DISTANCE BACKPACKER: Another Beautiful Day Hiking in the Bay Area

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Another Beautiful Day Hiking in the Bay Area

This is a blog about long-distance backpacking and thru-hiking. Recently, I have been posting about frolicking in the outdoors here in the Bay Area, and I will continue to do so. After all, what do long-distance hikers do in the offseason? True, some will head south to hike the Florida Trail or perhaps portions of the Arizona Trail, but not all of us the year-round luxury or resources to do that. So, we hike on the weekends, and in our own parks.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to head up to Point Reyes National Seashore... again! Yep, I think I've been there maybe 20-times for a day hike or a backpacking trip, and I absolutely love the place.

I never get bored with Point Reyes. Every time I go there, I feel like I am walking into an area rich and diverse in history, plant and animal-life, geology, and geography. For starter's, this place shifted 21-feet to the northwest in 45-seconds during the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 (take the earthquake trail, located on the San Andreas fault to learn more!). Geologists say that the rocks in Point Reyes are the same as the rocks in the Tehachapi Mountains 310-miles to the south

Point Reyes also hosts elephant seals, whales, dolphins, tule elk, bobcats, coyotes, red-tail hawks, porcupines, reptiles, and the list goes on. I cannot think of another place that I have hiked that is so rich and abundant with animal-life.

Finally, plant-life is off the charts. According the National Park Service website:

"The broad range of plant communities supports over 900 species of vascular plants - pretty amazing! This number represents about 15% of the California flora. Sixty-one species found in Marin County are known only from Point Reyes."

One can stumble upon redwoods, Douglas fir, horsetail, sword fern, seaweed, algae, poppies, buttercups, and lilies.

Below are some pictures form my recent hike along with my friend Lynn. My legs felt great yesterday, and I am really getting my sights set on my hike on the Appalachian Trail coming up in March. Yep, I am going to get on the AT for a few weeks and walk with spring! So, I am looking at these Bay Area hikes as a good primer for my upcoming section hike. I will share more about that later on.