Heart's Desire to Shell Beach Hike (June 30) Preview

We continue our summer at the seaside hikes out in West Marin this week, but instead of going to Point Reyes National Seashore, we'll be wandering around Tomales Bay. Here's Wendy's hike description: "Something old and something new! We’ll hike from the parking lot on Pierce Point Road that’s just before the turn to Heart’s Desire to Shell Beach. Last year we enjoyed the ripe huckleberries! Lunch out after the hike in Olema or Point Reyes Station."

THIS IS A SHUTTLE HIKE (CALL OR E-MAIL WENDY IF YOU'RE COMING:
Home: 415 457-3949; E-mail: bdreskin@comcast.net).

Directions to the trailhead: Meet at the Shell Beach parking lot. After you pass Inverness, take a right on Camino del Mar (there’s an inn on your left; it’s just where the road starts going uphill.) Follow it to the parking lot. We’ll carpool from there. (Click here for a Google Map that shows this area; you may have to zoom in and re-center the map to see Camino del Mar).

No restrooms at trailhead; stop at the Bear Valley Visitors Center on the way if you need to powder your nose. Meet at 9:00 am to carpool from St. Rita.

Weather forecast: After a warm weekend in Marin, temperatures will begin to cool off on Monday. The National Weather Service forecast for Inverness on Tuesday, June 30th is patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 56. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: "G15 Pierce Point Road to Shell Beach" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area in which we'll be hiking. The trails are also shown on page 4 of the Tomales Bay State Park brochure. The Google Earth image below shows Heart's Desire and Shell Beaches as seen from the east side of Tomales Bay. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).