Get the complete guide to the Point Reyes peninsula in California, and discover the history of the area, activities to enjoy, and 50 hiking and backpacking trips. Escape the urban hustle. Find the slow rhythm of time spent in nature. Just 30 miles from downtown San Francisco, the Point Reyes peninsula is a place apart—where trails weave through Douglas-fir forests, beaches rim the rocky coastline, whales swim in offshore waters, and coastal grasslands are swathed in wildflowers. Let Jessica Lage introduce you to this unparalleled area and guide you along its best trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, backpacking, and more. Wander old ranch roads that have been converted into trails. Go birding on a tranquil estero. Gaze at wildflowers on the site of a once-thriving dairy ranch. The Point Reyes wilderness protects a diverse ecosystem. Of every species of California plant, nearly 18 percent can be found there—as well as almost 10 percent of the world’s marine mammal species. Plus, more than 45 percent of all North American bird species visit the seashore. Point Reyes is your guide to the entire area: the national seashore, Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor state parks, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and towns in the vicinity. The book presents the natural and human history of the area, activities to enjoy, and 50 detailed trips for hikers and backpackers. Inside You’ll Find Complete trail descriptions for 42 hikes and 8 backpacking excursions - Updated color maps and photographs of the national seashore and adjacent parks - Suggested activities, from kayaking to exploring tidepools - The natural and human history of the area - Small-town highlights, such as galleries, eateries, and museums Make your way to this recreational paradise. Whether you have a few hours, a weekend, or an entire vacation, a visit to Point Reyes is a trip you’ll remember forever. Jessica Lage lives in Berkeley with her family and has spent countless hours on the trails and beaches of West Marin since she was a kid. She is also the author of Trail Runner’s Guide: San Francisco Bay Area (Wilderness Press). She has a PhD in geography from UC Berkeley and works as an independent researcher and writer. Trip 1: Bear Valley Trail to Divide Meadow and the Coast Easy-to-access, fairly level, and exceptionally scenic, this wide trail follows a murmuring creek through a rich forest. Divide Meadow makes a pleasant picnic or rest spot, or even a destination for a short hike. The first part of the Bear Valley Trail is great for bikes, but remember to bring a lock so you can continue to the coast on foot! Distance: 3.2 miles round-trip to Divide Meadow; 8 miles round-trip to the coast - Type: Out-and-back - Difficulty: Easy–moderate - Facilities: Restroom, water, picnic tables, and phone at trailhead; toilets at Divide Meadow, 1.6 miles from trailhead - Regulations: Horses allowed except on weekends and holidays; bikes allowed for the first 3.1 miles to Glen Trail turnoff (bike rack available); no dogs Description: The Bear Valley Trail begins in an open meadow, where you have views east to Bolinas Ridge and beyond to Barnabe Mountain in Samuel P. Taylor Park. Behind you to the north, the rippled slopes of sturdy Black Mountain rise from ranchland. At the far end of the meadow (0.2 mile), you pass the trail to Mount Wittenberg on your right (north), and your wide, well-graded trail begins to parallel the low ravine of Bear Valley Creek. Under the cover of alders, bay laurels, and elderberry bushes growing along the bank, the temperature drops significantly. For the next mile and a half, the mostly level trail leads through lush forest. You’ll see signs of the 2020 Woodward Fire on the northern hillside—blackened tree trunks surrounded by abundant regrowth. At 0.8 mile, you pass the Meadow Trail on your right, which leads north 1.7 miles to the ridgetop (see Trip 3). Look for newts crossing the moist trail in the rainy season and winter wrens darting amid dense tangles of vegetation. Bracken, five-finger, and sword ferns coat the slopes. The heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger (and their flowers, between March and July) grow on the streambank, and in spring, buttercups, milkmaids, and forget-me-nots sprout along the trail. Just before Divide Meadow at 1.6 miles, the trail climbs briefly to reach the broad, peaceful expanse, ringed by Douglas-fir trees and dappled with oaks. From the trailhead until Divide Meadow, the trail follows north-flowing Bear Valley Creek. Beyond Divide Meadow, Coast Creek runs along the trail, flowing southwest and emptying into the ocean. This unusual drainage pattern is common in fault zones. To reach the coast, continue on the Bear Valley Trail as it gently descends and then levels along alder-lined Coast Creek, which flows to the ocean. After 1.5 miles beyond Divide Meadow (3.1 from the trailhead), you meet a junction with the Glen Trail, where bicyclists must leave their bikes and proceed to the