fir ▁trees ▁are ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁and ▁along ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁cre eks ▁stands ▁of ▁red wood s ▁are ▁still ▁found . ▁ ▁Wild life ▁is ▁abund ant ; ▁the ▁N icas io ▁ch ick ade e , ▁a ▁sub species ▁of ▁the ▁ch est nut - back ed ▁ch ick ade e , ▁was ▁named ▁by ▁Robert ▁R id g way . ▁Three ▁main ▁roads ▁cross ▁the ▁area : ▁Lucas ▁Valley ▁Road , ▁N icas io ▁Valley ▁Road , ▁and ▁the ▁Point ▁Re yes - P etal uma ▁Road . ▁Import ant ▁pieces ▁of ▁public ▁land ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁area ▁include ▁Point ▁Re yes ▁National ▁Se ash ore , ▁port ions ▁of ▁the ▁Golden ▁Gate ▁National ▁Rec re ation ▁Area , ▁and ▁Samuel ▁P . ▁Taylor ▁State ▁Park . ▁ ▁Within ▁the ▁N icas io ▁area ▁are ▁about ▁ 2 5 0 ▁homes ▁located ▁on ▁approximately ▁ 3 5 0 ▁parc els . ▁ ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁is ▁still ▁used ▁for ▁agricult ural ▁purposes ▁including ▁be ef ▁and ▁da iry ▁cattle ▁gra zing , ▁small - scale ▁tr uck ▁far ming