HORSESHOE COVE--SALT POINT NORTH

Meet at 10:00 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and at the Stengel Beach Coastal Access parking area at 10:10. Park at MM 44.00 at Salt Point 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. This is a cell phone free hike. If you have a cell phone with you, you will be asked to turn it off or put it in airplane mode so Annie Mills can hike with us. She has radiation sickness so is limited on where she can be with people and there are no cell phone towers in the area so she can join us. There could be early wildflowers on this hike. The return to the cars after lunch will be uphill, but this is a gorgeous spot so worth the effort. Please note that dogs are not allowed on the trail in this State Park.
Leader: Mary Sue Ittner and maybe Bob too
Mileage: 2.4
photos contributed by Mary Sue & Bob

POMO TRAILS & FOREST

Carpool at pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 9:50. Meet at Dard's (205 Screech Owl, Sea Ranch) at 9:55. It's East on Halcyon (North end of Sea Ranch) North on Deer Trail, West on Screech Owl. Hike starts at 10:00. Starting on Screech Owl, enter the trail at post 144 and do entire Pomo Creekside Trail.  At Deer Trail turn left to Pomo Hillside Trail, post 147.  As this trail exits to Deer Trail cross the street and enter the trail at post 150 and then turn left on the dirt road.  As road exits the woods, take the unofficial trail to the right which exits on County Park Road to campground.  Follow to the right and at bottom of hill take unofficial trail heading toward river and explore this beautiful area. Reverse and start back. Cover the route taken inbound until exiting on dirt road.  Turn right to Haversack connector trail.  Take it exiting on cul-de-sac which traverse turning right on Deer Trail.  Turn in on Pomo Creekside trail and return to beginning. We will have lunch at Dard and Mary’s house.
Leader: Steve Coffeysmith
NOTE: Lunch was moved to Nancy's house on Screech Owl
Mileage: 4.3
photos contributed by: Mary Sue and Harmony

BIG TREE AND WHITE FIR TRAILS

Carpool at pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 9:55. Start at Big Tree Close and Timber Ridge Road at hike marker 122 at 10:10. Hang tags are needed for non Sea Ranchers. Pass marker 116. At marker 111 take left fork. Follow trail to marker 104 which ends at Longmeadow. Go through gate and turn right back onto a forest path. Continue on this trail, past the Sag Pond. The path eventually joins the main trail again at marker 110. Continue back along trail until marker 117. Walk west to marker 118 and follow the upper portion of the Big Tree Loop Trail to marker 120. Exit at 123 at Big Tree Close and return to parking area on Timber Ridge. This hike can have beautiful Douglas Iris displays in spring. Lunch optional but those wanting to have lunch together can drive to the regional park and eat at the tables next to the Hidden Parking lot.
Leader: Adrian Adams
photos contributed by Mary Sue and Gary B

WALK-ON-BEACH TO GUALALA POINT PARK C

Meet at the Hidden parking lot (left of the Gualala Point Park pay station) at 9:50 a.m. to carpool to Walk-On-Beach parking lot off Highway 1. (If you do not have a regional park permit, you can park on the east side of Highway 1 across from the park entrance.) We will walk to the bluff on the public coastal access trail, passing by Sea Pine Beach and walking on Walk-On Beach Road to post 39 down to the beach and then walking north on the beach and going up the stairs and continuing on the Bluff trail north. Lunch options include the beach, picnic tables on the bluff by the bathrooms or the tables at the visitor's center. Carpool drivers (and any Sea Ranchers who met the group there) will be shuttled back to Walk-On-Beach parking lot.
Leader: Laura Bridge
Mileage: 4.4
photos contributed by: Mary Sue, Gary B, April and Harmony

PLANTATION TRAIL - BRUCE JOHNSON STUDIO

Because of the wet conditions our hike our Thursday will be mostly a road hike followed by a visit to Bruce Johnson's. We will caravan from the second carpool spot (the Stengel Beach Coastal Access parking area at 9:25) following the leader to our starting point. 

Meet at 9:15 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and at the Stengel Beach Coastal Access parking area at 9:25. Drive to the entrance to Salt Point Park on Sea View Road. Enter the park on the trail and walk to the Prairie and beyond, turning around at some point and retracing our steps. There are elevation changes going both directions. We could modify this if we feel the trail is too muddy.  Dogs are not allowed on the Salt Point trails. Afterwards we will drive to Bruce Johnson's studio where we will have a tour of works in progress and eat our lunches. Visiting Bruce has always been a treat in the past. We haven't visited him since 2014 and he has many new works in progress for us to see. To learn more:
http://www.vibottaro.com/sculptor-brucejohnson/
Leader: Mary Sue Ittner
photos contributed by: Mary Sue, Bob R., and Gary