01.15.09
From the issue Good Migration
Owl's Eye View
The Owl Trail, Marin's swooping seashore tramp, offers a special bonus in winter and spring: the chance to see migrating Gray Whales offshore. The 2-mile round-trip trek—not for those with a fear of heights—parallels Highway 1 between the Muir Beach Overlook and Slide Ranch. Pack your binoculars and your patience, and keep an eye out along the way for swashes on the Pacific, signaling spouting whales in the distance. Bonus sightings include the trail's namesake Great Horned Owls, along with a flock of curious sheep that live at Slide Ranch, a nonprofit teaching farm that's a crossroads destination on the trail. Upon reaching the ranch, continue past the office building and take the path—steep at one point—down to North Beach. Explore tide pools and take a breather on a giant rock, keeping your eyes peeled for those large gray wonders of the sea.
The Owl Trail starts from an unmarked trailhead at the north end of Muir Beach Overlook parking lot. Take this north all the way to Slide Ranch, and return on the same trail. No dogs.