POINT REYES
TOMALES POINT TRAIL
July 5, 2007
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Trail Description:
Where else could you hike a cool trail in summer starting at an old
historic ranch, with views of the Pacific coast on one side, coastal
villages on the other, see wildflowers in bloom right along the trail, and
catch a glimpses of magnificent Tule Elk only a few hundred yards away?
Though the trail is sometimes foggy in Summer, we feel it is definitely
worth the trip. For the most part this is coastal grasslands with an
elevation change of about 450'. While we only went about three miles to
Lower Pierce ranch for lunch, the trail goes another two miles to the end
for the energetic.
Trail Location:
Pierce Pt. trail is at the extreme
north-west end of Point Reyes. Take Sir Frances Drake west about 9 miles and
make a right onto Pierce Point Road. The trailhead is at the end about 10
miles up, and starts in the parking lot of Pierce Point Ranch. As this is a
long trail, there are toilets at McClures Beach just a quarter mile down the
road. And of course, the trail is free.
Blooming Plants not Photographed:
NN=Non Native
Baby Star (Linanthus parviflorus)
Bird’s Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
Brownie Thistle (Cirsium quercetorum)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
Coastal Morning Glory (Calystegia purpurata)
Cow Clover (Trifolium wormskioldii) NN
Cow Parsnip (Heracleum lanatum)
Davy’s Fairy Fan (Clarkia davyi)
Giant Vetch (Vicia gigantea)
Gum Plant (Grindelia stricta)
Hedge Nettle (Stachys ajugoides var. rigida)
Ithuriel’s Spear(Triteleia laxa)
Live-For-Ever (Dudleya farinosa)
Lizard Tail (Eriophyllum staechadifolium)
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) NN
Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) NN
Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus)
Seep Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus)
Skunk Weed (Navarretia squarrosa)
Small Flax (Linum bienne) NN
Spiny Mat (Cardionema ramosissimum)
Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa)
Varied Lupine (Lupinus variicolor)
Vetch (Vicia sativa) NN
Wild Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria chilensis)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yellow Bush Lupine (Lupinus arboreus)
Ferns Not Photographed:
Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix femina)
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Tomales Point looking north towards it's spit.