Marin County Open Space District,
Marin County
1/4 mile flat loop hike on a tiny oak-dotted island.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 0.4 mile loop hike is very easy. This is a small preserve with a flat perimeter trail and a brief path that climbs to a short hill.
Exposure:
Some sun, some shade.
Trail traffic:
Light-moderate.
Trail surfaces:
Dirt trails.
Hiking time:
Less than 1 hour.
Season:
Hot in summer, nice in spring.
Getting there:
From US 101 in Marin County, exit North San Pedro Road. Drive east on North San Pedro Road about 1 mile, then turn left on Meadow Drive. Drive on Meadow about 0.2 mile, to the roadside parking near the end of the street.
GPS coordinates* for trailhead:
Latitude
Longitude
(* based on Google Earth data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)
Gas, food, and lodging:
Stores, pay phones, restaurants and gas back toward US 101 on North San Pedro Road. No camping.
Trailhead details:
Side of the road parking at the edge of a residential neighborhood. No parking or entrance fees. No drinking water, restrooms, maps, or designated handicapped parking. The single trail is flat, but is not well-suited to wheelchairs. Golden Gate Transit bus #34 stops at nearby North San Pedro Road, a short distance from this trailhead.
Rules:
No bikes or dogs. Horses are permitted, but you are not likely to encounter equestrians at Santa Margarita.
The Official Story:
MCOSD's Santa Margarita page
MCOSD 415-499-6387
Map Choices:
• Use AAA's San Francisco Bay Region map to get there.
• Download the park map pdf from MCOSD.
• Trails of Northeast Marin County is a great guide to Santa Margarita (available from Pease Press).
• Open Spaces: Lands of the Marin County Open Space District, by Barry Spitz (order this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and trail descriptions.
View
photos from this hike. Santa
Margarita Open Space Preserve seems
lifted from the pages of a fairytale. This tiny island, surrounded by
a thin ribbon of water, is accessed by a massive bridge. Once you reach
the island, you'll find a gorgeous oak woodland, towering boulders, and
a diminutive wooded hill, where rocks and spooky coast live oaks screen
all views. It takes just 0.3 mile to circuit the island, but it truly
feels like a private getaway. Winter can be muddy, spring boasts flowers,
and there's plenty of shade in summer. In autumn the deciduous oaks toss
their leaves to the ground, and by winter only a litter of dead leaves
provides clues to identify the bare branched trees.
Start at the open space gate at the end
of Meadow Drive. This bridge was constructed to facilitate entry to
a 
development,
and it still stands, despite the island's open space status. When I visited
in January, as soon as I reached the bridge a flock of seagulls descended
in a cloud around me, hoping no doubt for a snack. At the far side of
the bridge a pair of valley oaks stand sentry to the right and left. A
trail splits, and another well-worn path heads straight, to the left of
a cluster of pale white boulders. Turn right.
The narrow trail, open to equestrians and
hikers only, keeps a level pace. Coast live oaks and California bays huddle
together on the left, while to the right deciduous oaks sprawl far apart
in grassland, permitting views across Las Gallinas Creek to the surrounding
neighborhoods. Practically every house has a dock, and many sport boats
as well. Santa Margarita Island strikes a balance 
between
woodland and marsh, and unless you visit during the rainiest months of
the year, the trees seem to be winning. In winter and spring though, you
are bound to tread through some very sticky muddy. The trail curves left,
revealing views to a newer housing development across the channel to the
west. On my visit, a grassy nook on the left was like a little spring
preview, with dozens of white milkmaids fluttering in the breeze (watch
out for poison oak along the trail through here). The trail draws close
to the shoreline, but then drifts back toward the trees. Much too soon,
the trail runs out of real estate, and you'll find yourself back at the
bridge at 0.30 mile. You can return to the trailhead, or turn left
and 
ascend
the obvious path uphill.
After just a few steps you'll enter a dappled
forest of California bay and coast live oak, with a few other oaks mixed
through the woods. One very gnarled coast live oak is adjacent to a swath
of boulders. As I walked uphill a silently hawk flew out of its treetop
hiding place, escaping to the north. The path easily ascends to the crest
of the hill, where there are some grassy patches, but beware of poison
oak. The trees block all views. When you're ready, retrace your steps
back to the trailhead.
Total distance: 0.37 mile
Last hiked: Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
 |
|||
|
