1/12/08 - Tomales Pt./Pt. Reyes

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On Saturday, my buddy Mike R. and I drove to Pt. Reyes National Seashore for a hike. I've known Mike since 7th grade and adventures are nothing new to us. Previous adventures include:

• 2007 - "It's called 'The Blue Ridge Trail'. How steep can it be?" Berryessa trip.
• 1999 - The "2000 Mile, 4-Day Spring Break Road Trip" thru CA, NV, UT, and AZ.
  
• 1988 - The "It's a short hike, so why bring extra water?" Mammoth Lakes trip.
  and, of course,
  
• 1986 - The infamous "Since I've got a rope, why don't you guys lower me down into this abandoned well" Mt. Diablo trip.
  

Given our history, I was pleasantly surprised that Mike's wife allowed him go with me on yet another adventure (particularly since she's expecting baby #3 next month). I did agree beforehand not to ask Mike to lower me into any abandon wells we might find.

We decided to leave Davis at the insanely early hour of 6:00 AM on Saturday (after playing poker with friends until midnight the prior evening). It was raining when Mike arrived to pick me up, which did not bode well. However, the rain soon stopped and turned into cloud cover. After a 2 hour drive from Davis, we arrived at Point Pierce Ranch in Pt. Reyes National Seashore, which is the trailhead for the Tomales Pt. Trail.

Point Reyes National Seashore is a beautiful park and is known for a number of things, including the Point Reyes lighthouse, elephant seals and incredible beaches. We were there to hike the Tomales Pt. Trail and view/photograph the Tule Elk herd. These animals were almost wiped out entirely 100 years ago and only around 1000 survive in California today.

The trail runs along the ridge of the Pt. Reyes Peninsula, which extends north towards Bodega Bay. Tomales Bay was created by the San Andreas fault, with the peninsula on the Pacific plate and the other side of Tomales Bay being on the North American plate. The hike is moderately strenuous and is about 10 miles round trip if you go all the way to the point, which isn't a requirement. It's fairly hilly country and towards the point, the trail gets sandy. The trail does not, however, get you anywhere remotely near the water, tide pools or beaches.

We lucked out on the weather. It was chilly when we stared, but the sun broke through the clouds around 10:00 AM and cleared entirely by midday. The ocean was also very cooperative, providing some HUGE waves, which were a blast to photograph. You could hear them crash loudly as we hiked along.

As you'll see from the photos, you're able to get fairly close to the tule elk that roam the peninsula. Granted, I'm shooting with a 100-300 telephoto lens, so "close" is relative. The best part about photographing these wild animals was having the backdrop of Tomales Bay and the Pacific ocean. It was hard to take a bad shot and the only difficult part was avoiding "camera shake" using only a monopod (my walking stick converts to a monopod). I have a lightweight tripod, but the term "lightweight" is also relative.

Mike's Recommendations (if you decide to visit):

• Dress in layers: I've been here many times and it can be socked in with fog, very windy, sunny and warm and everything in between (all in the same day).
• Visit during the Fall/Winter: Dense fog is more common here in the late spring and summer, so winter is a great time to go.
  
• Don't feel the need to go all the way to the point: The view from the point is quite nice, but not so amazing that you must see it. This hike is about the journey, not the destination. Unless you're like Mike and I, in which case you must go to the point or you are girly men.
  
• Be cautious, but not fearful: Signs warn that male elk can be dangerous during rutting season. However, if they're in the middle of the trail, just approach them slowly and confidently and they will get out of your way. They're very cow-like.
  
• Arrive early: We arrive around 8:00 AM and were one of two cars in the two parking lots.
  
• Make a choice - Beach or Trail: The trail described herein does not go to the beach at any point. If you want a beach hike, choose one of the other trails in the park. And don't plan to do it afterwards. You'll be too tired, unless you're 25ish and in killer shape.
• No Dogs Allowed: Sorry, but dogs aren't allowed on this trail, as they spook the elk. Check the Pt. Reyes web site to see if/where dogs are allowed elsewhere in the park.
  

Enjoy the photos and let me know if you have any questions!

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Click Here For Full Screen Slideshow (recommended)

Individual Photos (69 photos)

Driving Directions (courtesy of Google Maps)

Tomales Point Trail Map (PDF)

Pt. Reyes National Seashore Web Site

Note: To use any photo as a screen background: 1) Go to Individual Photos link above 2) Go to that individual photo , 3) Click on the magnifying glass in upper right corner, then 4) Right-click and set as your background.