Bear Valley Hike (November 24) Preview

Although we often hike out at Point Reyes National Seashore during the summer, this week we'll make a pre-Thanksgiving trip out to the park (perhaps during a little wild turkey hunting along the way in the San Geronimo Valley?).  Here' Wendy's description of the hike:  "Bear Valley is home to one of the largest acorn woodpecker colonies in California! We'll go to Kule Loklo to see the reconstructed Miwok Village, stop by the Morgan Horse Ranch, then take Woodpecker trail to Bear Valley Trail to walk where in the 1880s visitors could take an excursion by wagon 'for miles and miles through a tree canopied glen, banked with ferns.' Lunch at Divide Meadow."

Directions to trailhead:  Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west through and beyond Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. From Bear Valley Road. turn left to the Visitor's Center. We'll hike out Bear Valley Trail and have lunch at Divide Meadow.

Time: 50 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead, portable en route.

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday, November 19, the forecast for Tuesday's hike was mostly sunny with a high near 63. Click here for an updated forecast from the National Weather Service).

More on this hike:  Hikes F1 (Bear Valley Interpretive Trails) and F2 (Bear Valley - Meadow - Horse Trails) in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, and the Bear Valley Trail to Divide Meadow hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourrre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area show the general area where we'll be hiking.  The Seashore's Bear Valley map shows the Kule Loklo and Woodpecker trails, and the park's South District Hiking map has the Bear Valley to Divide Meadow trail.