Woodpecker Trail from the Bear Valley Visitor Center

Looking for an easy and short hike with the family? Start at the Bear Valley Visitor Center in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Only 1.6 miles in length, the Woodpecker Trail meanders through a number of different landscapes and terrain providing interpretive signs along the way for explorers of all ages! Listen for the command performance of woodpeckers pounding their heads in search of food. And note the Stellar's jay's scolding "caw" bidding you farewell from its home as you walk through a Winter's foggy meadow.

Keep wildness in your life and revisit the Woodpecker Trail often. No two trips nor trails are ever quite the same.

Three Beaches and One Hike: Tomales Bay State Park

Hike to Three Beaches

Begin at Jepson Trailhead

What a gem of a hike this is!
When it is foggy or windy in Point Reyes, try exploring the protected areas in Tomales Bay State Park. At every turn there are scenic views of twisted California Oak trees, Tomales Bay, and lush vegetation in a "made  for Marin" rainforest. Not only is it beautiful, with stops at three different beaches along the round-trip 4.5mile  trail, but it is educational as well.

Marin Rainforest

Heart's Desire Beach

Park your car in the small parking area located one mile out on Pierce Point Road, just before the entrance to Tomales Bay State Park. Begin at the Jepson Trailhead, and follow the Johnstone trail left to Pebble Beach 1.6 miles out, where you can stop and spend time exploring the sandy beach and wade in the calm water. Follow the trail to Heart’s Desire Beach, and walk through a lush rainforest which has been produced by winter rains and summer fog. Heart’s Desire is a larger beach with picnic tables, restrooms and it's own parking area. 

Bridge to Indian Beach

Interpretive Signs 

Continue across the beach, and take the signed Indian Nature Trail to Indian Beach. Along the way, read the park plaques about the indigenous Miwok Indian way of life, and how they utilized the coastal environment to the best of their advantage for both food and medicinal purposes. At the bridge, head down the beach and explore the Indian kotchas, which are reconstructed Miwok bark lodges.

The Kotchas on Indian Beach

After leaving beach number three, walk around the marsh back towards Heart’s Desire beach again, then take the Jepson trail uphill from there back to the originating parking area. 
Overall, this is a very scenic hike, with minimal elevation change, and perfect for a hot Marin Weekend offering 80% shaded trails and beach access.

Beautiful Picnic Areas

Getting There: From Hwy 101 in Greenbrae, take Sir Francis Drake West to Olema. Turn Right on Hwy One for 200 yards then left onto Bear Valley Road and right on Sir Francis Drake again towards Pierce Point Road. Once on Pierce Point Road, drive for 1.0 mile and turn right into the parking area.

If you want to first picnic and wade in the bay, you might want to drive directly into the park (pay fee) at Heart’s Desire Beach and from there you can chose a shorter hike.

Western Weekend in Point Reyes

Did you make it out to Point Reyes Station over the weekend?

The 62nd annual Western Weekend this past Sunday celebrated with an over the top parade representing all the uniqueness of the area! It was a great way to get a taste of the local scene in West Marin. Despite the overcast weather, the parade began promptly at noon in Point Reyes Station and there was everything from funky art floats to tractor displays. The weekend represents the ranching roots of West Marin, with 4-H exhibits and homecoming queens.

“The Western Weekend parade is the real eclectic mix of the area, combining the cowboy with the local food and the local artists. It’s real local fun.”

Photos are the courtesy of Patti Daniel from Texas

Dinner with Music in San Rafael

Dine while listening to music

If you are new to Marin, vacationing in our area, or just a local  looking for an evening of dining with great entertainment, head to the Panama Hotel.

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings the hotel's restaurant offers up sumptuous menu items to accompany eclectic music for all types of night seekers! Wednesday evening performances are on the first and third Wednesday of each month, and can showcase music anywhere from a solo acoustic guitar to a Latin Jazz band.


The ambiance is casual and warm with just the right amount of elegance; and there is ample opportunity to sit close to the performers.

David Brewer playing Flamenco

The weekly music usually varies from jazz and blues to Swing Fever and Brazilian bosa nova. Make sure you check out the musical lineup on  their calendar before heading out since it changes each month.

Dinner at the Panama restaurant is served from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and music is from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Reservations are recommended if you want a table with the best view, otherwise there is usually space at the bar for eating if the room is full.
4 Bayview Street, San Rafael
www.panamahotel.com

Discovering Mill Valley's Secret Steps, Lanes and Paths

Living in Mill Valley and navigating the twisty, curvy roads that traverse the canyons and hills can be quite an adventure.

In the late 1800's, Mill Valley began as a pedestrian-friendly town, with hundreds of short-cuts meandering up and down the hills that provided connections between the streets on Mill Valley's hillside to the streets on the flatland.

The Steps, Lanes and Paths of Mill Valley were constructed in 1890 and was designed to be used by residents as an easy way to get to town and to public transportation (historically, the train station at The Depot).


Many of Mill Valley’s older hillside neighborhoods have roads that follow the contours of the hills where driving can be somewhat circuitous.

Today, the same narrow stairways and paths provide direct connections for pedestrians as they did in the past. The right of way still exists to include these passageways which continue to provide connections between streets, commercial areas and other hillside neighborhoods. Some of these facilities are simple pathways while others are steep enough to require stairways.

 After years of neglect, citizens along with the City, began an effort to identify and rebuild these historic Steps, Lanes and Paths in 2000.The Steps, Lanes and Paths (SLP) project is now funded through the City of Mill Valley's Vegetation Management Program. The program allows crews to clear vegetation, replace steps and add marker posts to identify these pathways should you care to explore them on your own.

An added benefit is that in the event of an emergency, these facilities can can also be used as safe evacuation routes in case roads should become blocked.

A Mill Valley Steps, Lanes and Paths map may be purchased at the Mill Valley Public Library for $5.00.

Enjoy!

Go Giants! The Trophy Tour in Marin

It was February 23rd at the San Rafael Community Center and everything was Black and Orange for the Giants Trophy! The Marin CVB was well represented by staff members and friends.

The Lines Were Long, but...

Giants fans were invited to come view the Trophy which was on display from 10:30am to 12:30pm. By about 11:00 a.m., an estimated 1,000 people had lined up to see the trophy, and organizers were expecting more to show up before the event was over at 12:30 p.m.

The MCVB was well represented

The Trophy Tour will make a few detours when it travels to the Giants Spring Training Facility in Scottsdale, Arizona and to New York City to pay tribute to those New York/San Francisco Giants baseball fans residing on the east coast.  It will also make a trip to Troy, New York – where the team was originally founded – and a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

The trophy will tour the neighborhoods of San Francisco eventually making its way to AT&T Park for the home opener on April 8, 2011.

Ocean Views from the Palomarin Trail to Alamere Falls

Here is a day hike with a little bit of everything for the adventurous trekker! Commanding views of the Pacific Ocean, cascading streams, tree-lined trails meandering past serene lakes, and one magnificent waterfall crashing onto a desolate beach.
To get there, drive through Stinson Beach, pass the small town of Bolinas, and head on to Mesa Road towards the Palomarin Trailhead. If time permits, explore the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, and visit their Bird Banding Laboratory during winter months.

Scenic Trail Views From the Palomarin/Coast Trail

Allow about four hours to complete the eight mile round-trip trek along this part of the Coastal Trail. The Coastal Trail portion has wide-open vistas and is a fairly flat, easy trail that meanders along the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. You'll get your fix of ocean views here! Continuing on, you’ll see beautiful Bass Lake and Pelican Lake, and red-tailed hawks coasting above - just out of reach. About a mile past Bass Lake, you’ll find the Alamere Falls detour.

Pelican Lake and Detour Sign to Falls

From here it's less than a half-mile to the beach and the falls. The poison oak is more overgrown here, so watch where you step in this narrow section of trail.  It’s a very good idea to wear long sleeves and long pants. The trail will begin to get rockier and steeper and there is a short section where you will have to be careful as you pick your way down. But if you pay close attention, it’s more than worth it. You’ll be rewarded with one of the most spectacular spring waterfalls in the state. I would recommend caution if attempting to navigate the fifty foot climb down to the beach to view the waterfall from below. It is steep and narrow, and the rock is not stable. I chose to stay at the top and sit with the wildflowers while watching those much braver than me scale down the cliff toward the beach. There are plenty of scenic spots to  have a lunch and simply admire the sounds and view.