Tomales Point

Cliffs at Tomales Point

9.5 miles round trip, 1200 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate, some brushy vegetation towards the end of the hike
Access: Decent paved road to trailhead, no fee required

Tomales Point is a windswept peninsula that marks the northernmost point of Northern California's Point Reyes National Seashore, reachable by an enjoyable hike with wildflowers, plentiful wildlife, and views of majestic sea cliffs along the way. This is one of the better hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area and it is no secret: on weekends, the parking area is packed and you'll find plenty of company on this fairly lengthy but still fairly easy hike to see elk and whales on this treeless strip of land between Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The trail does get quite brushy towards the end, making the last stretch of the hike somewhat more difficult than the start but guaranteeing slightly thinner crowds at the tip of the peninsula. Despite its popularity, this hike's many charms means that all Bay Area hikers should make it out here at least once.

I hiked to Tomales Point with Anna and a visiting friend I knew from Seattle on a breezy and sunny May day. Spring is an excellent time to visit as Point Reyes National Seashore is well known for its wildflower displays. From San Francisco, we followed US 101 north to San Anselmo, where we exited onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard heading west and then followed that road through twist and turns past Fairfax and Samuel Taylor State Park until it merged with California Highway 1 at Olema. Here, we turned right to head north on Highway 1, then turned left again onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard when it forked to the left about two miles north of Olema. We then followed Sir Francis Drake Boulevard for 6 miles past the town of Inverness, continuing until the road climbed up a hill. At the top of the hill, we followed signs for Tomales Bay State Park and turned right onto Pierce Point Road; we then followed Pierce Point Road north for about 8 miles through rolling grasslands to Pierce Point Ranch, which is the trailhead for the Tomales Point hike. There is parking for about 20 cars in a parking lot next to the ranch and additional parking for about 50 more cars along a line of trees by the road. There are no public restrooms at the trailhead. 

The trail starts out next to Pierce Point Ranch, which during the 19th and 20th centuries was one of the many dairy ranches of Marin County and Point Reyes. During the California Gold Rush, the hills and valleys of Marin County became home to many dairy ranches, where grazing cows supplied milk, butter, and cheese to the rapidly growing city of San Francisco. Many dairy operations are still operational with Point Reyes National Seashore, having been grandfathered in at the time of establishment of the park. Many of Marin County's dairy farms are still of national renown: award winning cheeses have come from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, the Marin French Cheese Company, and Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.

The trail wrapped around the western edge of the ranch, passing through a line of trees before turning towards the coast. The Pacific Ocean came into view less than a fifth of a mile into the hike, with stunning views of the crescent sands of McClure's Beach and waves crashing against the headland at the beach's southern end.

Overlooking McClure's Beach

Some of the best coastal views of the hike came soon after, as the trail emerged atop headlands directly above the coast. Looking north, we had great views of the stunning 400-foot tall cliffs that defined the western edge of the continent. Some hikers turn around here- while there's much more to come later in the hike, it's hard to argue that few such coastal views can come with so little effort. Wildflowers bloomed profusely in the grassy slopes beneath the trail, creating a stunning constrast between floral and aquatic colors. The yellow lupine blooming along the trail was particularly notable. This brilliant stretch of trail was brief and after about a third of a mile of sweeping views, we began heading inland and descending.

Cliffs along the trail to Tomales Point

As we descended into Windy Gap at one mile from the trailhead, we spotted a herd of tule elk, the resident herd of Tomales Point. Tule elk were once found throughout the state of California but were nearly driven to extinction by the late-nineteenth century, when only a herd of thirty remained near Bakersfield. In the 1970s, an effort was launched to reintroduce tule elk to Point Reyes and a herd was brought to Tomales Point; the reintroduction has been extremely successful and the population of the herd has grown since the elk were brought here.

Resident elk herd

Past Windy Gap, the trail made a short but steep ascent to gain the top of the ridge running along the peninsula. Atop the ridge, it was possible to tell that we were on a long, pointy stretch of land: the Pacific was visible to one side and Tomales Bay was visible to the east. However, the trail stayed away from the headlands on both sides of the peninsula, keeping views somewhat more limited than they had been in the trail's opening mile. 

Tomales Point's unique shape is a result of the interesting geology of Tomales Bay: Tomales Bay is the point of land where the San Andreas Fault exits the ocean and begins to run across the California landmass. Most of Point Reyes National Seashore- including Tomales Point- lie on land that is now traveling with Pacific Plate rather than the North American plate. The straight boundaries of Tomales Bay are defined by the San Andreas Fault directly.

This trail atop the ridge was fairly flat as we headed north. This was perhaps the least interesting mile of the hike, as we primarily saw grasses on either side of the trail with water only in the distance. We spotted a few more elk heads poking above the grasses at intervals.

At 2.2 miles from the trailhead, the trail reached a grassy knoll with broad views to the north of the northernmost reaches of the peninsula. From here, we had our first views of the rocky cliffs that hemmed in the tapering Tomales Point, offshore Bird Island, and the mountainous coast that stretched northward to Bodega Bay.

Looking down the peninsula to Tomales Point

Past this high point, the trail descended gently but steadily over the next mile until reaching another saddle. Up until this point, the trail had generally been fairly obvious and wide, but it abruptly faded out here and became quite overgrown and faint. The direction of travel was obvious since we knew we had to go further down the peninsula, but we frequently found ourselves trying to figure out the correct route forward and battle through overgrown brush at multiple points. We spotted a wild turkey while we were battling the vegetation here, adding to the menagerie that we spotted on this hike.

Wild turkey

The faint trail ascended slightly before flattening out and continuing up the peninsula, eventually becoming a bit more defined as it passed through some fields of spring wildflowers, including some yellow lupine. Views back towards the south were impressive: we could see the high cliffs below the slopes where we had been hiking earlier. The trail also offered good views of Bird Island, a barren island on the Pacific side of the peninsula that was covered with snowy-white guano. Even from a distance, we could hear the cacophany of seabird calls from the island.

Wildflowers and sea cliffs on the way to Tomales Point

Bird Island

At about 4.25 miles from the trailhead, the trail passed through some sandy patches and then began its final descent down to the very tip of Tomales Point. 

Wildflowers and sandy trail

The end of the trail was visible through the final descent: we could see the land ending ahead of us, with the vast waters of the Pacific and Bodega Bay lying to the north. As the trail approached land's end, we finally had some close-up views of the dramatic seaside cliffs of the peninsula. Violent waves from the Pacific pounded the rocks, chipping away gradually at the continent.

Cliffs near Tomales Point

Finally, after 4.75 miles of hiking, we arrived at the very tip of Tomales Point. The peninsula tapered off and then faded into the ocean here. The tip of the peninsula provided the hike's only views of cliffs on the east side of Tomales Point.

View into Tomales Bay

From the end of the trail at Tomales Point, we could gaze out on one side to the wild coastline of Bodega Bay and on the other side to open expanse of the Pacific. Waves thundered against the rocky shore, sending aloft a passing constellation of surf. Bodega Head emerged from the coastal mist in the distance, marking the north end of the bay; the nearby town of Bodega Bay was the setting of Hitchcock's The Birds. 

Land's end at Tomales Point

We sat at this land's end for the better part of an hour, gazing out onto the Pacific and spotting various wildlife. Pelicans flew below us, gliding just above the churning Pacific waters; a humpback whale entertained us offshore, alternatively bringing its back and its tail above the surface of the ocean. 

Pelicans flying above the surf at Tomales Point

Whale tail and Bodega Bay

We enjoyed the views for an extended time before heading back and dealing with the stretches of brushy trail. This was a rare wildlife trail that allowed us to see a turkey, a whale, and a herd of elk on the same trip. The incredible, open ocean views make it one of the better hikes along the California coast and probably the most enjoyable hike around Point Reyes- don't miss it.

Cowles Bog

Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan

4.5 miles loop, 250 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Access: Decent gravel road to trailhead, Indiana Dunes National Park entrance fee required

The Cowles Bog hike allows you to experience a little bit of everything that makes the new Indiana Dunes National Park special: a lush and biodiverse wetland, tall dunes, views of vast Lake Michigan, and reminders of the region's industrial past and present. The bog is named after Henry Cowles, a pioneering ecologist at the University of Chicago who made important observations at this wetland and in the surrounding dunes that contributed to the area's eventual preservation. Although the scenery here is not flashy, I found Cowles Bog to be a joy to hike with its profusion of wildflowers, relative seclusion, and good views. If you have time for just a single hike at Indiana Dunes National Park, Cowles Bog would be a reasonable choice.

I hiked Cowles Bog while visiting Indiana Dunes National Park with a friend living in Chicago. We drove in from Chicago, taking I-94 south and east into Indiana and leaving the interstate at exit 26A for Route 49. Upon exiting, we took Route 49 north for two miles and then made a left turn for the ramp to connect with US Route 12; we took the left fork at the bottom of the ramp to head west on US Route 12. We followed US 12 west for 1.4 miles and then turned right onto Mineral Springs Road. We followed this paved road with no lane divides north for three-quarters of a mile to the gate for Dune Acres; at this point, we turned right and followed a short gravel road into the parking lot for the Cowles Bog Trail. Parking here was somewhat limited, with room for less than 20 cars; if this parking lot is full, you will have to park 2/3 mile to the south at the Calumet Trailhead to access this hike. On a late May weekend day, there was a national park attendant monitoring the parking situation at the trailhead to prevent illegal parking. We were lucky and found a spot, but Indiana Dunes is popular enough that you may need to arrive earlier or later in the day to guarantee finding a spot. There was no entrance fee when I visited, but Indiana Dunes National Park has since implemented entrance fees; I am not certain where fee collection occurs.

From the parking lot, we walked back down the short gravel road to get back to Mineral Springs Road and then crossed the road to reach the start of the trail. The trail started by traveling along an elevated strip between lush, forested wetlands on both sides. In May, the fresh green colors of the forest and bog here were extremely refreshing; this was a landscape bursting with life. Ferns were sprouting up throughout the partially-flooded plane and cattails occurred in open spots with more sun. There was plenty of wildlife as well: we heard the call of birds in the forest and saw a turtle crossing the trail.

Ferns abound in Cowles Bog

The rich vegetation of Cowles Bog

Turtle on the trail

The landscape of Cowles Bog played a crucial role in Dr. Henry Cowles' study of ecological succession. The bog's complex mosaic of habitats, including wetlands, sand dunes, and forests, provided Cowles, then a professor at the University of Chicago, with a unique opportunity to observe and document the changes in plant and animal communities over time. Cowles' research on ecological succession revealed that the bog was not a static environment, but a dynamic system in which different species of plants and animals replaced one another in a predictable sequence.

Cowles observed that the sand dunes at the bog's edge were colonized by pioneering species of grasses, which were gradually replaced by shrubs and trees as the dunes stabilized. Similarly, he noted that the wetlands in the bog were colonized by different species of plants depending on the depth of the water, and that these communities changed over time as the water level fluctuated. 

After a third of mile of hiking from the trailhead, the wetlands to the right of the trail ended and the trail began following the base of a forested dune; the forested part of the bog still lay to the left (south) side of the trail. At 0.8 miles, we came to a junction where the Cowles Bog Trail began its figure eight loop. Here, we took the right fork, which took us uphill and away from the bog as the trail began its first ascent. This short uphill climb brought me up and over a forested dune; while the vegetation on the hill somewhat hid that all the hills here were just dunes, the loose sand underfoot betrayed that we were on one of the park's namesake dunes. Being amongst the dunes didn't mean that we were done with the wetlands, though: after crossing the first dune, the trail returned to the boundaries of an open marsh.

Cowles Bog

In late May, the forest floor on the dunes was awash with wildflower color. Columbine, geraniums, and lupine were among the many flowers in bloom, lining the sandy path up the dunes.

Blooming geraniums

Columbine and lupine

At 1.2 miles, the trail began another climb into the sandy hills, these forested dunes. The ascents here are somewhat more challenging than trails of a similar grade elsewhere due to the looseness of the sand. The trail here was incredibly idyllic, though, because of the flowers dotting the forest floor. The trail came to a junction at 1.4 miles, where the left fork cut the loop short; we took the right fork to proceed along the main Cowles Bog Trail to the shores of Lake Michigan.

Trail across forested and flower-coated dunes

The trail went up and down through this stretch of the Indiana Dunes until, at 1.7 miles, we emerged in the open atop Mount Bentley Dune, adjacent to the lake. From this open vantage point, we enjoyed the best views of the hike, which encompassed the neighboring forest, an expanse of sand beneath my feet, and the placid waters of Lake Michigan ahead.

Mount Bentley dune and Lake Michigan

Gazing across the lake, we caught a sight of the faint Chicago skyline; on a less stormy day, it might be more clear. The distinctive forms of the Willis Tower and the John Hancock Tower were both clearly distinguishable, even from this distance. The distant skyline was the only reminder that Lake Michigan was just a lake and not the vast ocean.

Chicago skyline visible across Lake Michigan

After soaking in the dune-top views, we descended down the steep sides of the dune towards the lakeshore. At the base of the dune, we came to a junction with a trail that led west through the grass towards the return leg of the loop; however, we skipped this junction and decided to follow the path all the way down to the waterfront and the beach along Lake Michigan, which we reached at just under 2 miles from the trailhead.

Looking west, we could see the two massive smokestacks of the Bailly generating station, a large coal-fired power plant that is part of the Port of Indiana industrial zone.

Bailly Generating Station at the Port of Indiana

The Port of Indiana was built into the heart of the Indiana Dunes in the 1960s, creating a massive industrial area and port in what used to be the Central Dunes of the Indiana Dunes. Bethlehem Steel and US Steel lobbied for the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the lake bottom near Burns Harbor to create a deepwater port for transporting coal and steel; the result was this complex just east of Gary. The construction of the port split the Indiana Dunes in two and destroyed a large swath of the central dunes; this was one of the multiple environmental catastrophes affecting the Indiana Dunes that eventually led to the dunes' preservation and recent establishment as a national park.

Looking east along the lakeshore, we had a view of the forested dunes coming down to the water for miles until reaching the NIPSCO Michigan City power plant in the distance, a coal-fired power plant that sits atop the site of one of the other environmental catastrophes of the Indiana Dunes. The power plant is built on the former site of the Hoosier Slide, once the largest of all the Indiana Dunes, which was completely torn apart and mined for its sand to make millions of Ball Corporation Mason jars.

View along the Indiana Dunes to the Michigan City power plant

Ahead of us lay the vast expanse of Lake Michigan- the largest lake fully within the United States, the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by area, truly an freshwater sea. Three hundred miles of open freshwater separated our position on the southern end of the lake from the north shore on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Lake Michigan

We followed the beach to the west for a fifth of a mile and came to a path leading back up the dunes from the beach at 2.2 miles into the hike. Taking this path, we began the return leg of the loop. After crossing a flat, grass-covered stretch of the dune, the trail embarked on a steep climb up the forested dune of Mount Tuthill. This was the steepest and most extended ascent of the hike: the trail notches 120 feet of elevation gain in one go here. Although potentially tough for Midwest standards, hikers visiting from more mountainous areas are still likely to find this a short uphill climb.

Back among the wooded dunes, we enjoyed the forested landscape and the profusion of spring wildflowers blooming amidst the blooms. The spring scenery here was overwhelmingly verdant. Only the sand underfoot reminded us that these hills were sand and not soil. 

Lupine blooming on the wooded dunes

At 2.7 miles, we passed a junction that headed towards the inbound leg of the loop; we stayed to the right at the junction and continued on the larger loop. This trail briefly followed a low sand ridge before it dropped down to the bog and cut through the wetlands. At times, there were glimpses from the trail to the nearby Port of Indiana complex and its sprawling industrial campus.

Cowles Bog

At 3.3 miles, we came to another trail junction where the Greenbelt Trail split off from the Cowles Bog Trail. The right fork for the Greenbelt Trail followed the southern boundary of the bog to Mineral Springs Road; we took the left fork, which kept us on the north end of the bog. We closed the loop at 3.6 miles into the hike and then followed the path through the bog that we had come in on back to the trailhead.

Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable and rewarding hike and the highlight of my day in the Indiana Dunes. The diversity of scenery on this hike- sandy dunes, blooming forest, a vast lake, verdant wetlands, industrial history, and a plethora of wildlife and wildflowers- made this a satisfying and unique experience and makes this a highly recommended hike when visiting the Indiana Dunes.

Whale Gulch

The Lost Coast

5 miles round trip, 700 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Access: Rough dirt road to the trailhead (high clearance advised), Sinkyone Wilderness State Park entrance fee required

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park protects some of the most spectacular and undeveloped stretches of California's largely roadless Lost Coast and the hike from Needle Rock to Whale Gulch is a relatively easy excursion that visits some of the area's most stunning seaside scenery. The Lost Coast is one of California's great gems: while the more popular access point at Shelter Cove is already gradually being discovered, the Sinkyone Wilderness stretch of the Lost Coast is still far off the beaten path. This lovely hike follows grassy coastal bluffs with fabulous views to two pristine black sand beaches and ends at the bottom of lush, fern-filled Whale Gulch. If you come, you're likely to see more elk than people.

The drive to get to the trailhead at Needle Rock Visitor Center in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is quite an ordeal: the park is about an hour and a half from US 101 on winding country roads that are narrow, potholed, and eventually unpaved. The trailhead is 2.5 hours from Eureka, 3 hours from Ukiah, and over 5 hours driving from the San Francisco Bay Area, so it makes sense to save this hike for a trip to this corner of the coast unless you live nearby. A higher clearance vehicle can be useful on the drive to reach the trailhead; although I made it in a standard clearance compact car, my car really struggled at points.

Redway and Garberville are the closest towns with services. Whether you arrive from the north or the south on Highway 101, take the exit for Redway, which will put you on Redwood Drive; follow this road into downtown Redway and turn west onto Briceland Road, at the Shop Smart grocery store. Follow the windy but paved Briceland Road west for 12 miles across the Eel River and through the town of Briceland to a split between the roads to Whitethorn and Shelter Cove; take the left fork to continue towards Whitethorn. The road stayed divided and paved for the next 4 miles through Whitethorn; after passing through this village, the road divide ended. The road became windier and narrower as it ascended until it reached a saddle and a junction with Usal Road at 22 miles from Redway. The pavement ended here; I drove through the junction to continue following Briceland Road, which turned into a rough gravel road that descended steeply through the forest and was only wide enough to accomodate a single vehicle in both directions. I followed the gravel road for a bumpy final 4 miles downhill to the Needle Rock Visitor Center, encountering a few spots along the way that almost seemed like too much for my front-wheel drive standard clearance compact car. There was parking for over 10 cars outside the visitor center but I was the only car present on the day of my visit; this location is so remote that it's hard to imagine the parking ever fills. A state park entrance fee is collected in fee envelopes; bring cash or come with a valid California State Parks pass.

The hike to Whale Gulch follows a two-and-a-half-mile stretch of the Lost Coast Trail north from Needle Rock Visitor Center. The first mile is perhaps the most consistently spectacular, with constant views of the coast from grassy benches on the way to the junction for Jones Beach. After the short detour down to Jones Beach, the Lost Coast Trail continues another mile to the mouth of Whale Gulch, where there is informal access down to the black sands of Whale Gulch Beach. The final half mile leaves the coast and ascends into a lush ravine, ending where the Lost Coast Trail crosses the stream.

From the parking area by the visitor center, I backtracked slightly along the road for fifty meters to reach a wooden shelter. The Lost Coast Trail broke off from the road and led downhill to the coastal bluffs here, marked clearly with a sign. Upon reaching the coastal cliffs and my first direct view over the Pacific of the hike, I found the area's eponymous Needle Rock at the base of the cliffs, with surf crashing through its natural multi-legged arch with the arrival of every wave.

Needle Rock

After kicking things off with this beautiful coastal view, the Lost Coast Trail had consistently scenery over roughly the next mile. The view to the north was especially beautiful- in fact, the scene of Chemise Mountain's forested slopes dropping steeply to meet the waters of the Pacific is, in my opinion, one of the most spectacular and iconic views of California's entire Pacific coast. The trail followed the cliffs along an open stretch of brushy terraces here, providing the open conditions that allowed for continuous views.

Chemise Mountain and the Lost Coast

The trail left the coast at only a few points, typically ducking inland just briefly to cross over small gullies carved into the coastal terraces here. Despite the trail's remoteness, most of these gully crossings were on well-built wooden bridges that belied the region's true wilderness character.

Sinkyone Wilderness coast

Views of Chemise Mountain and the Lost Coast featured front and center as I continued hiking northward along the Lost Coast Trail. The Lost Coast is so named because it is the longest roadless stretch of Pacific coastline within the contiguous United States. When US 101 and Highway 1 were built in the twentieth century, they went around this extraordinarily rugged stretch of coast. As a result, the coast north of Fort Bragg and south of Eureka is largely wilderness, with a few exceptions such as the road to Needle Rock and a separate road to Shelter Cove, the only true seaside town of the Lost Coast. The most famous stretch of the Lost Coast lies between Shelter Cove and Mattole Road, to the north; although the stretch of the Lost Coast in Sinkyone Wilderness is even quieter than other parts of this already unpeopled seascape, it is clearly no less beautiful.

Lost Coast Trail on the way to Whale Gulch

Waves on the Pacific

At about a mile from the trailhead, the Lost Coast Trail came to a distinctive grove of eucalyptus trees. The grove nestled the Jones Beach campsite, while the trail to Jones Beach led downhill to the left from the grove. At this junction, I spotted a large herd of Roosevelt elk, numbering well over 30 elk. The elk were resting in the grassy and brushy slopes leading down to the beach; as some of them were quite close to the trail, I had to wait a while until the elk migrated away from the trail to actually take the detour to Jones Beach.

Elk herd near Jones Beach

The trail to Jones Beach was short, leading downhill through grassy slopes before dropping steeply into a rocky gully and then following that gully out to the coast.

Jones Beach was generally pretty rocky but also had some stretches of the beautiful black sand that is so distinctive to the beaches of the Lost Coast. An impressive line of cliffs rose directly behind the beach and continued northwards to become the great rocky bluffs of Chemise Mountain.

Jones Beach

Returning to the eucalyptus grove, I took a left on the Lost Coast Trail and continued north towards Whale Gulch. The trail became somewhat less scenic and pleasant past this point, leaving the coastal terrace that it had followed for the first mile. The heavily vegetated trail veered away from the coast and stayed high above a creek gully, with the ridge opposite the creek separating the trail from views of the ocean. Here, the Lost Coast Trail passed through a mix of forest, brush, and some swampy stretches. 

The Lost Coast

At just under two miles, the Lost Coast Trail reemerged onto an open slope with sweeping ocean views. Chemise Mountain's steep cliffs rose directly to the north and below I could see the black sands of Whale Gulch Beach, with Whale Gulch Creek flowing into the Pacific.

Whale Gulch Creek and Chemise Mountain

While the view of Whale Gulch Beach from the Lost Coast Trail was already beautiful, the trail did not provide direct access to the beach, which was nearly 200 feet downhill from the trail. Instead, the only way down was via a faint social trail down the steep grassy slope. The path was not well established, but it was reasonably easy to discern a cross-country route down towards the beach regardless. The social path ended leading to a break in the coastal cliffs directly above the mouth of Whale Gulch Creek; the view of the creek emerging from a wild canyon to meet the ocean on a black sand beach was very striking. From this break in the cliffs, a very steep path dropped down to the beach itself.

Whale Gulch Beach

Whale Gulch Beach was one of the highlights of this hike: here, the waves of the Pacific crashed onto a smooth playa of brilliant black sand. I had this spectacular black sand beach all to myself; this stretch of the coast truly felt lost and overlooked.

The black sands of Whale Gulch Beach

Returning uphill to the Lost Coast Trail, I continued heading northward. The trail left the immediate coastline and began ascending as it traced a mountainside high above Whale Gulch. This high vantage point provided views down Whale Gulch to the Pacific and across the gulch to Chemise Mountain's extremely steep slopes.

Chemise Mountain and Whale Gulch

The trail reached a high point and then began to descend into Whale Gulch itself, hugging a steep mountainside as it gradually dropped into the fern-choked canyon. Whale Gulch was almost indescribably lush and a satisfying conclusion to the hike. As I descended into the canyon, I looked below the trail and saw the gulch's near-vertical walls coated with ferns- this was a sight as verdant as any on the Northern California coast and a match for the Fern Canyons of Mendocino and Redwood National Park. At a little under 2.5 miles from the trailhead, the Lost Coast Trail reached the bottom of Whale Gulch and crossed Whale Gulch Creek, a lovely and lush stopping point.

Fern-choked Whale Gulch

The Lost Coast Trail continued past Whale Gulch, climbing over Chemise Mountain en route to Shelter Cove and the more frequented northern-reaches of the trail. I chose to turn around at this point, as the most spectacular coastal stretches of the trail in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ended at Whale Gulch Beach.

I did not see a single other human being on this hike- indeed, I didn't even see another car until I got back to Whitethorn (visiting on a January weekday might the primary cause of this, though). This is one of the most underrated and spectacular coastal hikes in the state of California and a perfect way to experience a small stretch of the Lost Coast on an easy day hike. Don't miss it.

Drakes Head

Point Reyes view at Drakes Head

9 miles round trip, 1050 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Access: Narrow paved road to trailhead, no fee required

If you’re looking for a photo of a Canadian rapper’s face, this is the wrong page for you! But if you’re looking for a pretty (albeit long) hike in California’s Point Reyes National Seashore to a coastal promontory with views over bird-packed estuaries, long sandy beaches, and coastal bluffs, then you’re in luck. Drakes Head overlooks both Drakes Estero and Drakes Bay, all named after Sir Frances Drake, the Elizabethan era English naval officer and pirate who robbed Spanish galleons up and down the Pacific coast of the Americas and who likely landed here at Point Reyes. The scenery is generally good, if not superlative; this is one of the few day hikes in Point Reyes that accesses the wildlife-rich Estero, but there are a few long stretches of hiking on somewhat featureless grasslands along the way to the views from Drakes Head.

The hike is reasonably easy despite its length, as there are many short ups and downs but no extended ascents or descents; the trail is mostly out in the open, which can be punishing under the California sun. While perhaps not the highlight hike at Point Reyes, Drakes Head still makes a satisfying day outing and is somewhat less crowded than better known hikes in the area such as Alamere Falls and Tomales Point. High grass is especially common along the trail on the final single-track path to Drakes Head, so be prepared for ticks. The trail is open to both hikers and bikers: expect to see mountain bikers along the way.

I hiked to Drakes Head on a hazy January weekend. To reach the Estero Trailhead in Point Reyes National Seashore, I headed north from San Francisco on US 101 and took exit 450B in the direction of San Anselmo and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. I followed Sir Francis Drake Blvd west past San Anselmo and Samuel P. Taylor State Park for 21 miles to the junction with Highway 1 at Olema. I turned right at the junction and followed Highway 1 north for 2 miles, then turned left at Point Reyes Junction to stay on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. I took Sir Francis Drake Blvd for another 8.5 miles, passing the village of Inverness on Tomales Bay, and made a left turn at the signed turnoff for the Estero Trailhead. The paved spur road to the Estero Trailhead was very narrow but thankfully was only a mile long before reaching a large gravel parking lot with pit toilets and room for about 30 cars.

I started the hike to Drakes Head by following the Estero Trail out from the parking lot. The Estero Trail, which had a wide and well-maintained trail tread, headed to the southeast along the contours of a hill, starting out with a gentle to flat grade. The trail was completely out in grassy and brushy terrain here, allowing views of forested Inverness Ridge rising to the east and the hills of Point Reyes spreading out in the other directions. From this early stretch of trail, I was lucky to spot a herd of tule elk grazing on the grassy hill across the valley. These native Californian ungulates were nearly hunted to extinction in the late nineteenth century after European American settlers arrived; the herd at Point Reyes is part of a rebounding statewide population.

Elk herd

At 0.6 miles, the trail entered a grove of Monterey pines. Over the next half mile, the trail traveled through a pretty pine forest, eventually beginning a gradual descent that dropped the trail down to the shores of Home Bay, an arm of the Drake Estero, at 1.1 miles.

Monterey Pines along the Estero Trail

The Estero Trail crossed its namesake body of water on a small bridge. During high tide, water flows under the bridge and floods these tidal flats, bringing in numerous birds to feed on the creatures that make these tidelands their home. It was a delight to watch birds feed in the Estero while sitting on a bench on the bridge; I especially enjoyed seeing snowy plovers and an egret pecking for food.

Avian dinnertime at Home Bay

Shorebirds feeding

After crossing the bridge, the trail followed a causeway across the remainder of Home Bay. Reaching the other side of the Estero, the trail turned sharply to the right and began to ascend steadily up the side of the low ridge, with increasingly nice views of Home Bay and the grove of Monterey pines across the water. 

Estero Trail crossing Home Bay

The full extent of Home Bay, which included another inlet to the west, became apparent as I ascended. The trail soon leveled out and followed the side of the coastal bluffs, staying high above the water. At 1.6 miles, the Estero Trail began to bend to the left and a magnificent view of the entirety of Drakes Estero unfolded in front of me. The estero’s calm waters sparkled beneath low bluffs and long, grassy ridges.

Drakes Estero

Over the next mile, the Estero Trail made two undulating descents and ascents from the bluffs, each time descending to a small pond separated from the estuary by a small earthen dam that the trail would follow. Neither of the ponds were particularly scenic- one was heavily coated in algae- but both ponds attracted birds and I spotted egrets in the estuary near both spots. The views of the estero evolved each time I ascended back up to the bluffs. Cattle gates made their first appearances on the trail during this stretch.

Egret in Drakes Estero

At 2.5 miles, the Estero Trail came to a junction with the Sunset Beach Trail. The Sunset Beach Trail continued straight ahead on the nice road trace that the Estero Trail had utilized thus far, while the Estero Trail headed to the left, turning into a grassy single-track trail. I stayed on the Estero Trail, which ascended gently through the grasses and offered improving views of Drakes Estero to the west. At 2.7 miles, I crossed a cattle gate and followed blue arrows that marked the trail through these cattle pastures. In the middle of a plateau-like grassland, I could no longer see the water on any side; the scenery transitioned to views of wooded Inverness Ridge and rolling grasslands dotted with grazing dairy cows.

Drakes Estero

The dairy industry has played a major role in Marin County’s economy since the California Gold Rush days and is still renowned today. Much of the non-wilderness part of Point Reyes National Seashore is still managed as cattle grazing land, continuing a practice that was first initiated by European American settlers in Point Reyes who made cheese and butter to sell to the growing city of San Francisco. That legacy lives on in the numerous cheesemakers and creameries that still call Marin County home: most famous of these is Cowgirl Creamery near Point Reyes Station, where the grass of the Marin hills is processed through ruminant metabolism and microbial fermentation into the delectable Mount Tam cheese, among others. Point Reyes Farmstead, Nicasio Valley Cheese, and Marin French Cheese are among other area cheesemakers whose products commonly grace the cheese section in Bay Area grocery stores. While legacy agriculture operations were grandfathered when Point Reyes National Seashore was established, there's still some level of controversy about whether they should continue; the Department of Interior acted in 2012 to discontinue legacy oyster farming in Drakes Estero.

Grazing cows

At 3.1 miles into the hike, I passed through another gate and arrived at the junction between the Estero Trail and the Drakes Head Trail. I took the right fork for the Drakes Head Trail, which began heading south across the broad plateau of the grasslands.

As I followed the Drakes Head Trail south, my destination came into view: Drakes Head was a prominent hill rising at the end of the low ridge that I was following. Soon, arms of Limantour Estero were visible to the east, with the dunes of Limantour Spit visible in the distance and the Pacific Ocean beyond that. The single-track trail headed through the high grass and had to cross a small gully at one point; the bottom of the gully was unfortunately extremely muddy. While hiking through the grass was fairly easy, I can see the terrain here being substantially more challenging with mud after recent rains, although the exposed nature of this hike should also dry things out quickly once the sun returns.

View of Limantour Estero from the Drakes Head Trail

I enjoyed the improving views along the walk down the ridge as the trail descended gently, until I finally started ascending gently again as I approached the end of the ridge. The final, mild uphill climb brought me up along the crest of the ridge towards Drakes Head, offering lovely views of Limantour Estero to one side and a small creek valley to the other side.

View along the grassy ridge leading out to Drakes Head

At 4.5 miles, I reached the destination of my hike atop 150-foot high Drakes Head, a bluff overlooking Drakes Bay with excellent views up and down the Point Reyes coast. The sandy finger of Limantour Spit ran beneath us, separating Limantour Estero’s calm waters from the waves of Drakes Bay and the Pacific. To the west, I could see the end of Limantour Spit and the mouth of Drakes Estero; beyond that, a line of Point Reyes’ distinctive yellow cliffs connected all the way to Chimney Rock at the edge of the peninsula. To the east, more cliffs rose beyond Limantour Estero, stretching down the coast. Haze on the day of my hike limited how far I could see; on a very clear day, the views should stretch all the way to the Farallon Islands, about 23 miles off the coast.

Drakes Bay and Point Reyes view from Drakes Head

Limantour Spit and Limantour Estero from Drakes Head

Egrets fly over Limantour Estero

In 1579, Sir Francis Drake landed in a sheltered harbor on the coast of California during his circumnavigation of the Earth. An explorer and English naval officer, Drake was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to explore the Americas and raid Spanish wealth. Despite an unfortunate start to his journey- the six ships with which we left England were reduced to just one, the Golden Hind, by the time he rounded Tierra del Fuego- Drake was wildly successful at sacking Spanish cities and plundering treasures from Spanish ships (treasures that the Spanish initially acquired through the downfall of the Inca and Aztec empires and through the encomienda system that committed indigenous Americans to slavery). While sailing off the California coast, Drake probably landed here in Drakes Bay to make repairs to the Golden Hind; he proclaimed this land to be Nova Albion and claimed the Coast Miwok homeland for the English throne. Anglo American settlers in late nineteenth century chose to reintroduce Drake's name to various landmarks around Point Reyes and Marin County; recently, a reevaluation of Drake's mixed legacy has begun, centered around Drake's role in the slave trade earlier in his life.

Overall, I found the hikes to Drakes Head to be enjoyable but not necessarily exceptional. The views along the Estero Trail and at Drakes Head are great, although there’s not too much variety in the scenery covered over this nine-mile round trip hike. The opening stretches of the hike along the Estero Trail are fairly popular and get a good amount of visitor traffic, although Drakes Head is sufficiently far from the trailhead that it sees fewer visitors. This isn’t a highlight hike in the Bay Area, or even in Point Reyes National Seashore, but it’s enjoyable and certainly worthwhile for Bay Area hikers who make the drive out.