Great Escape of the Month

Point Reyes and West Marin
(For more West Marin see Laura's San Francisco Chronicle article)

The Point Reyes National Seashore, a triangular-shaped peninsula that juts out into the Pacific Ocean, seems a remote wilderness, even though it is part of the metropolitan Bay Area.

A geologic fact adds to Point Reyes' otherworldliness -- the peninsula is literally falling away as part of the Pacific plate creeps northwest about two inches a year while the slower North American plate travels westward. The two plates meet at the San Andreas Fault, which runs through the park entrance at the town of Olema and up Tomales Bay.

The park headquarters on Bear Valley Road just a quarter of a mile west of Olema is a good first stop to get a park map and talk to the helpful staff. Point Reyes has three visitors centers, but this is the largest, with an expansive exhibit about the natural history of the area, along with the stories of Miwoks (the local Native Americans), and explorers such as Sir Francis Drake who sailed here in 1579. Take a quick walk along the Earthquake Trail just outside the headquarters. It dramatically reveals the geologic conditions at Point Reyes and how the sharp jolt of the 1906 earthquake actually shifted the peninsula 18 feet north in less than a minute.

The park, created in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, has excellent hiking trails. Some are gentle, such as the Bear Valley Trail that starts from the park headquarters, a meandering 4.1 mile walk along a creek and through a forest to Arch Rock where waves crash at steep sandstone cliffs. The Coastal Trail, which starts from the hostel off Limantour Road, is a five-mile loop that can be walked in under three hours, tracing the hillsides along the ocean.

Binoculars come in handy for any hiking in Point Reyes. During whale migration season, particularly in April when gray whales hug the coast a little closer to avoid predators, you have a good chance of spotting them loping through the waves close by.

To explore the remote reaches of the park, continue on Bear Valley Road from the headquarters past the Limantour Road turnoff, after which the road merges into Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and then passes through the town of Inverness.

After that the road heads west, and six miles more, you'll come across Drake's Bay Oyster Farm (17171 Sir Francis Drake Blvd; 415-669-1149; www.drakesbayfamilyfarms.com), operated by a fourth generation family who raise oysters in beds here. To make sure they are available when you stop by, call ahead.

A few miles further you'll reach Drake's Beach and its visitor center with exhibits on marine life and explorers. The long beach here is protected by wind by tall cliffs so it's a fine picnic spot. The Drake's Beach Cafe (1 Drake's Beach Rd.; 415-669-1297; www.drakesbeachcafe.com) serves local, organic food and fish. If you're visiting on Fridays and Saturdays, call ahead for reservations for their twice-weekly candlelit dinners that have become a word-of-mouth hit with the locals.

It's six more miles to the lighthouse, a prime place for whale watching. The 1870 structure was built low so that its beacon could actually shine underneath heavy fog. Getting there is an adventure, with more than 300 stairs leading down from the visitors center, and it's a heart-pumping climb back to the car . The lighthouse has a 3,000-pound lens whose beam flashed from 1870 to 1975, saving ships from wrecking on the point. It is open to visitors daily except for Tuesday and Wednesdays. Call ahead to make sure it is staffed (415-669-1297) as hours may vary and stairs are closed when winds exceed 40 mph.

For a spectacular hike on a clear day, head for windswept Tomales Point at the park's northwestern edge. Take the Pierce Point Road off Sir Francis Drake couple of miles north of Inverness and drive several miles past working dairy farms to the old Pierce Point farm and trailhead. This is the home of dozens of Tule elk, and you'll see them roaming about. From Pierce Point farm to the ultimate point where Tomales Bay meets the Pacific is a long hike (a little over nine miles round trip) but it's a relatively flat trail with tranquil Tomales Bay on one side and the white-capped Pacific churning on the other side.

Tomales Bay, the narrow inlet where the San Andreas Fault runs, is often sunny even if the coast is socked in fog. Three miles north of Inverness in Tomales Bay State Park is Heart's Desire Beach, a good spot for swimming and picnicking.

First-time kayakers love Tomales Bay, and it often gets people hooked on the sport. You don't need much instruction (this isn't white-water kayaking that requires technique), and almost anyone can paddle the calm waters. Blue Waters Kayaking (415-669-2600; www.bluewaterskayaking.com) has two locations on the bay, one in Marshall on the eastern shore and one in Inverness. Venture out on your own, hire a guide, or join a group for a half or full day trip. You'll see harbor seals, pelicans, ospreys and hawks, plus remote beaches with oyster and kelp beds below. Special tours are conducted for birders, those who want to stop and taste oysters or paddle under the full moon.

The main town in the area, on Highway 1 two miles north of Olema, is Point Reyes Station, a charming place where, in the middle of town, the Old Western Saloon lives up to its name with a lively, some might say rowdy, vibe and unpretentious atmosphere. The town has a few shops worth a visit along its three short blocks, including Flower Power, a large household goods and gardening store, and Marty Knapp, a gallery that sells lovely black and white photos of the area. Don't miss Toby's, a quirky feed store, gift shop and farm stand, and Point Reyes Books, which has a terrific collection of literature on the area and works by local authors.

Where to Eat

The national spotlight shone on Point Reyes when Prince Charles' and his wife Camilla visited local farms in 2006. The area was already justly known regionally for its dairy products and oysters. You'll see "organic" and "local" on most menus, even at the old-fashioned Pine Cone Diner in Point Reyes Station (60 Fourth St.; 415-663-9420) a breakfast spot with biscuits, hash and egg dishes. To grab some lunch to take on hikes, stop at Perry's Deli in Inverness Park (12301 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.; 415-663-1491) a few miles north of park headquarters for sandwiches and locally made bread (Breadmaiden of Point Reyes Station is one provider). Or, in Point Reyes Station, get a cup of organic coffee, pastries or bread at Bovine Bakery (11315 Highway 1; 415-663-9420), the kind of place where regulars store their coffee mugs on a shelf. More lunch fixins can be bought at a renovated hay barn known as Tomales Bay Foods, home of Cowgirl Creamery (80 Fourth St.; 415-663-9335; www.cowgirlcreamery.com), which makes northern California's most famous cheeses, such as Red Hawk, a triple cream cheese from West Marin's dairy cows. Station House Cafe (11180 Highway 1; 415-663-1515; www.stationhousecafe.com) has a pretty patio for dining and serves up American comfort food. The Olema Inn (10,000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.; 415-663-9559; www.theolemainn.com), with its romantic white tablecloth-style dining in an 1876 roadhouse and menu of local mussels, oysters and other fish or Sonoma pheasant is the place for an elegant dinner. Six lovely rooms upstairs have Ralph Lauren linens and high-end European mattresses. In mid 2006, the long-awaited Nick's Cove (23240 Highway 1; 415-663-1033; www.nickscove.com) opened on the east side of Tomales Bay in the hamlet of Marshall The rustic old buildings have been renovated into a casual fish restaurant, which, not surprisingly, focuses on oysters and fish in season.

Where to Stay

The Bear Valley Inn (Highway 1 at Bear Valley Rd.; 415-663-1777; www.bearvinn.com) is the closest accommodation to park headquarters. Rates are reasonable and there's a homey atmosphere with lots of family artwork on the walls and step-up beds. At Inverness' Blackthorne Inn (266 Vallejo Ave.; 415-663-8621; www.blackthorneinn.com), proprietors Susan and Bill Wigert are the area's pioneer bed-and-breakfast owners. Their whimsical lodge is topped by the Eagle's Nest, an octogonal-shaped room perched amid trees above the inn (the bathroom on an adjacent deck, however). Ask Bill for stories on how he built the stone fireplace and nabbed an old San Francisco train station entrance door for use as a deck door. Ten Inverness Way (Ten Inverness Way; 415-669-1648; www.teninversnessway.com) is run by Teri Mattson, who calls it "the inn for hikers and readers." Rooms at this 1904 Craftsman home built right along Inverness Creek are small (except for the suite) and the bathrooms show their age, but the warmth of the large great room and its big fireplace, the cozy library and inviting back patio make up for the drawbacks.

When booking ask owner Teri Mattson about her complimentary guest excursions, such as bonfires on Point Reyes beaches, which take place several times per year. The most pricey of the Point Reyes inns is the newest, the four-room Olema Druids Hall (9870 Shoreline Highway; 415-663-8727; 866-554-4255; www.olemadruidshall.com) in a stylishly renovated 1885 building -- think a millionaire's beach home in the Hamptons -- that was a meeting hall of a fraternity-like society of local farmers and ranchers (The Druids' bizarre ephemera is on display in the living room). The Nest room is the best value and its bed is sumptuous, with down comforters and high thread count sheets.

Getting There

Point Reyes National Seashore is about 38 miles north of San Francisco. From San Francisco take US 101 north to San Anselmo/Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and follow that road west to Olema.

Local contact

Point Reyes National Seashore, 415-464-5100, www.nps.gov/pore.