| Date: 6/5/2010 |
| Time: 7:45 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Meeting Place: First Covenant Church |
Directions to the meeting place: This is the large church on the north side of Hwy 50 between the Sunrise and Zinfandel exits next to the post office. From the Zinfandel turnoff, head north and turn right on Olsen Dr and then right on Progress Ct. From Sunrise, head south and turn right on Folsom Blvd. Then turn left on Olsen and left on Progress Ct.
Go past the post office and thru the gates for the church and turn left into the first parking lot where we will meet. |
| If you'd rather meet us at the trailhead, we'll be there at: 10:00 AM |
| Trip Notes: |
| Rain/??? postpones 2 weeks to the 19th |
| Round-trip mileage: 8.2 miles |
| Difficulty: 2 ( 1=Easy,2=Moderate,3=Strenuous ) |
Description: |
One of the most popular hikes at Point Reyes National Seashore is the hike to Arch Rock where you can see a creek go "through" a rock and into the ocean. Moderate rating is due to the mileage as the elevation gain is minimal.
For more information: go to www.nps.gov/pore/ |
| The Route: |
| Start at Bear Valley Visitor Center and head west on Bear Valley Trail (a road used for park trucks). You will follow this trail almost all the way to Arch Rock. At .2 miles, you will reach the Mt Wittenberg Trail turnoff. At .8 miles, you will reach the Meadow Trail turnoff. At 1.6 miles, you will reach Divide Meadows. This is the high point of this hike, with a gradual incline to here. Old Pine Trail turns off here (behind the bathrooms). Now follow the road another 1.6 miles to a junction of trails. Baldy Trail heads north and Glen Trail heads south. Go straight .9 miles to Arch Rock. As you approach Arch Rock, the trail splits. You can stay right on Coast Trail with a left-hand turn coming up or stay left on Coast Trail with a right-hand turn coming soon. Either way will take you out to a point. You are on the top of the Arch. If the tide is not too high, you can get down to the beaches under the Arch. If the creek that goes through the Arch is running high, it can be tough to get across. |
| The Sights: |
Expect to see many varieties of trees including Douglas fir, California bay, and oak. Many will be covered with Lace lichen (Spanish Moss). The undercover includes many types of ferns.
Keep an eye out for the deer, including a European import called a Fallow Deer that almost looks albino with moose-like horns. I have been lucky enough to see a Bobcat and a kind of Fox. Also watch for the many different kinds of birds including raptors like Red-Tailed hawks and osprey. |
Directions: |
From south Hwy 101, go north and head west on Sir Francis Drake Blvd to Hwy 1 and the small town of Olema.
From the east and Hwy 80 take Hwy 37 from Vallejo to Hwy 101. Head north and take the Atherton/San Marin turnoff.
From north Hwy 101, head south and take the Atherton/San Marin turnoff.
Head west on San Marin Drive 2.8 miles and turn right on Novato Blvd. Drive 6.2 miles to a "T" at Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd. Turn left and drive 6.8 miles to a stop sign where Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd turns right and crosses a bridge. DO NOT cross the bridge. Continue straight on Platform Bridge Rd and turn right on Sir Francis Drake Blvd to Hwy 1 and Olema.
From Olema, turn right on Hwy 1 for .25 miles and turn left on Bear Valley Rd. Soon a left turn will take you to the Visitor Center and Bear Valley trailhead. |
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