Bull Point Hike (7/5) Preview

This week we head through Inverness to hike on the ocean side of the Point Reyes National Seashore. Here's Wendy's description for this hike: "A beautiful level walk. This is the only site in Marin for the rare coast lily.
Some other flowers we see here that we don't see elsewhere are Dwarf Brodiaea, yellow eyed grass, tinker's penny, Hooker’s evening primrose, brine locoweed, white-flowered bog orchid, Horkelia, bistort, Small Flowered Linanthus." (Click here for the recap of our last Bull Point hike on July 7, 2009.).

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn right on Highway 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. Continue past the road to Park Headquarters (stop here for a restroom break; there are no porta-potties at the trailhead) and go left when you hit Sir Francis Drake again.

Go through Inverness. Go left at the "Y" (right takes you out to Pierce Point) and pass MCI and RCA stations on your right. The Bull Point parking lot will be on your left.  Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:45 am.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, June 30, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was sunny, with a high near 58. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "H11 Bull Point and South Beach Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows this as 4.0 mile out and back hike. Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, pegs it at 3.6 miles as does the park's North District Hiking Map. The Google Earth image below shows the area where we'll be hiking. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).

Palomarin Hike (6/28) Preview

We resume our summer hikes this coming week with another trip to Point Reyes National Seashore, this time beginning at the far southern end of the park at the Palomarin trailhead near Bolinas. Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "This hike is not a loop (and isn't a shuttle hike, either), but has incredible ocean views making it well worth the drive! On years without fog we've had up to 14 species of butterflies! Lunch at Bass Lake." (Click here for a recap of last July’s hike ).

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn left (south) on Route 1. Pass Five Brooks and Dogtown, and take the unmarked right turn (on to Horseshoe Hill Road which merges with the Olema-Bolinas Road) towards the town of Bolinas. (If you find yourself going along the shore of Bolinas Lagoon, you've driven too far south and missed the turn.) Turn right on Mesa Road (which eventually becomes a dirt road) and follow it to the Palomarin trailhead parking lot.

Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:30 am.

If you're coming from southern Marin you may prefer to take Route 1 north, turning left just past the end of the lagoon onto the unmarked road into the town of Bolinas, then right on to Mesa Road to get to the trailhead.

Toilets at the trailhead (or if you can't wait, use the porta-potties at Five Brooks, a right turn off Highway 1 for those coming south from Olema, or for those heading north from southern Marin, turn left off the highway into Muir Beach or at the ocean overlook just to the north.

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday afternoon, June 23, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 64. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: The "F17 Coast Trail to Wildcat Camp" hike in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, is 11 miles long, but shows the route that we'll take up to Bass Lake, 2.7 miles from the trailhead. (The 8.5 mile "Alamere Falls and Double Point Overlook" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area says the distance to the north shore of the lake is 2.9 miles, while the park's South District Hiking Map pegs it at 2.8 miles).  We’ll retrace our steps back to the trailhead after lunch so our total hiking distance will be around 5.5-6.0 miles.

Sky Trail To Bear Valley Video Now Online!

Video Dick Jordan shot during the Sky Trail to Bear Valley hike is on up on the Meandering in Marin YouTube Channel.

Bear Valley to Arch Rock Hike (6/7) Preview

For the third week in a row we head out to Point Reyes National Seashore for our weekly outing.  As far as Dick Jordan can recall, we have not done this particular hike in the last three years, although we have done Bear Valley to Divide Meadow and back and our recent Sky Trail to Bear Valley hike took us from Divide Meadow back to Bear Valley.

Here’s Wendy’s brief description of the trek:  “This is longer than our usual hike (about 8 miles), but it's easy walking with fire road much of the way and not much elevation gain. Be prepared to get back later than 1:45 pm.”

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west from Fairfax. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. From Bear Valley Road. turn left to the Visitor’s Center.
Time: 50 minutes from College of Marin.  Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s Church in Fairfax at 9:10 a.m.  Restrooms at trailhead, outhouse at Divide Meadow.

Weather forecast:  As of Friday, June 3, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday’s hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 64.  (Click here for an updated forecast; you can also check the real-time weather at the Visitor Center).

More on this hike:  Hike “F4 Bear Valley Trail to Arch Rock” in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, shows the route from we’ll take.  (You can find the Bear Valley to Divide Meadow Trail on the park’s South District Trail Map).

Estero Trail (7/13) Hike Preview

After a week off from hiking we return to Point Reyes National Seashore for our first outing of July.  This is not a loop hike, but there are marvelous views! By this time of year it shouldn't be muddy like it was when we went slip-sliding around in May of 2009.

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. 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. Go past the turn off to the right onto Pierce Point Road, then pass Mt. Vision Road on your left, and then in one mile you'll come to the road to Estero Trail. Take this road to the parking lot at the trailhead. Time: 1 hour from College of Marin. Restrooms at the trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's at 8:55 am).

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, July 10th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was patchy fog before 11am, otherwise mostly sunny with a high near 60. (Click here for an updated forecast).
We'll be closer to the coast, so the weather could be cooler, foggier, and windier. (Click here for a forecast for the Point-Reyes Chimney Rock area). Real-time weather reporting for the Point Reyes Lighthouse is also available (click here).

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. The Google Earth image gives a bird's eye view of this part of the park. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).