Hiking

On a suggestion, we headed up last weekend to see the majestic coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. We'd never been there before, so it was a new experience for all of us. Located just outside of the Russian River community of Guerneville, it's sort of a mini road trip up 101 and through Sebastopol and western Sonoma County. Our kids usually fall asleep in the car, so it was a chance for them to get a nap in while we drove, so it worked out for everyone.

The coming of spring ushers in California's all too brief wildflower season. One of the best places to see wildflowers in the Bay Area is the Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin. Repeat visitors to this site know that Point Reyes is probably our favorite place for a family outdoor outing, and in March and April you can also see some pretty spectacular wildflower displays, especially since we've had a wet winter.

One of the benefits of living in Northern California is that you can go on a hike or other outdoor activity pretty much any time you want to, even in the dead of winter. In fact, winter is really one of the nicest times to be outdoors, with crisp, clean air, bright green grass, fewer crowds and tourists, and even the first of the wildflowers showing up. This is all provided it's not raining, of course. One of our favorite outdoors spots, and a great place to take a hike with the family, is Jack London State Historic Park, located in the small Sonoma Valley town of Glen Ellen, about a 45-minute drive north from Marin.

As most everyone knows by now, the plan to alleviate California's current budget woes includes closing 48 of our state parks. In Marin and the North Bay, we stand to lose access to local parks like the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park and one of our favorite places, Tomales Bay State Park. (Here's a map showing all the proposed park closures in the state.) Tomales Bay State Park, located in West Marin just north of Inverness, is home to the popular Heart's Desire Beach, one of the few beaches in Marin—and the Bay Area for that matter—that's actually good for swimming.

Like Tennessee Valley, Phoenix Lake is one of Marin's most popular spots for outdoor recreation. Located on Marin Municipal Water District watershed lands, Phoenix Lake sits at the base of Mt. Tamalpais in the town of Ross. It's a great place for a family hike with small children, as the trails that lead to the lake and ring it have gentle slopes and relatively short distances that are manageable by most. There are also numerous more challenging accessible from Phoenix lake that are sure to please more advanced hikers. You'll see a lot of people running, walking dogs, and biking here as well as walking.

Late December means it's the start of whale-watching season off the California coast. The National Park Service has reported seeing the first California Gray Whales passing by the Point Reyes lighthouse, so it's a great time to head out to the coast and check out the whales' annual southern migration. We still continue our tradition of never actually spotting one, but that won't stop us from dusting off the binoculars and trying again. Every year, California Gray Whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the waters off Alaska to their breeding grounds in the warmer waters near Baja California. This southern migration takes place from late December through February, with the peak in about mid January.
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After the madness that is Halloween and the subsequent overdose on mini Snickers bars and Kit Kats confiscated from your kids' trick-or-treat haul, perhaps it's time to get outdoors and take a nice autumn hike. It also helps that fall in the Bay Area is really a particularly nice time of year, particularly at the coast, where the summertime fog takes a vacation and you get glorious views and weather on many days.

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I know it sounds a little strange, but a great hike that's just perfect for kids can be found on the grounds of the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District. It's a complex of trails and fire roads near the district's treatment plants off of Smith Ranch Road, near McInnis Park in San Rafael. The roads are wide and flat, and are excellent for use with strollers and bikes. The trails wind atop levees through the wetlands bordering San Pablo Bay. Numerous birds make their homes out here; on the day we were there, we saw enormous white pelicans, geese, mallards, cormorants, turkey vultures, and others.

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