HORSESHOE COVE - SALT POINT NORTH

 

Meet at 10:00 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool. Park at MM 44.00 at Salt Point where we will meet our leader at 10:30. The turnoff is tricky; turnoff at MM44 even though the sign says Turnout 1/4 mile. This hike is quite steep in places so hiking sticks and boots are recommended. Hike on the trail staying right at the fork until you go over the crest of the hill and have a beautiful view of Horseshoe Cove. Descend sharply until you reach the Bluff. Walk south along the bluff until about 11:30 and retrace your steps until we reach a magical rock formation for lunch. The return to the cars after lunch will be uphill, but this is a gorgeous spot so worth the effort.
Leader: Joel Chaban, 707-485-4339 

Photo Credit: Laura

ONE-EYED JACKS AND BLUFF

 

Meet at 9:45 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and at the One-Eyed Jack's parking area at 10:00 (from Hwy 1, go west on Leeward Spur, then left on Leeward until you get to One Eyed Jacks). Hang tags needed for non Sea Ranchers. Walk to the blufftop trail and walk to the Marine Preserve to see the baby seals. Continue north and walk along the trail visiting Walk-On Beach. Once back on the blufftop trail, continue north and take the unmarked trail in the middle of Sea Pine Beach to connect to Sea Pine Reach. Enter the Leeward Meadow Trail and follow it to post 35C where you’ll  go left, then follow the trail to Whalebone Reach at post 34A. Turn right on Whalebone Reach, left on Pacific Reach, and catch the public trail back to the bluff and go right at post 34. Continue until you pass post 36 then walk up the trail back to One Eyed Jacks where we will have our lunch.
Leader: Laura Bridge, 408-306-5321
Photo Credit: Laura

STORNETTA - HWY 1 TO CYPRESS ABBEY SECTION

Meet at 10:30 at the pullout for the Gualala business directory and at 10:40 at Anchor Bay (West side of Hwy 1) to carpool and start at the junction of Lighthouse Road and Hwy 1, 2 miles north of Point Arena at 11:00. We will travel the access road to the old Coast Guard Loran site (now owned by Mendocino Community College) turning left before we get there to enter that middle section of the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands. From there we will walk through the "forest" to the bluff and enjoy the spectacular views of the off shore islands and the Ocean and find a suitable site for lunch before retracting our steps.

Photo Credit: Laura

 

DMC LOOP #3

 

Carpool at 9:50 at Gualala Business Sign pullout just north of bridge or meet at 10:00 at Del Mar Center on TSR. Hang tags needed for parking for non Sea Ranch hikers. Walk south on Leeward until you reach the Walk-On Beach access trail and walk on it to Bluff. Turn north on the Bluff Trail and walk north as long as you wish. Return north of the bridge past post #62a, turning East to catch the Del Mar Meadow Trail and back to Leeward and the Del Mar Lunch in the Del Mar Garden.
Leader: Stephen O’Leary

Photo Credit: Laura

SALT POINT LOOP

 

Carpool at 9:30 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge, and at the Black Point Beach Coastal Access parking area at 10:15. Park at the call box parking area one-half mile south of Stump Beach on the east side of Highway 1 (south of MM 41.00). Take the trail on the east side of the highway. We will do a forest loop and then cross the highway and walk to the headlands. Hike north on the bluff all the way to a rock outcropping in line with the call box on the highway, then continue for another few minutes toward Stump Beach. There we will have lunch seated on some wonderful rock ledges, watch the crashing surf and see the salt pockets after which Salt Point was named at Glen's Spot. After lunch continue on the trail to the Highway and carefully walk back to the cars. Dogs are not allowed on the Salt Point trails. Walking sticks are a good idea. This is potentially a bit longer hike, but it has both forest and bluff and a wonderful lunch spot. If its windy we may do the hike in reverse direction and lunch in the forest and if it’s been rainy it could be a bit wet in spots.
Leaders: Laura & Dona

Photo Credit: Laura, Dona and Rita

GUALALA POINT PARK #3

 

Start at the Hidden Parking Lot at 10:00. You can park on westside entrance just left after pulling past the fee post. If you have a pass, bring it as there is a fee to park in the park. Or park across the street and cross Hwy 1 if you do not have a pass. Hike from there down to the beach but instead of going to the beach go south past the restrooms to the bluff. Bear left on bluffs and continue on Bluff Trail until you intersect the Salal Trail. Hike the Salal Trail to Hwy 1, turn left and follow frontage path back to the Park and the Hidden Parking lot. If it is very wet, can retrace steps instead of taking the Salal Trial. Lunch at the Hidden Parking lot tables or by the poles.
Leader: Dona Dougherty

Photo Credit: Laura & Dona

TIMBER RIDGE ROAD - POSH SQUASH

 

Meet at 10:00 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and/or at the end of Verdant View near the Ranch Cafe at 10:15. Hang tags needed for non Sea Ranchers. Walk on the informal path west to Timber Ridge Road. Walk south on this road until the end of the road. This is a forested road with ups and downs so a hiking stick could be helpful but is not mandatory. When we reach the end, we will turn around and walk back stopping at the Posh Squash where there are picnic tables where we can eat our lunch and survey the vegetable gardens.
Leader: Laura Bridge, 408-306-5321.

Photo Credit: Laura & Dave