Sky Trail to Bear Valley Hike (May 19) Preview

Our Summer 2009 Meanders will often take us out to the Point Reyes National Seashore where the weather is often cooler than on Mt. Tam or at other locations in Eastern Marin. We'll begin with a hike from the crest of the Limantour Road down the Sky Trail, past Sky Camp, and then descend on the Old Pine Trail to Divide Meadow before looping our way back to the national seashore visitor center at Bear Valley.

When we last did this hike on January 20th, Sharon "Heron" Barnett was filling in for Wendy as hike leader and it was "Bye-Bye, 'W', Hello Obama!" as our new U.S. President was sworn in as we drove out to the park. The weather was pleasant for both our hike and "Final Exam" luncheon.

Last summer we hiked the trail in mid-July. (Click here for a recap of that outing). Wendy notes that during that hike we saw Wilson’s warblers and heard Swainson’s thrushes, and got six species of butterflies! (Click here for Wendy's list of all of the flora and fauna spotted).

Directions to the trailhead: We’ll meet at Bear Valley at 9:20 am and carpool to the Sky Trail trailhead on Limantour Road. We’ll need some people who are not in a rush to leave their cars at Bear Valley and to drive people back to the Sky Trail trailhead at the end of the hike.

Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn right onto Highway 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. There are restrooms at Bear Valley and when we pass Sky Camp before lunch. Carpool leaves St. Rita's Church in Fairfax at 8:50 am.

Weather forecast: As of Monday May 18, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday, May 19 along Inverness Ridge was partly sunny with a high near 60, south wind 7 to 11 mph becoming west northwest. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "G3 - Sky Trailhead to Bear Valley" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, is 7.3 miles long, but includes a side trip up to Mt. Wittenberg which we'll skip. Our trek will be closer to 6.6 miles (1.3 miles from Limantour Road parking lot trailhead to Sky Camp, 0.5 miles from Sky Camp to the junction with the Meadow Trail, 1.3 miles from the Meadow Trail to the Old Pine Trail, 1.9 miles down the Old Pine Trail to Divide Meadow, 1.6 miles back to the Bear Valley parking lot from Divide Meadow). (Click here to view and print the national seashore's South District Hiking Map which shows these trails). There are some uphill sections (including one at the start of the hike), but much of the trail is level or downhill and despite its length, this hike is not that strenuous.

(The Google Earth photo below shows the area where we'll be hiking; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).