Larkspur Ferry, Corte Madera - Jan. 19, '13

Walking Distance: 4 mi. (estim.)
Walking Time: 2 hours, 0 min. (3:12 - 5:12 p.m.)
Start and End Point:  Larkspur ferry station parking lot, Larkspur, CA

Most of today's walk was along asphalt paths or sidewalks through Greenbrae and Larkspur. However, there were stretches along roads (e.g. the dotted green line on the map, near San Quentin Prison) that were less welcoming than others. The remaining bits were mostly optional packed dirt paths along the shore. Mount Tamalpais was visible from multiple locations.

To explore the area, I walked south first, to get under Highway 101, and toward the Marin Rowing Club. I went down some stairs and passed big freeway cement pillars, then went back up stairs and up and over freeway overpass -- and followed a fairly narrow combined bicycle and pedestrian walkway, toward the Marin Storage / Marin RV Park on Redwood Highway.

I turned around after I'd reached (and browsed inside) Toy World. I went back over the overpass on the East side, took path at the end this time (instead of stairs and boardwalk).

I turned right at an orange detour sign to an asphalt path around the Larkspur Ferry parking lot. I walked around the periphery of this peninsula-shaped parking lot (shown as a small green loop on the 2012-2013 Bay Trail map set). I then made my way up and over (detour) to Larkspur Landing (and shopping center).

I crossed Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to get to the Marin Country Mart shopping center at Larkspur Landing to buy something to eat. Since my first walk around the bay (2009-2011), several new shops had opened, and it looked like the whole shopping center may have experienced some improvements. There appeared to be more options for food stops including: Berry Bliss Yogurt, Marin Brewing Company, Rustic Bakery and Cafe (organic), and many more*.

After a frozen yogurt stop, I continued along Sir Francisco Drake Boulevard, and walked along water toward San Quentin Prison, passing a very tall sculpture of Sir Francis Drake, a tall red brick chimney that was part of an old brick kiln, and some new buildings around this structure. The brick making facility (a California Historic Landmark) now houses a restaurant, The Melting Pot.

I enjoyed walking past lush, green grass along paths -- as it had looked on my first walk a few years ago. (I've passed through this area in the winter both times.)

As I approached San Quentin Prison, the trail became a setback along Sir Francis Drake Blvd., near relatively rapidly moving traffic. In part because of this, I turned around at the first San Quentin sign gate/entrance/driveway. (I was reminded that prisons are not meant to look approachable; neither do they want to attract random visitors.)

On the way back, I walked the side of the trail closer to the road - through City of Larkspur Remillard Park, a small park sandwiched between Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and the bay. I then continued on Sir Francis Drake, back across the freeway, and to the Larkspur Ferry parking lot.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 kingfisher; 10 ducks; 18 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 crows; 6 pigeons; 2 sea gulls; 1 turkey vulture; 5 coots; 1 great egret; 1 hummingbird; 1 Western/Clark's grebe

*Postscript: I would also recommend Three Twins Ice Cream, Belcampo Meats, and Miette (bakery).

Corte Madera, Coffee and Ducks - Jan. 9, '13

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 15 min. (1:05 - 2:20 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Shopping Center parking lot, near Macy's, Corte Madera, CA

January is the time to see birds on the bay, particularly ducks, that have migrated from other areas. Today there were more ducks than I could identify, paddling around in large, rain-soaked inlets, marshes and the bay.

A large shopping center (where we parked and had coffee and chocolate first) was nearby, providing easy access to the Bay Trail (shown as green line on the new 2012-2013 Bay Trail map set). Thank you Toni for the company today.

We also managed to walk along the marsh (Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve), on a narrow, packed dirt path to the water's edge for the closest view yet of San Quentin Prison. And we caught glimpses of the Larkspur ferry (boat) to the north making its way into port.

It was an overcast day, with rain on the way. We managed to stay dry early on, but it started sprinkling later, forcing us to cut our walk short.

Regarding winter weather, I'm happy to walk with an umbrella
(on the rare occasion when I've needed one), but I occasionally worry about getting my camera wet. Again, January offers great weather for ducks and other waterfowl, so I recommend walking the bay in winter.

Wildlife Sightings: 

66 ducks (14 Canvasbacks, 13 Northern Shovelers, 22 Mallards, 10 small UFOs later identified as teals, 7 UFO ducks); 11 American avocets; 5 black-necked stilts; 9 turkey vultures; 16 sea gulls; 1 snowy egret, 2 great egrets; 6 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 greater yellowlegs; 1 unidentified brownish shorebird (UBB) 

Paradise Drive, Foods - Dec. 30, '12

Walking Distance: 2.6 mi.
Walking Time: 1 hr., 19 min. (4:56 - 6:15 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, near Paradise Foods (market), Corte Madera, CA

This evening was clear and cool; it was a great evening for walking. I said farewell to Paradise Drive, where I'd been walking for the past several walks. And I moved back to the official San Francisco Bay Trail (shown as a solid dark green line on 2012 - 2013 Bay Trail maps). This meant I was walking primarily on sidewalks and packed dirt trails, set far back from busy streets, near the Bay, in Corte Madera. This separation from car traffic meant I could walk at night without fear of getting run over.

And, night walking meant I could enjoy views of San Quentin Prison and the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge; both were islands of light surrounded by dark sheets of water, soon to be illuminated by moonlight.

From the Paradise Foods parking lot (5627 Paradise Drive), I walked south on Paradise Drive from the Paradise Foods parking lot, back toward where I left off before. I turned around when I reached Westward Drive, and then headed back in the other direction.

I followed Bay Trail signs, and walked on a levee trail (passing a rest area and some possible trailheads in the dark). I made a note to go back and check later to see if I'd missed any trails, or parts of the Bay Trail. I caught sight of bits of objects left behind, under streetlamps, like a little child's shoe left on a post.

I turned around at a stoplight, at the intersection of Tamalpais Drive and San Clemente Drive, where Mt. Tamalpais appeared, silhouetted, in the distance.

I walked back to Paradise Foods, where I bought a very tasty dinner from the deli section of the market. I concluded this adventure with a roasted chicken dinner, salad and dessert in the comforts of my trusty vehicle with some music on the radio. It was magnificent, with a little touch of hobo heaven.


Wildlife Sightings:
1 little brown job (LBJ); 2 balls (basketball in fennel plant, 1 white ball in creek); 1 hummingbird; 3 black-necked stilts (possibly the same three I saw a few days ago)

Paradise Drive, Triangle Marsh - Dec. 24, '12

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi.
Walking Time: 47 min. (4:18 - 5:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: side of road, Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

For me, there is no better way to celebrate the holidays than to enjoy a walk between festivities. I returned to Paradise Drive for another late afternoon walk -- once again trying to eke out as much daylight time as possible before sunset.

Sometimes you have to squeeze in walking time whenever you can find it during the day. And daytime is the best time for walking or riding on Paradise Drive (not technically part of the SF Bay Trail, and shown as a dotted, dark green line on the newest 2012 - 2013 Bay Trail Maps), due to stretches of winding road through trees, with limited set-backs. However, views of San Quentin, the Richmond - San Rafael bridge, and boats passing below help justify this walk.

I started this afternoon's amble by heading south on Paradise Drive to Ranch Drive (where I'd ended my previous walk last week). I then walked down (and back up) Ranch Drive, back to Paradise Drive.

Along the way, I enjoyed bright spots of winter color. Red berries, evergreen trees and green foliage -- perfect for Christmas week in Northern California, along with interesting mosses and lichens on rocks.

After turning around, I then headed North. I passed my parked car along the way, and continued north on Paradise Drive. I felt I was returning to civilization, or at least a more urban setting. I passed Marin Montessori, and Marin Country Day School (MCDS), and was able to walk on sidewalks for part of the time.

At the other (north) end of today's loop walk, I turned around at the intersection of Paradise Drive and Westward Drive, near the city boundary (cross-over point for me), between Tiburon and Corte Madera.

I enjoyed passing Triangle Marsh, at the base of Ring Mountain on the Tiburon peninsula, where I returned to the shoreline, after enjoying the views from above for the past few weeks, up in the hills and trees. I was rewarded by the sight of a few black-necked stilts (shorebirds) in the marsh, and the sight of a rising moon.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 crows; 3 sea gulls; 3 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 robins; 3 black-necked stilts

Paradise Dr., Solano St. - Nov. 3, 2012

Walking Distance: 4.7 mi.
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 4 min. (4:10 - 6:14 p.m.)
Start and End Point: street parking, near 2355 Paradise Dr., Tiburon, CA

This late fall afternoon, I continued my walk along Paradise Drive in Tiburon, until evening shadows made it difficult to continue. This stretch of Paradise Drive, in fact most of Paradise Drive, on the north side of the Tiburon peninsula in Marin County, is shown as a dotted dark green line on the San Francisco Bay Trail map.

There were still a few carved pumpkins from Halloween on porches of houses I passed. The weather had gotten a bit cooler this week, and the easy days of summer, with evenings that stayed light until almost 9 p.m. were but a memory now.

However, what today's late-afternoon-into-early-evening walk lacked in trail amenities (such as setbacks) and daylight, it more than made up for in scenery, with views of Angel Island (including a clear view of the old red brick army hospital building up on the hill across the strait), Keil Cove, Golden Gate Bridge, Sutro Tower and the skyline of San Francisco, the Port of Oakland, Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, San Quentin Prison, and boats in the Bay: ferry boats, sailboats and various motorized ships.

I walked north on Paradise Drive, and passed the County of Marin Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve trailhead (a small sign and a set of stairs disappeared into the wooded hillside). A minute later I walked past the Romberg Tiburon Center gate, and and soon thereafter, the Bay Conference Center.


I took lots of pictures of the winding, narrow, tree-lined stretches of Paradise Drive. I stopped occasionally to shoot pictures of items perched precariously on a narrow strip of earth adjacent to the asphalt. This time of year there were plenty of berries, acorns, chestnuts, new tiny green shoots starting to push up from the ground, and the occasional banana slug.

I would have liked to have walked a bit more, but cars and bicyclists have a difficult enough time seeing pedestrians in the daytime on roads like this. Best not to alarm them unexpectedly with your presence at dusk.

I turned around at 3333 Paradise Dr. Toward the end of my walk back, about a half hour before sunset, I enjoyed glimpses of small, pretty coves and sailboats, and golden cliffs, visible between dark, silhouetted trees.

On the way back, I took a slight detour and walked downhill Mar Centro/to Mar East street sign, to a cluster of mailboxes, where I'd stopped on a previous walk. Then I headed back up to Paradise Dr., past my car, to the intersection with Solano Street, where I turned around to walk back to my car again. But, not before spending several minutes admiring the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, with the sun setting behind it.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 butterflies/moths; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 banana slug

Tiburon - Corte Madera - Feb. 15, 2010

Walking Distance: 4.2 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 47 min. (1:48 - 3:35 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking spot near 5060 Paradise Dr., Tiburon, CA; and spot on Redwood Highway, Corte Madera, CA

Thank you to Alec for walking with me and setting up a two car system that allowed us to cover roughly double the normal distance (avoiding the need to backtrack, or do a loop back to a single car). It was sunny, warm day, with more green grass and trees in bloom. Definitely feels like spring is in the air.

Lots of bicycles and walkers out today for the Presidents Day Holiday Monday. We walked the remaining stretch of Paradise Drive to San Clemente, and crossed over into Corte Madera. Following the Bay Trail as close to the Bay as possible, we enjoyed some nice views of Mt. Tamalpais (shown). We chose to take an unpaved portion of trail to walk out to a point (looking directly out at San Quentin prison across the way - see image). We then headed back to Redwood Highway, back to where we'd parked car #1, and then drove back to pick up car #2 on Paradise Drive, where we'd started the walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
49 ducks; 2 Western grebes; 6 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 3 great egrets, 8 snowy egrets; 14 sea gulls; 11 little brown jobs (LBJs) plus 1 mockingbird; 5 crows; 8 Canada geese; 1 black-necked stilt; 5 American avocets; 1 big black and yellow bumblebee; 2 lady bugs; 1 coot; 1 hawk; and 1 tennis ball - semi-attached to a (lively) dog - in the Bay.