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04.29.10

Get to the Point

Point Reyes is ready for its close-up. From camping, to wildflower strolling, to hiking to a deserted beach, here are a few ways to explore the Bay Area's biggest national park.

Wildcat Camp point reyes

Hike-in Heaven

There's a good reason why getting a reservation at Point Reyes' Wildcat Camp is so tough: location, location, location. With seven sites strewn along a coastal bluff adjacent to Wildcat Beach, it's one of the premier camping destinations in Northern California. The best way to access Wildcat Camp is via a 5.5-mile hike, and the journey is as sweet as the destination. Get an early start at the Palomarin trailhead near Bolinas, where Coast Trail weaves along the cusp of the continent. Bass Lake marks the halfway point; stop for a snack at this large deep-blue watering hole with a tempting rope swing. From there it's about another hour to camp. Pitch your tent in the open meadow and spend the rest of the day collecting driftwood or playing Frisbee on the deserted beach (just a five-minute stroll from camp). Hungry for more hiking? One of the most spectacular falls in the Bay Area is just 1 mile down the beach: Alamere Falls is a 50-foot tumbler that launches off a cliff into the sand. At night make new friends around a beach bonfire, and be sure to pass the s'mores. In the morning, when the winds are the most calm, stand high on the bluffs, skimming the waters for the season's gray whales. Eyes wild open.

Campsites are $15 per night. To make a reservation for Wildcat Camp call 415-663-8054 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Campsites can be reserved up to three months in advance. One campsite is saved for a first-come, first-served basis. This is available at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, which opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. No dogs.

Activity
Hike, Overnights
Region
North Bay
chimney rock point reyes

Cirque du Point Reyes

Not since Cirque du Soleil came to town has there been so much vibrant variety squeezed into such a small space. For your own seasonal circus of color, visit Point Reyes' Chimney Rock—a tiny spit of land that gets carpeted in wildflowers each April. With over 50 species, variety is the spice of wildflower life here: radiant Douglas iris mingles with Indian paintbrush and checker blooms; buttercups speckle the landscape. In a twist of spring magic, wildlife happily share this compact space, too. From the flat Chimney Rock Trail, spot elephant seals frolicking, yelping, and bathing in the beach coves below. There's no shortage of views either: after about a mile, the trail ends at a precipice with dramatic panoramas of brown-green bluffs, crashing white waves, and blue ocean. What a show!

BONUS: Top off your visit with a stop at the lively Station House Cafe in Point Reyes Station. If the weather's nice, grab a table on the outdoor garden patio.

From Sir Francis Drake Hwy. in Point Reyes, take the left turnoff for Chimney Rock, just before the lighthouse. From the parking lot it's a 1.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Chimney Rock. No dogs.

Activity
Hike
Region
North Bay
Sunset Beach Point Reyes

Sunset Savor

Some hikes are meant to be enjoyed slowly, savoring the journey as it unfolds. The 9-mile (round-trip) hike to Point Reyes' Sunset Beach is ripe for such an experience. Chances are very good that you'll see only a handful of people on the trail; this area of Point Reyes doesn't see the bustle of the Bear Valley staging area. Start at the Estero trailhead and make your way over rolling grassland, through Monterey pines, and—in the spring, an explosion of purple Douglas iris. Cross a wooden bridge overlooking Home Bay, an estuary that looks like a labyrinth at low tide. Keep an eye to the sky for peregrine falcons. Bird life in this region far outnumbers hikers. Soon, views of Drake's Estero and the Pacific collide in a biologically diverse confluence of fresh and salt water. At Sunset Beach round boulders look like giant cannonballs. Explore this remote section of Point Reyes before heading back the way you came.

After driving on Sir Francis Drake Hwy. in Point Reyes for 7.5 miles, take the left turn for the Estero Trailhead. From the Estero Trailhead hike on the Estero Trail. At the intersection in 2.4 miles, follow the sign to Sunset Beach. Return the way you came. The trail to the beach is overgrown and recent rains may make it mushy. No dogs.

Activity
Hike
Region
North Bay
2010 Lodi ZinFest

A Whole Lodi Fun

50 Wineries. Three Days. One Zinfully Fun Event. It's the Sixth Annual ZinFest at Lodi Lake!

Save $10 per person: Buy your tickets online before May 13 with Promo Code: 10WSZIN.

Come one, come all, come have a ball! It's time for the sixthannual ZinFest, May 14 to 16. This isn't your parents' wine country; this is Lodi Lake, where handcrafted Zinfandel isn't the only thing that gets uncorked. Thousands come from near and far to take part in celebrations flowing with award-winning wine, local cuisine, and festive live entertainment. Sample culinary creations paired with wine from 50 of the region's best vineyards, take a spin on the outdoor dance floor or just spread a blanket to watch the bands. Be sure to save your appetite for the gourmet cooking demonstrations at the ZinFest Cooking School, where celebrity chefs will teach you how to be the star of your next dinner party; discover a favorite new dish and its complementary wine. Get your tickets early and have a Lodi fun!

TIP: Save $10 per person. Buy your tickets online with Promo Code: 10WSZIN by May 13. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door for full price.

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