Point Reyes Weekend

You Mon Tsang May 6th, 2008

Western Weekend takes the ranching history of the area and adds a bit of the quirkiness of the residents of the area. Take a look at my previous post on Western Weekend. Head to the parade, which is generally starts around noon on Sunday.

Western Weekend Parade, Pt Reyes Station, originally uploaded by CommandZed.

• Summer , Local Scene , Kids
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You Mon Tsang March 14th, 2008

As readers of this blog know, I enjoy visiting Audubon Canyon Ranch (see previous post).

Well, the ranch is open for visitors until mid-summer.

Here’s what they say:

Bring a picnic and hike the 8 miles of trails.

Donations appreciated.

Open weekends and holidays: 10 am - 4 pm

Tuesday through Friday by appointment only

Here’s the ranch on the map. Go and enjoy an afternoon.

View Larger Map

• Birding , Hiking , Wildlife
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You Mon Tsang February 5th, 2008

Gregory Dicum and his wife took three days hiking from Olema to San Francisco, taking in the wonderful landscape and staying / eating in some of West Marin’s classic joints. Their trip took them on the Bolinas Ridge and the Coastal Trail to Stinson. Then up the Dipsea Trail to Mt Tam and back down to Muir Beach. Finally, they found their way back over the Golden Gate Bridge. The journey sounded perfect.

As Gregory writes,

people we met found our ramble enchanting: many who know these trails well had not considered linking them together, and surprisingly few take multiday walks there.

He is right; I didn’t think of it. But now I have it on my list of adventures to do in West Marin.

Read the entire article…

• Hiking
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You Mon Tsang January 19th, 2008

Turns out there is plenty to do in January in Point Reyes. On a nice, sunny day, the beaches and hikes are as pleasant as ever. Just bring another layer and get started a little earlier. Once the sun goes down early, it can get chilly.

But January also brings unique opportunities for those of us who want to see wildlife.

* Whale Watching from the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock. This is a popular enough event that the Park Service closes the road to the lighthouse point and runs buses from the Drakes Beach Visitors Center ($5 per person). While I have not ever caught site of a whale on these trips, I still enjoy the trip out to the point. The Park Service has a good page on whale watching from the point.

* Breeding Elephant Seals. I like to head out to Chimney Rock to watch the wales, because it is also possible that the elephant seals are on the beach hanging out and breeding. This year, they are out en masse! They are fun to watch as they lie and shift around in the sun. From the Chimney Rock parking lot, look for signs that direct you on a short trail heading south.

* Salmon Run. From mid-Dec to mid-January (over for 2008), SPAWN lead groups from the town of Lagunitas to find salmon that swam upstream and lay their eggs. The whole process is fascinating and newbies should take the tour as it can be difficult to find the salmon without an experienced eye. You can find out more at the SPAWN web site.

Photo taken by flauto

• Whales , Salmon , Elephant Seals , Winter , Wildlife
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You Mon Tsang January 10th, 2008

California’s budget woes is starting to feel very real. For visitors to the Point Reyes area, the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the Tomales Bay State Park is one of the nine Bay Area parks pegged to be closed to help the state meet its budget.

The parks, which would not close until the governor and Legislature agree on a spending plan sometime later this year, would be off-limits until the state’s financial situation improves, officials said. Money will be spent for patrols to keep people out of the closed parks, officials said.

More information at the Chronicle web site and the Governor’s web site.

• State Parks
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