Muir Woods Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during our November 8th Muir Woods hike are now online!

View them on the Meandering blog or click here for the on-line album.

Samuel P. Taylor State Park Hike (11/15) Preview

This week we'll head toward West Marin and stop at Samuel P. Taylor State Park. We'll hike up towards, but not all the way to the summit, of Mount Barnabe. Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "This may be only mountain named for a mule! We’re not going all the way to the lookout on the top, so we’ll keep within our 1000’ elevation gain limit. (Mount Barnabe is 1446’; click here for photos taken from the fire lookout). The way up is longer and more gradual (about 5% grade), but you’ll want your hiking poles for the shorter fire road down. We’ll stop by the Samuel and Sarah Taylor’s grave site."

Directions: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard past the main park entrance. As you head west, watch for the sign for Devil’s Gulch on your right and the dirt parking area on your left.

Time: 40 minutes from College of Marin. No restrooms at trailhead. (Use ones at main park entrance as you pass by.) Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's Church in Fairfax at 9:15 am.

Weather Forecast: As of Wednesday afternoon, November 9th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 57. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More On This Hike: Hike "D11 Devil's Gulch to Mt. Barnabe" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails we'll follow, although we'll skip the sidetrip to the summit.  You can find the trails on the park brochure available in PDF format from the park's Website.

Steep Ravine Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during our November 1st Steep Ravine hike are now online!

View them on the Meandering blog or click here for the on-line album.

Dipsea to Ben Johnson Hike (11/8) Preview

This week we head south in the County and back into the federal parklands.  Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "Instead of racing up the Dipsea, we’ll stop to admire ancient redwoods, beautiful views, and hopefully some mushrooms."  (Click here to read the recap of our 2/10/09 hike on these trails).

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, November 3, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 65. (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.