Steep Ravine - Dipsea 3/5/19

This is a favorite early spring hike. Wendy says that we should see Giant Wake Robin, Redwood Evergreen Violets, Star Lilies, Smith’s Fairy Bells, Fetid Adder’s Tongue and Calypso Orchids.

We’ll go up Steep Ravine since some of us find the ladder is easier to go up than down. Lunch (and restrooms) at Pantoll.  (Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike).

If you use poles, this hike is one where you'll want them. There are lots of stairs on the downhill. 1100' up and 1100' back down.

Directions to the trailhead:  If you are heading south on Highway 1, simply continue south on Highway 1 through Stinson Beach. The gated road to Steep Ravine cabins will be on your right. There is some parking on both sides of the road.

From southern Marin, take the Stinson Beach/Hwy 1 exit off Highway 101. Go through Tam Junction, stay on Rt. 1 and follow signs to Muir Beach. Pass the road that goes to Muir Beach staying on Rt. 1 (towards Stinson Beach), pass Slide Ranch, and keep going until you see the locked gate for the Steep Ravine cabins on the west (left) side of the road. There is some parking on both sides of the road.

Click here for a Google map that shows the Steep Ravine Trailhead and parking area on Highway 1.

Time: 1 hour 5 minutes from College of Marin.
No restrooms at the trailhead.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 8:50 a.m.(Click here for a map showing the parking lot; click to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, February 28th, the forecast for the hike was cloudy with rain likely and a high near 53. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

More on this hike: If you have the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, look at their hike "B14 Dipsea - Steep Ravine Trails" which starts at Pantoll, goes down the Dipsea, up Steep Ravine, and ends back at Pantoll.

Since we're beginning and ending our outing on Highway 1, our hike will be slightly longer, but basically the reverse of the Martins' hike. (Page 6 of the Mt. Tam State Park brochure has a park map that you can "zoom in" on to see these trails).

Here is the Google Earth image showing our route:

 and the hike profile:

Blithdale Canyon Loop, Mill Valley 2/26/19

This week we head to the the eastern side of Southern Marin near Mill Valley. 

Here's Wendy's description of the hike:  "A loop with great views of Mt. Tamalpais! Early wildflowers and probably a 9 fern day! My favorite Star Lily patch in all Marin." (Click here to read a re-cap of our 2010 hike. View the online album of photos taken on past hikes on these trails.)

Directions to trailhead:  Take East Blithedale exit from Highway 101. Where you cross Throckmorton it becomes West Blithedale. Go 0.9 miles and look for parking at Marsh Drive and West Blithedale on both the left and the right sides of the street.

Click here for a Google Map that shows the parking area near the trailhead. Click on the teardrop icon get driving time and directions from your location. 

Time: 30 minutes from the College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 9:10 a.m.

 No restrooms at trailhead. It is an uphill hike, followed by a long level stretch. There is about a 350' elevation gain. If you like poles, bring them for sections of Hoo-koo-e-roo where the trail has a steep drop on one side.

Weather forecast:  As of Saturday, February 10th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was rain likely, mostly cloudy with a high near 59.(Click here for an updated forecast.)

More on this hike: Hike "B1 Blithedale Ridge - Corte Madera Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area we will be hiking in although our route may differ slightly from the one they set out for their hike. (This area is also shown on the maps of the Marin County Open Space District's Baltimore Canyon Preserve and Blithedale Summit Preserve.)

Here's the route we will follow.

Here's the hike profile.

This Google Earth image shows Marsh Drive and West Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley where we'll meet to start our hike. We'll head up to the ridge at the top of the picture (which looks east over Corte Madera and Larkspur to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge), hike along it, then double back to our starting point. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Audubon Canyon Ranch 2/19/19

Lucky us!  We have permission to hike in Audubon Canyon Ranch Bolinas Lagoon Preserve! This is a beautiful habitat, not usually open to the public. There is an elevation gain of about 1100' feet.

(Click here for a recap of our 2011 hike. View photos from our past hikes at Audubon Canyon ranch in this online album).

Directions to trailhead:   

Coming from North or Central Marin:  Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Olema. Turn south (left) on Highway 1 and continue on for about 10 miles to Bolinas Lagoon. The preserve will be on the left approximately 1 mile further south. The entrance will be closed with a gate. Go south of the entrance and go in the exit.

Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's Church in Fairfax at 8:45 am.

Coming from Southern Marin:  From Highway 101 take the Stinson Beach exit. Follow the signs and Highway 1 approximately 12 miles to Stinson Beach. Continue 3 1/2 miles north to the parking lot exit just before the preserve gate on right hand side of the highway. If you don't know where it is, you may have to drive to the official entrance and turn around.

Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the location of Audubon Canyon Ranch. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving times and directions from your location.

Time: 1 hour from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, February 13th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny with a high near 52. (Click here for an updated forecast).

Herons and egret nesting: This area used to be the nesting site for herons and egrets. Click here to read about current conditions.

More on this hike: If you have the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, go to hike "F18 Griffin Loop - Bird Overlook Trails" for a map of trails within the preserve.

There are two major loop trails (probably about 3 miles long each) going uphill and down, and a shorter 0.8 mile loop nearer to the bottom of the hill.

On our 2009 hike we went up the Zumie's Loop Trail, then through Junction 2 on the Martin's map, and continued south to where the Griffin Loop and Bourne trails meet, descended the Griffin Loop trail to the bottom of the hill, and then looped back to the parking area. 

SKY OAKS, MMWD 2/12/19

This week we'll in the MMWD watershed near Fairfax. Here's Wendy's description of the hike:

"This loop starts out in oak/bay/madrone habitat, but we'll also see redwoods and some grassland. This is a good mushroom hike with Boletes, Amanitas, Waxy Caps, Milky Caps and more if we've had some rain."

(Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike. Click here for photos from past hikes.)

Directions to trailhead:  Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Jog left and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater which puts you on Broadway, the street that parallels the parkway. Make the first left onto Bolinas Avenue. Follow this until you see the sign on your left for Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas. Turn left and follow the road to the toll booth by Sky Oaks Ranger Station. Park at the dirt parking lot on the right, just past the toll station.

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

The day use fee is $8.  You can use a credit card, $1, $5, or $10 bills and coins at the automated pay station (change not given if you overpay).

Annual watershed area parking passes for Marin residents are $60 ($30 for those 62 and older). You can buy them online or at the MMWD main office in Corte Madera.

Time: 25 minutes from College of Marin. Portapotty in parking lot.  Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's Church at 9:25 am.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, February 8th, the weather forecast for this hike was a chance of showers, partly sunny with a high near 60. (Click here for an updated National Weather service forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "C12 Taylor-Concrete Pipe-Bullfrog FR" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we will be hiking (our route may differ) in this part of the MMWD watershed.  (Click here to view and print the MMWD map of this area).

This is one of the routes that we typically follow, although sometimes we've take a slightly different path during the final leg back to the parking lot.

Here's the hike profile (which will vary slightly, depending on the exact route taken during the post-lunch section of the hike).