Recap of March 2013 Group Hike: Pescadero Marsh

This past Sunday about thirty folks met up on the coastal stretch along Pescadero Beach. Some knew each other, and many were meeting each other for the first time. We walked a couple miles along protected marshland, binoculars in some hands, not knowing what we'd find. Soon kids were stopping to check out little things like bugs and flowers along the trail, adults were seeing blue herons and belted king-fishers in the trees, and though the sky changed from blue to cloud-covered in a couple hours, nobody minded--it was a great day to be outside. 

We passed out maps at the parking lot, showing the trail we were taking (in orange), plus a couple others if people were interested in other possibilities. 

Over the bridge, then under the bridge we went, following the sand to the creek. 

Once we reached the Sequoia Audubon trail, the kids were noticing things at their feet...

...and the adults were seeing things in the distance.

Someone identified this caterpillar---one of many of its kind---as a Wooly Bear that develops into a Tiger Moth. Don't touch it, we told the kids, it could cause a rash. The kids were thrilled by each and every one they found. This one is hanging out on a lupine. 

"We need the tonic of wildness, to wade sometimes in marshes..." 

--Henry David Thoreau

Hill Babies group hike regulars---yay!

Dad and daughter. 

A happy kid. 

Mom and daughter--so glad they came!

We took a snack break at Turtle Pond in the sunshine.  

The youngest hiker in the group was a month. 

A handful of docents made our walk that much more fun. 

These naturalist volunteers seemed to truly love coming out here on a regular basis to take folks on informal hikes, and I've got to thank them for their dedication, knowledge, and good cheer. 

Grandparents!

We had a picnic by Pescadero Creek, a perfect place with calm water, amazing amounts of driftwood, flocks of birds, and smooth sand. 

Two naturalists who happened to be childhood acquaintances that hadn't seen each other in over thirty years! Proof that going outdoors can be far more satisfying than staying inside. You never know who you'll run into when you join up with some group for a hike. 

Bird aficionados and good friends of mine. 

Dad and son. 

Black-tailed deer. 

Egrets in the rookery, a big snag. 

The end of the hike was at an elevated look-out at the top of a small rise, giving an expansive view of the marsh to the west and south. 

A belted king-fisher

"To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh, to watch the flight of shore birds ....  is to have knowledge of things that are as nearly eternal as any earthly life can be." 

--Rachel Carson

Western Gull

Note the lack of socks. Note the happy expressions. These kids were having a ball. That branch was a natural see-saw with someone on the other end (out of sight in the photo), so though you can't see em in action, they were on a ride that would rival any playground contraption.  

Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve: Sequoia Audubon Trail

Coastal bluffs north of Pescadero Creek

Bufflehead Duck

Being very pregnant yet needing a walk that wasn't too strenuous, I thought of Pescadero. I wanted a place that was flat, full of wildlife, and close to water. The other weekend my husband, daughter, and I explored Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, hiking trails we had never been on, but were so impressed by, we planned to return again soon.

To get here, we drove approximately forty miles south of San Francisco on Highway 1. When we crossed the bridge over Pescadero Creek, we took an immediate right into the first parking lot for the beach. There's a rudimentary bathroom there, and a heartening sign about bi-monthly marshland walks--we were in the right place.

Sequoia Audubon Trail Map,
courtesy http://www.parks.ca.gov

Our destination was the Sequoia Audubon Trail along the southern edge of North Marsh, one of several trails in the 600 acres of protected marshland. We had read that there was always wildlife present (230 bird species annually), and plenty of flora (200 species), including some wild and weirdly shaped eucalyptus trees that had been gnarled by old floods. Most essential for my physical state, the roundtrip mileage was about two miles.

We went by foot north across the bridge on the pedestrian walkway, then under the bridge.

The beach was so compelling that we could've spent a day just hanging out here. The sand was soft, and the confluence of Pescadero Creek and the Pacific Ocean seemed like a magical site for wildlife. The beach itself was full of twisted driftwood and human-made sculptures that were like windbreaks, and very few people. Sand pipers scampered along the shoreline in swift-moving flocks, and gulls sailed overhead. An informational kiosk, burnt yellow by the sun, informed us that rainbow trout, also known as steelhead when they reach the sea, spawned here.

We walked under the bridge, traveling along the creek's smooth, sandy shoreline for about a hundred feet. The sand was so soft, and the water so still, it was tempting to stay here all day too. But we saw a trailhead to our left with a small sign reading SEQUOIA AUDUBON TRAIL, and went down it.

The trail was sandy, soft on bare feet. On either side grew a kind of coyote brush I hadn't seen before, very low lying, close to the ground. I recognized lots of coastal buckwheat, and wondered what butterflies might be here come springtime.

Sequoia Audubon Trail start

One of the interesting aspects to this trail was the number of informational signs regarding flora and fauna. With the help of the ones we passed along our route, we could find live examples of salt grass, California bulrush, and common pickleweed. Among the plants I'd like to touch were stinging nettles and poison oak, two to be avoided. (Suffice to say regarding the "untouchables," we did not get any stings or rashes after this trip, and we do like to press along the edges of the trails.)

Other plants we saw included healthy bushes of lupine, still to bloom later in the season, feathery-leafed yarrow, and invasive (but pretty when flowering) ice plants.

Eventually the trail was hard packed earth, though because of the amount of sandy stretches, I would highly discourage anyone to attempt this with a stroller.

Dusky footed woodrat
Credit http://ucsantacruz.ucnrs.org

We rested on a weathered bridge leading to the North Marsh Trail, and ate oranges in the sunshine. Our daughter pretended she was a goat from the Billy Goats Gruff fairy tale.

We continued on, and some docents we met suggested we eat our lunch at Turtle Pond, half a mile up on the right hand side before a bunch of dusky-footed woodrat nests.

Great Egret, credit: wikipedia

Across the marsh we saw dozens of birds, including a snag of a tree that had become a rookery for great egrets, snowy egrets, and great blue herons. How lovely to see these birds flying, graceful, with long necks and wings.

The wild-looking eucalyptus

We passed an incredibly twisted eucalyptus tree along the trail that had been shaped by floods. The thick branches hung low to the ground, and were like magnets for our small child. Shadows and light filtered over branches and leaves, and we could've easily spent the rest of the day here, hugging the tree.

Only a mile or so along Sequoia Audobon was a short and somewhat overgrown path veering to the right, and we took it, hoping it would lead us to Turtle Pond as the docents instructed. Water glimmered through the trees.

Western pond turtle, credit: Wikipedia

Sure enough, there were two benches here, as told, and a downed tree hanging over the water. Though we didn't see any red-legged frogs or Western pond turtles, both natives to the area, we had a tranquil picnic beside the water. We wished we had a little rowboat to cruise and down the creek from this point.

We did walk further on the Sequoia Audubon--we'd been told there was a lookout and loop at the top of a low hill just up the way. But the day was cold, though sunny, and after we passed by a half dozen dusky woodrat nests, and under willow trees loaded with buds that were not yet in bloom, shivering in the shade, we turned around. We had had a great walk and picnic, and would return again another day.

Ronnie Duarte and our waitress, Bernadette

Back at our car, we decided to drive into the tiny town of Pescadero to visit Duarte's Tavern, a restaurant that had been around since the late 1800s. We ordered our favorite: artichoke soup for starters, whatever entree looked good for the day, and fresh pie. (We usually get ollalieberry, a local speciality, but today I was craving pear pie.) And we're we lucky--Ronnie Duarte, the proprietor and an old-timer with a good sense of humor, came over to chat with us and tell us about how to grow ollalieberries.

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PHOTO ALBUM

The Highway 1 bridge over Pescadero Creek

Land along Pescadero Beach

Sequoia Audubon Trail

Sequoia Audubon Trail thinking

North Marsh

Heading east on the trail

Turtle Pond 

The little trooper and her momma (above)
and with her daddy too (below)

Driftwood sculptures along the creek

Pie and ice cream at Duarte's Tavern
--a post prandial perambulation delight

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2 Upcoming Hikes: San Bruno Mountain and Pescadero Marsh

Despite a hiatus from the group walks through Hill Babies, I'm looking forward to the next two: Saddle Loop Trail on San Bruno Mountain, and Sequoia Audobon Trail at the Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve. Both of these hikes are about 2-3 miles, flat, and in beautiful settings--the first on a mountain, and the second by the sea. Come with babies, kids, friends, family of any age, or just yourself. I go at a pace that a two-year-old or three-year-old could manage; you are welcome to go as fast or slow as you like. It's just nice to walk together. All hikes have the same timeframe:

• Meet between 9:30-9:45 am
• Walk starts at 10
• Picnic lunch at 11:30 or 12 (or whenever you want).
• Return to starting point afterwards 

Sunday February 17th, 2013--San Bruno Mountain's Saddle Loop Trail

One view from the Saddle Loop Trail

San Bruno Mountain, just south of San Francisco, is one of my favorite places to walk close to home. The Saddle Loop Trail is wide, flat, and has amazing views of the city, the bay, Oakland and points east, Mount Diablo, Mount Tam, and the Pacific Ocean. The trail is 2.7 miles, but there is a shortcut back to the parking area should you get tired.

Some special critters to keep an eye out for include butterflies (it might be a little early in the season) and raptors (kestrels, hawks, Great Horned Owls, and many more). We'd be so lucky to find a fox, coyote, or even a garter snake, all residents.

Parking at the lot costs $5 per car, which supports San Mateo County Parks. At the starting point are bathrooms, picnic tables, and water fountains.  Parking is secure.

Meet at the San Bruno Mountain Picnic Area off of Guadalupe Canyon Parkway (by the bathrooms), between 9:30-9:45. 

To access Guadalupe Canyon Parkway from 101 or 280, simply google it. The parking lot is on the north side of the road, with easy-to-see signs, and you will need to pay $5 at the self-pay station there since it is a county park. 

Bring your bag lunch and water bottles, and maybe a sheet or blanket to sit on as we will eat on the ground at a place where there is a view.

Strollers are welcome, but I don't recommend those with small wheels as the path is gravelly.

For more info on San Bruno Mountain and/or the Saddle Loop Trail, you can visit:
--the Hill Babies entry about it from 2010
--Bay Area Hiker article
--San Bruno Mountain Watch
--Bay Nature piece on Saddle Loop

I look forward to walking with you and yours! :-)

Cheers, Jessica

PS If you have questions please email me: jericahahn@hotmail.com

"San Bruno Mountain Picnic Area" Map--click on map to get directions from wherever you are coming from, or Google "San Bruno Mountain Picnic Area." You can see the parking lot in the map, below.

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Sunday March 3rd, 2013--Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve's Sequoia Audubon Trail 

Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

This wonderful hike is a 40 mile drive south of San Francisco, so if you can carpool, please do. It is an incredible place that you won't want to miss, and there is a good chance that wildflowers will be blooming in March (though your chances will be even better in a month or two). No matter what month, there is so much wildlife here at the junction of preserved marshland and ocean--countless birds, turtles, fish, snakes, wood rats, deer, and more.

The walk is flat, 2 miles long, and completely enjoyable. However, do not bring a stroller as stretches are sandy and impassable even with the most rugged stroller (sorry!). Dogs are also not allowed.

Meet between 9:30-9:45 am. Travel south on Highway 1 for approximately 40 miles from San Francisco. Once you cross the bridge over Pescadero Creek, take an immediate right into the first parking lot for Pescadero State Beach. Meet at the sign in the lot that says, "Marsh Hikes Meet Here."

 As a group we will walk to the north side of the bridge on the pedestrian walkway, and take the sandy trail under the bridge, continuing a short way up the bank of the creek to where there is a sign reading "Sequoia Audubon Trail."


Bring lunch and water bottles. There is a bathroom at the parking lot, but no running water. We'll either have lunch at Turtle Pond, or along sandier banks of Pescadero Creek. Maybe bring a sheet or picnic blanket if you don't want to get sandy.

Pescadero State Beach parking lot is just over the bridge in the map below. Park in the first lot to the right once you cross the bridge over Pescadero Creek. 

Meet by this sign
in the first parking lot

View Larger Map

For more info on Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, please see:
--Hill Babies article about it (coming by February 8th)
--Coastside State Parks Association 
--Bay Area Hiker article
--Weekend Sherpa article

I look forward to being in the sun and sand on this early spring day with you and yours. Please email me (jericahahn@hotmail.com) if you need help with carpooling, or more information.

Cheers,
Jessica

P.S. If you have never visited the town of Pescadero, consider going before or after our hike to Duarte's Tavern. Kid's pancakes are $2.50, and if you go for lunch, try their artichoke soup and ollalieberry pie, neither to be missed. Also, on the way back to San Francisco, check out the general store in San Gregorio, a little north of here.