Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project & Tomales Bay Intertidal Walk
Jul 13 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Leaders: Tom Gaman & Ann Elliott
Please sign up for this field trip on Meetup beginning July 1. Limit: 20
Trip description: Chicken Ranch Beach near Inverness is a public beach on Tomales Bay, owned and operated by Marin County Parks. Historical landscape conversion adjacent to the beach has resulted in a loss of wetland and riparian habitat that support rich ecological communities of aquatic, upland, and bird species. The wetland enhancement project will expand and improve habitats for special status species, remove invasive and non-native vegetation and restore native species; remediate elevated bacterial counts, and maintain recreational access to the beach. Planning and approvals are finished for the project with work expected to begin in August.
Tom Gaman, President of Tomales Bay Foundation which is coordinating the project, will show us the “before picture.” He will tell us more about the project, then walk us up the creek a short way looking at the many invasive plants and identifying the native riparian species.
The adjacent salt marsh to the south hosts the rare Pt. Reyes Birds Beak and other species. Enjoying an extreme low tide, we will walk the Tomales Bay intertidal as far as Shell Beach in Tomales Bay State Park. We will explore the plants and animals along the rock shore. The cliffs above the beach are beautiful with interesting flowering and fruiting plants. We can return along neighborhood roads or the beach. Total mileage about 2 uneven miles.
Directions: Meet at Chicken Ranch Beach County Park a mile beyond Inverness. Parking is diagonal and parallel along the road shoulder with additional parking further along on the opposite side.
Bring: Water, snacks/lunch; hiking poles will be very helpful along the rocky shore. It can be chilly early on before warming up, so layers are good.
Rain cancels. Email Ann with any questions
Text for day-of-trip questions/issues: Ann 530-521-4402
If you have not yet done so, please sign the Waiver for Marin Chapter 2025