Estero Trail, Pt Reyes National Seashore (10/3/17)

This is not a loop hike, but there are marvelous views!

(Click here for a brief recap of our July 13, 2010 hike. Here's the album of photos taken during our past hikes in this area.).

Directions to trailhead:

Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. (Use the restrooms at the park's Visitor Center in Bear Valley if you do not want to wait until you reach those at the trailhead). Continue until you pick up Sir Francis Drake again.

Go through Inverness and head uphill.

When you reach the turn off to the right onto Pierce Point Road, bear to the left and continue on Sir France Drake toward Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse.  Pass Mt. Vision Road on your left, and then in one mile turn left onto the road to Estero Trail.

Take this road to the parking lot at the trailhead. Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the parking lot. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location.

Time: 1 hour from College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's at 8:55 am.  Outhouse at the trailhead. (Pull into the Bear Valley Visitors Center area if you need an earlier restroom stop.)

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, September 28th, the weather forecast for the hike was mostly

sunny, with a high near 68.  (Click here for an updated forecast.) 

More on this hike: "Hike G11 Estero - Drakes Head Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows where we'll be hiking, although not necessarily our exact route.

Two hikes ("Estero Trail to Sunset Beach" and "Estero Trail to Drakes Head" in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area also cover this area).

The trails are also shown on the park's North District Hiking Trails map.

This Google Earth image gives a bird's eye view of this part of the park with the route we'll follow and the trail length and profile information. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Bootjack to West Point Inn Hike (9/28/17) Preview

A mostly shady trail takes us up to the Mountain Theater where you’ll learn the history of its construction and the tradition of drama* on the Mountain.  Lunch at the historic West Point Inn.

*The Mountain Theater - a.k.a. The Cushing Memorial Theater- in Mount Tamalpais State Park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The natural-stone amphitheater seats 3,750 people and features the Mountain Play each spring, produced every year since 1913).

(Click here for a recap of our February 9, 2010 hike.  You can view photos from a previous hike in our online album).

Directions to Trailhead:  Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go west through Tam Valley and up onto the ridge. Turn right onto Panoramic Highway and follow signs to Mt. Tamalpais.  Bootjack is about 2 miles past Mountain Home.

As you drive up the mountain, look for the Bootjack picnic area and parking lot ($8/car, if you don't have a state park pass) on your right.

Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the Bootjack parking lot. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and times from your location.

If you get to Pantoll at the crest of Panoramic Highway, you've gone too far and need to turn around and drive back down the mountain. (Click here for a map of Mt. Tam that you can view and print out).  

Restrooms at trailhead and lunch stop.

Driving time from College of Marin: 55 minutes.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 9:00 a.m. (Click here for a Google Maps map showing the parking lot on Drakes Landing Road; click on the teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday, September 21, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was sunny with a high near 83.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  Hike "B12 Bootjack - Rock Springs Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails we'll take.  (Click here to view a copy of the Mount Tamalpais State Park brochure; the park map on the last page shows the trails).

Here's the route we'll follow.

Here's the hike profile.

Sometimes instead of staring and ending at Bootjack we hike to from Mountain Home Inn to West Point and back, as we did in this short film by Dick Jordan.

  (Click here if the YouTube video player does not display)

Samuel P Taylor State Park (9/19/17)

Here's Wendy's description of this hike: "Today we explore the redwood habitat, visit the Pioneer Tree which is over 500 years old, and learn some history of the area at the mill site. We’ll also see one of Marin’s few 'ghost trees,' a white redwood. We’re doing two separate loops, so you can leave your lunch in the car. We'll have a civilized lunch today with picnic tables and restrooms!"
  
(Click here for a recap of the hike we did on September 2, 2008 Here's an album of photos from past hikes).

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the main entrance of Samuel P. Taylor State Park.

Click here for a Google Map showing the park entrance. Click on teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location.

Parking fee: $8 unless you have a State Park Pass (or a day pass from the California State Parks Foundation).

35 minutes from College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s at 9:20 a.m.

Restrooms at trailhead and at lunch.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, September 16th, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's hike was sunny, with a high near 78, although it could be somewhat cooler in places that are under the shade of the redwood trees. (Click here for an updated weather forecast.)

More on this hike:  Hikes "D7 Creek – Ox Trails History Loop" and D8 "Pioneer Tree – Barnabe Creek Trails" in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, show the area where we will be hiking.

Here's the route we'll follow and the hike profile.

(Click here to view and download the brochure for Samuel P. Taylor State Park; the trails are shown on page 4).

Mountain Home to Bootjack (9/12/2017)

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Mountain Home to Bootjack (9/12/2017) Hike Preview

This week we head south in Marin for a trek up and down trails on Mount Tamalpais.

Per Wendy, "this hike takes us through redwood forest, over Fern Creek, into chaparral, and finally to lunch at Bootjack. The return is fairly level and shady."  (Click here for a recap of our October 2008 hike and click here for the photo album for this hike.)

Directions to trailhead: Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go west through Tam Valley and up onto the ridge. Turn right onto Panoramic Highway and follow signs to Mt. Tamalpais. Drive about 4 miles.

When you reach Mountain Home Inn on your right, park in the parking lot across the road on your left.

50 minutes from College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:00 am.

Click here for a Google Maps map showing the Mountain Home Inn. Click on the teardrop icon for directions and driving time from your location.

Restrooms at trailhead and Bootjack.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, September 7th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 76. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

More on this hike:  Hike "B9 – Matt Davis – Troop 80 Trails" – in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we’ll be hiking.

This Google Earth view of Mt. Tam shows the trails that we'll be following.

Here's the hike profile.

Tamales Point Hike on 9/5/17

Tomales Point Hike (9/5) Preview

We return to Point Reyes National Seashore this coming week. Wendy says that "on this hike we'll look for the tule elk, once at the brink of extinction and now making a heartening comeback. This Point is also special for its views."  

(Click here for a recap of our September 2008 hike; here is an album of photos taken on past hikes in this area.)

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west from Fairfax. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road.

Continue until you pick up Sir Francis Drake again. Go through Inverness.

Where the road veers left to Drake's Beach and the lighthouse, bear right. This puts you on Pierce Point Road. Follow it to the parking lot at the end of the road.

Click here for a Google Maps map showing the trailhead. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and times from your location.

Restrooms:  Stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center to use the flush toilets, or pull off Pierce Point Road at the parking lots for the trails to Abbott’s Lagoon or Kehoe Beach to use the porta-potties.

When you reach the parking lot for the Tomales Point Trail you can drive downhill toward McClure's Beach to use the pit toilet there before returning to the trailhead parking lot to meet the group.

Click here to view and print a map of the Seashore showing these roads and locations.

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes from College of Marin.  Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s at 8:35 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, September 2nd, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny with a high near 63. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "G18 – Tomales Point Trail" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, is 9.4 mile roundtrip hike to Tomales Point and back.  We’ll only do about half of that route, stopping well short of the Point.

This Google Earth image created by Theresa Fisher shows the path we'll follow out and back.