Tour - Tomales Bay natural history

Tomales Bay natural history

Inverness, California 94937, United States

Created By: Fin, Hoof, Wheel

Tour Information

A natural history hike through Tomales Bay State Park with an emphasis on botany. Parking in the lot on Pierce Point Road is free. Take the Jepson trail through a diverse forest down to the Johnstone trail along the coast, with an optional stop at secluded Pebble Beach. Return via Shallow Beach road. Total hike is 2.5 miles, about 3 hours.

AllTrails map (link)

Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

Frangula californica

California Coffeeberry (Rhamnaceae)

Quercus agrifolia

Coast Live Oak (Fagaceae)

Pinus muricata

Bishop Pine (Pinaceae)

Corylus cornuta californica

California Hazelnut (Betulaceae)

Notholithocarpus densiflorus

Tanoak (Fagaceae)

Arctostaphylos virgata

Marin Manzanita (Ericaceae)

Vaccinium ovatum

Evergreen Huckleberry (Ericaceae)

Rubus ursinus

California Blackberry (Rosaceae)

Polystichum munitum

Western Sword Fern (Dryopteridaceae)

Arbutus menziesii

Pacific Madrone (Ericaceae)

Baccharis pilularis

Coyote Brush (Asteraceae)

Gaultheria shallon

Salal (Ericaceae)

Pteridium aquilinum

Common Bracken (Dennstaedtiaceae)

Lonicera hispidula

Pink Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)

Morella californica

Wax Myrtle (Myricaceae)

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon (Rosaceae)

Sambucus racemosa

Red Elderberry (Viburnaceae)

Ribes sanguineum

Red-flowering Currant (Grossulariaceae)

Diplacus aurantiacus

Orange Bush Monkeyflower (Phrymaceae)

Umbellularia californica

California Bay Laurel (Lauraceae)

Rubus parviflorus

Thimbleberry (Rosaceae)

Ribes menziesii

Canyon Gooseberry (Grossulariaceae)

Geology

You are now descending toward the San Andreas fault and Tomales Bay!

Ceanothus oliganthus

Hairy Ceanothus (Rhamnaceae)

Toxicodendron diversilobum

Poison Oak (Anacardiaceae)

Birds

Keep your eyes and ears open for Pileated Woodpeckers and Hairy Woodpeckers near this spot!

Garrya elliptica

Wavyleaf Silktassel (Garryaceae)

Mammals (terrestrial)

Sonoma Chipmunks (Tamias sonomae) and Western Gray Squirrels (Sciurus griseus) are active here. Note the big stick nest of a Woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes annectens) on the right side of the trail!