Tomales Bay Trail
Trail length: 3.4 miles, loop
Time: 90 minutes at a leisurely pace
Terrain: Grasses, meadow, pond, marsh, bay
Restroom? No
Parking: small parking lot
Kid friendly? Yes, it's an easy hike
Dates visited: 6/17/16, 12/29/16, 8/14/17, 4/28/18, 6/21/18, 4/14/19, 9/21/19, 5/24/20
Favorite plants on this trail: Point Reyes Salty Birds Beak (Chloropyron maritimum ssp. palustre)
Favorite spots:
Investigating the rocks (blueschist "knockers") at the beginning of the trail, a good place for Western Fence Lizards.
Spotting frogs, turtles, and birds at the pond
Exploring at the end of the trail when Point Reyes Salty Birds Beak is in bloom (summer; peaks in June)
Looking for a scenic trail close to Point Reyes Station? This is your trail. It's an easy hike traversing several terrains -- meadow, pond, marsh, and Tomales Bay. As you begin your journey toward Tomales Bay, you'll encounter magnificent blueschist rocks called "knockers". Knockers are too big to be called boulders but too small to be mapped. You'll find wildflowers and marsh plants, and plenty of birds in the fresh water ponds and bay. Springtime is full of red-winged blackbirds and sparrows at the pond. Egrets, herons, raptors, and other birds are plentiful in Tomales Bay. To hike the loop: At the first cattle fence near the marsh, follow the trail to the right. After walking along the marsh, return by walking straight up the hill rather than circling back on the trail. You'll need to close cattle fences along the way. You'll be treated to spectacular views of Tomales Bay from several points along the trail. Inverness Ridge and Tomales Bay are to the west and Black Mountain is to the east. Rare Point Reyes Salty Birds-Beak (Chloropyron maritimum ssp. palustre) plants can be found at the end of the trail among the low-growing marsh plants at the shore of Tomales Bay in the summer, and Coast Lotus or Witch's Teeth (Hosackia gracilis) blooms in the spring in one of the meadows along the trail. Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa) and Coast Tarweed (Madia sativa) are abundant in the summer along the path.
Another wonderful thing about this hike is its proximity to treasures of West Marin gastronomy, Heidrun Meadery, very nearby on Shoreline Hwy toward Point Reyes Station, and the delicious oysters of The Marshall Store and Hog Island in the opposite direction on Shoreline Hwy toward Marshall.
Volunteer Opportunity: California Coastal Cleanup Day
The third Saturday in September is California Coastal Cleanup Day. One of the best events in the Bay Area is the cleanup of Tomales Bay coordinated by Hog Island Oyster Co. Marconi Conference Center State Park, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, and in partnership with Marin Oyster, and Tomales Bay Oyster Companies, shellfish growers, Point Reyes National Seashore/NPS, Point Reyes National Seashore Association, and Tomales Bay Sailing. You'll work hard picking up trash and then afterwards feast on oysters and other bounty of West Marin.