Point Reyes and Arch Rock

Map I found myself kicking myself on Sunday after taking a trip out to Point Reyes National Seashore that we haven’t explored the national park more often, it being so close.  We needed some fresh air and a bit of exercise to boot, so we printed out the park maps and found an 11.2 mile loop that suited the afternoon.  We started at the park headquarters, wound up the quite steep Mount Wittenberg Trail and then down the ridge of the Sky Trail through some amazing fern-filled forests (click the map above to enlarge it).  The bottom of the Sky Trail hits the coast, at which point we took a quick trail out to Arch Rock to take in Kelham and Sculptured Beaches.  The fire road up Bear Valley was a lot less demanding than the Sky and Mount Wittenberg Trails, but just as pretty as most of its length it winds alongside a babbling creek fed by springs from the mountains to each side of the valley.  A great hike, although I think I need some new socks because right now I’m sporting two silver dollar sized blisters, one on each heel!

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Mount Wittenberg Trail (left), and a a gopher snake sneaks across the trail (right)

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The forest at the top of Mount Wittenberg Trail just before it meets up with the beginning of Sky Trail

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The top of Mount Wittenberg Trail (left), and hiking down Sky Trail to the coast (right)

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I know Susie Jungfrau would be able to tell me the name of these berries (left), Kelham Beach and Sculpture Beach in the distance from the top of Arch Rock (middle), and a gull perched on the cliffs at Arch Rock (right)

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Arch Rock and the beginning of Kelham Beach (left), and the stream responsible for carving Arch Rock as it meets the ocean (right)

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The creek alongside Bear Valley (left), and the fire road up Bear Valley back to the car (right)

4 Comments

  1. Hi there. What kind of camera do you have? Do you use the professional modes. Do you have a special lens? Or is it just he camera man? Your pics always look amazing!

  2. Can you ride bikes on the trails?

  3. Unfortunately not, otherwise you know where I’d be every weekend… Well, you can ride on the fire trails, but not the singletrack.

  4. Great pics and beautiful scenery.

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