The drive into the area lets you know you're entering an absolutely gorgeous and special place…read more We haven't camped here yet, but we do have camping reservations for later this summer. Have been to the day use area a handful of times, and love it. Immersed in redwoods, it's a perfect place to enjoy reading a book, picnicking with loved ones, and learning about the days past of this former outdoor resort/gathering place. Bathrooms are simple and not stinky, so that's a win. Sometimes, there are bees aplenty, but that's nature so...deal with it and eat in your tent or van or ??

Beautiful redwood park -- calm, shaded, and perfect for a low-stress day…read more What matters: * Baby-friendly (just watch uneven ground) * Bathrooms throughout (some have showers) * Parking is limited, so go early * Tons of shade * Lots of picnic tables * BBQ allowed * Campsites available * Dog-friendly, but only in picnic areas, campground, and the main trail (not most hiking trails) * No store -- bring everything Kids can roam, older kids can bike, and it's not overly crowded. Note: Creek access is closed seasonally (until June 15), so plan around that. Pro tip: bring a waterproof picnic blanket and plan to stay -- this is an all-day kind of place. Adding photos because it was hard to picture the layout before going.

ACCESSING JEWELL TRAIL. On two occasions in February 2021, I hiked the loop trail consisting of…read moreBolinas Ridge Trail, Jewell Trail, and Cross Marin Trail. My hike was in the counterclockwise direction around this loop trail. The final stretch of this loop hike requires hiking within the narrow space between the Francis Drake Blvd. and a steep downhill slope covered with trees and with lichens called "old man's beard." Jewell Trail has two trailheads. One is located on Bolinas Ridge Trail and the other is on Cross Marin Trail. The trailhead for Bolinas Ridge Trail is next to Francis Drake Blvd., one mile east of Olema. The trailhead on Cross Marin Trail, is situated one mile to the northwest of the Camp Taylor campground. Regarding the Bolinas Ridge trailhead a mile east of Olema, typically between five and ten automobiles are parked here. They're parked on the south shoulder of Francis Drake Blvd., but additional parking places are available on a wide dirt shoulder, across the street and 50 feet to the west. The segment of Bolinas Ridge Trail leading to the Jewell Trail Trailhead provides scenery of amazing beauty. The photographs in the following list describe, by way of pictures, everything that I could possibly describe with words about Bolinas Ridge Trail and Jewell Trail: (1) Photo of wooden maze that allows passage of people, but prevents cows from passing through. The body of the cow is not flexible in the same way that snakes are flexible. If cows were flexible, they could be taught to dance the hula. But cows are unable to do hula dancing. Because cows are not flexible, they cannot pass through the wooden maze. (2) On the left side of Bolinas Ridge Trail, you can see a cluster of trees sitting on a hillock, with a row of stones embedded in the hillock. This hillock occurs about 100 feet down a grassy slope. (3) Same cluster of trees sitting on a hillock, where photo shows a tree coated with "Old Man's Beard" lichens. (4) To the right of Bolinas Ridge Trail is a deep valley. The boulder at the far left has lichen clinging to it. (5) On the right side of Bolinas Ridge Trail is a tall boulder with a stone shelf on it. On this stone shelf, I posed my mountain goat. While taking this photograph, a man and woman, in their 20's, were hiking by. I turned to them and said, "Don't worry, my permit for keeping the mountain goat is all paid up." They responded with a flurry of laughs. (6) Same boulder, with both Strawberry Shortcake and the goat. (7) Photo of deep valley to left of Bolinas Ridge Trail. Jewell Trail is just beyond this valley. (8) Photo of the sign at the trailhead for Jewell Trail. Two men were approaching, riding their mountain bikes. I was impressed by their ability to ride up the steep hill and I said, "You are certainly strong and powerful, but I know you are vulnerable to KRYPTONITE." They understood my joke and laughed. (9) After a minute of hiking down Jewell Trail there's a huge boulder to the right. Photo of the goat, California quail, and northern flicker sitting on this boulder. (10) Further down Jewell Trail, view looking uphill at the beautiful upper part of the valley. (11) Same location by Jewell Trail, with view looking downhill. Francis Drake Blvd. can be seen in the distance. (12) Further down Jewell Trail, the forest begins. Goat and Strawberry Shortcake stand near a zig-zag in the trail. (13) Further on down, the trail enters a shady area, covered with a tunnel of trees. I arranged a fallen white-colored branch, possibly from a birch tree, so that it would show up in the photograph. (14) Photo of a mossy tree covered with a few tiny ferns, located next to Jewell Trail. LICHENS. In many areas of your hike, you will find lichens hanging from trees and lichens growing on rocks. The kind of lichen that hangs from trees is "old man's beard," also called beard lichens of the genus Usnea. Photographs of beard lichens are available from, "pointreyesnature dot com/alamea-trail" and also from Kundsen and Carlberg (2005). Other kinds of lichen at Bolinas Ridge include Rimularia insularis and Rinodina falvosoralifera. Colorful lichens that grow on rocks include, Xanthoria elegans, Rhizoplaca melanopthalma, and Saxicolous lichens. REFERENCES. ( 1 ) K. Knudsen and T. Carlberg (2005) Bulletin of the California Lichen Society. Vol. 12, No. 2, page 36. ( 2 ) Tom Carlberg (2012) Bulletin of the California Lichen Society. Vol. 19. See, page 27. ( 3 ) Larry St. Clair (1999) Bulletin of the California Lichen Society. Vol. 6, No. 2. ( 4 ) Kocourkova (2012) A Checklist of the Lichenicolous Biota of California Opuscula Philolichenum. 11:64-103. ( 5 ) Lichens, surprising pioneering organisms (2019) Encyclopedia of the Environment. ( 6 ) Article by Sheela McLean, available from: "methownet dot com/grist/features/lichens.html

Checked out Roy's Redwood Preserve in San Geronimo, CA. Free street parking on Nicasio Valley Rd…read moreby W. Nicasio Rd. We started on the right Redwood Loop Trail, little shade, mostly sun on this side. Saw the prescribed burn on some hills, then we took Mossy Rocks Trail down the stairs, to the boardwalk trail. Lots of nice redwood trees, I like the Fairy Ring Trees. We did about 3 miles there, can be extended to nearby parks. One pit toilet near the boardwalk trail. It was super full when I used it Sunday 6/28/26. I emailed Marin County parks to tell them, not sure anyone saw it. Worth going.

What a gem this spot is. There are multiple trails & loops you can choose from. The trails are very…read morewell maintained. The diversity of the landscape is fantastic. Truly appreciated the areas for kids & also ADA friendly. We enjoyed seeing some majestic old and tall redwoods. Large detailed map at start of trails- we took a screen shot which was a big help. Thank you, Marin County Open Space District for keeping this park in tiptop shape!

The trail is around a 2-mile loop nestled in Samuel P. Taylor Park…read more Parking is $8 so I think this hike is better if you are already at Samuel P. Taylor Park. Not that many people are here on the weekdays so it might be worth the parking fee for some extreme calm because the trail doesn't get as busy as some other trails in Marin. I felt it was very serene, and you were really away from it all here with just the sounds of the running creek and woodpeckers. Visually it's very shaded with lots of greenery and ferns. I always get a sandwich at Lagunitas Grocery store beforehand and eat it in the park.

When my son suggested I hike the Pioneer Tree Trail he described it as easy and empty; he had never…read morebefore seen anyone on the trail and surmised that bringing my dog, whether permitted or not (he was unsure) would thus be no problem. He had obviously never been on the Pioneer Tree Trail on a summer weekend during a pandemic. Pioneer Tree Trail is a 2.1 mile loop trail that isn't flat but neither is there any significant elevation. It winds around and back and forth through beautiful Redwood groves and it's got a lot of charm. The fact that most people enter the trail from Samuel P. Taylor Park probably accounted for its popularity during my weekend, summertime visit. Children and families and groups who I'll assume were in some sort of Covid-bubble all seemed to be enjoying this hike on a sunny day. And even though she wasn't technically allowed, my dog enjoyed the easy to follow trail as well. If all you're looking for is a mellow stroll, go ahead and enter from the park. If you want more of a challenge though still no elevation, park on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at Inkwells, cross the bridge on the north side of the road, and follow the flat, bike-friendly Cross Marin Trail to your left. When you cross the second bridge, do a u-turn and you'll encounter the entrance to the Pioneer Tree Trail. I have it on good authority that you can have this trail to yourself at most times, but I'd not rely on it during a summer weekend when people are itching to break out of their homes after months of sheltering in place.

Eric led our tour on September 18th and our group was maxxed out with the most amount of people he…read morecould take in a single tour. He was awesome at making us feel prepared and his sense of humor really helped everyone feel at ease. I was especially impressed of how he helped 2 guests who were clearly scared of the kayak flipping over during the tour, primarily by being a calm, patient guide. I would definitely go back to him! Overall, our group was blessed to be out there on an overcast night, which allowed us to see a lot of the bioluminescent silhouettes of fish that swam under and around us throughout the tour.

Booked the evening bioluminescence tour with Blue Waters Kayaking and had an amazing experience!…read moreBooking online was easy and then as a follow up, they send you more info and a waiver to send for your excursion. They do this particular tour on nights when there's little to no moonlight since that is when you will best see the sparkling creatures in the bay. It embarks from Miller's Boat Launch near Nick's Cove in Marshall. It's not far from Point Reyes, so if you're spending time at the seashore, this is a magical way to end your day. They begin at 8 with very detailed instructions for your gear and paddling. Between that and then launching the boats in your group, you actually get on the water about 8:45 and return to the dock around 11 pm. It was a windy and foggy evening, so unfortunately, there were no sunset views. But the novelty of paddling in twighlight in to the evening more than made up for that. We had flocks of pelicans flying overhead and once we got to darker areas, the real star of the show came out to sparkle. You can see the bioluminescence light up as you paddle or run your fingers in the water. We stopped a few times along some coves and even saw the sparkles lap up on the sandy shores. We had 3 guides -one leading, one in the middle and one at the back to make sure no boats were left behind. The ride out was a bit choppy but we had paddlers of all levels in our group and everyone did okay. The guides made sure to check in with everyone and we'd count off boats to make sure we all caught up, We got to hear information about the seashore and the surrounding waters and the local creatures. The time flew by and it was such a wonderful, magical experience. If you haven't night kayaked, I'd definitely say to try it once. I hope to travel with Blue waters again and try one of their day trips, While it's important to dress warm and wear waterproof shoes, they do provide dry bags, a waterproof top and of course all the safety gear for your excursion.

No place like Sea Trek!…read more For 43 years and multiple generations these guys Just want you to have fun, connect to the bay and its wildlife, and learn new things - to feel good about being outdoors while caring about it! I love them forever and glad I have paddled and been part of it over the years. Sea Trek has the mission (and is driven) like a non-profit while at the same time they are trying to continue to take care of their families and all their employees and run a great business for everyone to enjoy and benefit from. When you paddle with them you help protect the bay. A Great success story!

A gem of a business in Sausalito!…read more Free parking by the Bay Model museum. Rates are fair and I love that they have a frequent paddler's pass that gives you discounted hourly rates. I rented the single kayak and it includes a life jacket, and the use of a dry bag. The kayak and gear were all in good condition. All the employees were friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. You can't beat the views from the water! If you haven't already, you gotta check out Sea Trek!

Dallas and Liz were wonderful to work with. We rented kayaks from them for a family trip with…read morelittle kids and felt supported and energized by them the entire time. Their knowledge of the area is engrained and you really feel like you're tapping into the spirit of the area. 100% recommend supporting this small business

Went with my husband. Really enjoyed our time there…read moreDefinitely would be back. Just a great place and the fresh air was exactly what we needed

My girlfriend and I had a great time renting two kayaks from this shop! The crew was super friendly…read moreand helpful, and their delivery service was very convenient! Would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone!

Best place to rent any water sport/ boating !! We had the most amazing time at Berryessa simply…read morebecause of this team! They fill up the gas for you (only place around that doesn't charge you for gas) and if you run low while you're out on the water they come fill you up. I want to especially shout out Tessa and Jennifer in the front. We ended up changing our reservation and they were so accommodating and helpful. Jeremy and John/Jessie made me feel so comfortable with all of my questions and really cared about my family and so being safe and comfortable. Will use them next time we come out!!!