Muir Woods (Nov. 2) Hike Photos Now On-Line!

Theresa Fisher shot several photos during last week's hike in Muir Woods:  Click here to view them.

Indian Tree Open Space Hike (Nov. 10) Preview

This week we head north and east to the Novato area to hike in the Indian Tree Open Space Preserve.  Here's Wendy's hike description:  "We hike a pretty loop trail with mushrooms, views, and a grove of old redwoods that escaped logging.  If there have been late rains you may want to boots [Dick: make that "old" boots, or Goretex or waterproofed ones] or be prepared to rock hop a few streams."  (Click here to read the recap of our last hike in this area on February 3, 2009).

Directions: Take Highway 101 north. Exit at San Marin Drive and go west. San Marin becomes Sutro Avenue after if crosses Novato Boulevard. Turn right (west) onto Vineyard Road. The trail starts where the paved road turns into a dirt road. Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. No restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers meet about 9:15-9:20 am at the Park & Ride lot on the east side of Highway 101 at Smith Ranch Road in the Terra Linda area north of the Marin Civic Center and downtown San Rafael).

Weather forecast: As of noon on Thursday, November  5, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's hike was mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and a high near 63. (Click here for an updated National Weather Service forecast).

More on this hike: The Marin County Open Space District operates the preserve on a portion of this area (the North Marin Water District owns adjacent land) and its Web site provides a viewable/printable trail map and a list of the species of various critters we might encounter. Barry Spitz's book, Open Spaces (Marin County Open Space District, 2000) describes the area and contains a map similar to that found on the MCOSD Web site). The following hike ("E9 Deer Camp - Big Trees Trails) from the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, is probably much longer (7.2 miles) than the one we'll actually take, but shows the general area where we'll be hiking.

Correction to Nov. 3 Muir Woods Hike

We'll be hiking on the Dipsea (not "Dipsed") and Ben Johnson trails.

IMPORTANT REMINDER! LOCATION CHANGE FOR NOV. 3RD HIKE!!!

Just a reminder that our Tuesday, November 3rd hike has been changed from "Boojack to Mt. Theater" on Mt. Tam to "Dipsea to Ben Johnson Trails" in Muir Woods.

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 take the Stinson Beach exit, turn left (west) on Shoreline Highway, right on Panoramic Highway and left on Muir Woods Road. Meet at Muir Woods Parking Lot #2. Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot near the intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Highway 101 at 9:10 am).

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, October 29, the National Weather Service forecast for Mill Valley on Tuesday, November 3rd, is sunny with a high near 73. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: We'll hike up the Dipsea Trail, then descend back to the floor of Muir Woods on the Ben Johnson Trail. (Click here to view and download the park trail map). If you have Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, you'll see that she proposes hiking this route in the reverse direction (up the Ben Johnson, down the Dipsea) from our plan, but her book will at least give you an idea of what our hike will be like.