Wolf Ridge Hike (4/26) Preview

Here's Wendy's description of this annual Spring outing: "Wildflowers and views! 'First of spring' flowers for this hike usually include Cobweb Thistle and Bee Plant, and we sometimes see the amazing Fairy Moth hanging out by Oceanspray."  (Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike.  This is the on-line album of photos taken during our previous hikes in this area.)

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 southbound, take the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge. Turn right, go under the freeway, and get in the left turn lane to go through the one way tunnel with the 5 minute traffic light.

Park at the end of the road. (Rodeo Beach will be on the other side of the road). (Click here for a MapQuest Map for driving directions and times from your location.)

Time: 40 minutes from the College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:15 a.m. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the parking lot; click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, April 21st, the National Weather Service forecast for this year’s hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 62. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "A5 Coastal - Wolf Ridge - Miwok Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows our route for this 5 mile-plus hike with a 1,000' elevation gain, as does the "Coastal-Miwok Loop" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. (Hill 88, our probable lunch spot, is 960' above sea level with lovely views on a clear day).

Here's the hike's elevation profile.

 This is the route that we'll follow.

The Google Earth photo below shows the area. (Click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).



If you have time after the hike, stop by The Marine Mammal Center, just uphill from Rodeo Lagoon and a short distance east of the parking lot where we met for the hike.

There you are likely to see Northern Elephant Seals like the ones we saw being released at the Lifeboat Station in Point Reyes National Seashore when we hiked to Chimney Rock, California Seal Lions, Northern and Guadalupe Fur Seals, and Pacific Harbor Seals.

 (Click here for a "Patient" list.)

There should be a docent-led tour at 3:00 p.m.

Seeing Seals At The Seashore

After lunch during yesterday's hike out toward Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore we had a chance to get an "up close and personal look" as The Marine Mammal Center released a passel of rescued and rehabilitated Northern Elephant Seal pups into Drakes Bay at the Lifeboat Station.

Chimney Rock (4/19) Hike Preview

We'll return to Point Reyes National Seashore for this hike which we do every year in Spring. (Click here for a recap of our 2010 trek.  You can also view photos taken on past hikes.)

Here's what Wendy promises for this outing: "This is one of Marin's must-see spring wildflower displays which includes some beautiful endangered flowers.

"We'll see Northern Elephant Seals at the overlook and take time to learn about their history and return from the brink of extinction. (Click here to watch Dick Jordan's "Saving Seals By The Seashore," a 3-minute "short" which aired on MarinTV.)

"We often see Piegon Guiillemots, Eared Grebes in breeding plumage, Common Loons, and Savannah Sparrows on this hike. Bring binoculars if you have them."

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Olema. Turn right at Olema onto Highway 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road.

There are restrooms at the trailhead --- another 30-45 minutes down the road; if you need a restroom break now, take the first left off Bear Valley Road and stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center.

Continue on Bear Valley Road until you pick up Sir Francis Drake again.

Turn left to follow Sir Francis Drake out to Point Reyes. Go through Inverness.

At the junction with Pierce Point Road, bear left and stay on Sir Francis Drake. Follow signs towards the Lighthouse and Drake’s Beach. You’ll pass the turn to Drake’s Beach on your left.

Keep going until you see a left turn to Chimney Rock. (Sir Francis Drake continues on to end at the Lighthouse parking lot).

Driving time from the College of Marin: One hour, thirty minutes.  

(Click here to get driving directions from your location and a MapQuest map showing the trailhead.) 

Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's Church in Fairfax at 8:30 am.

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday, April 12th, the National Weather Service forecast for the Point Reyes Lighthouse area was mostly sunny, with a high near 59. (Click here for an updated forecast).

Real-time weather reporting for the Point Reyes Lighthouse is also available (click here). Sometimes it is very windy when we do this hike, so in addition to your rain gear (if the forecast changes), be sure to toss some extra layers and a warm jacket and hat (bring some duct tape to "tie" your hat on your head) in your car in case it is "blowin' like snot" (a sailor's term for windy weather).

More on this hike: The general area covered by this hike is shown in hike "G13 PR Lighthouse and Chimney Rock" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin and the "Chimney Rock" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

 Click here to view and print a copy of the park map for the Point Reyes National Seashore.

You can also view and print out a map of the Chimney Rock area from the Point Reyes National Seashore Web site.

Here's the hike profile.

Here's the route we'll follow.

The Google Earth image below shows where we'll be on this outing. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

APRIL 12 - NO HIKE

Just a brief note to remind you that there is no hike on Tuesday, April 12th.

We'll resume our spring hiking series on Tuesday, April 19th at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore.