Coast-Lake Ranch-Ridge Loop

Trail length: 10 miles
Terrain: fir forests, coastal scrub
Restroom? Yes, at the Palomarin trailhead
Parking: Yes. Palomarin parking lot is full by 10am on weekends
Kid friendly? No, due to the long distance. 
Dates visited:
Favorite plants on this trail: moss along the Ridge Trail

This is a lovely, mostly shaded 10-mile loop. Starting at the Palomarin Trailhead, hike 2.2 miles on the Coast Trail to the Lake Ranch Trail. The first segment of the loop follows the coast providing scenic views of the ocean before heading inland to the Lake Ranch Trail.

While the Coast Trail is popular with hikers, Lake Ranch and Ridge offer solitude.

Lake Ranch ascends slowly for 3 miles to the Ridge Trail. Turn right (south) on the Ridge Trail which parallels the Lake Ranch Trail closely in the beginning, so it feels like you are backtracking in the same direction.

Hike on the Ridge Trail for 2.5 miles to the intersection with the Teixeira and Pablo Point Trails. Continue on the Ridge Trail for another 2.3 miles to its end at the road. Walk 0.6 miles on the gravel road back to the Palomarin Trailhead parking lot.

In summer, the Lake Ranch and Ridge trails get overgrown with tall grasses interspersed with thorny brambles, stinging nettle, and poison oak reaching threateningly into the trail, so be prepared and cover your legs. It can feel like you’re wading rather than walking through the dense green grasses. On the positive side, the trail has delicious huckleberries and the shaded forests are filled with birds.

Fall is a great time to hike this loop trail. The first rains bring a profusion of mushrooms to the forest and the Bigleaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum) stand out from their evergreen fir and bay neighbors with their big yellow leaves.

Coast Trail to Lake Ranch

Lake Ranch Trail to Ridge

Ridge Trail to the trailhead

California Turret Spider

Look for California Turret Spider burrows along the Ridge Trail between the Lake Ranch Trail and the intersection with the Teixeira Trail. You’ll find these camouflaged tiny towers along the moist, mossy trail sides. The dark hole contrasts against the bright green moss. Read about the California Turret Spider in Bay Nature and my obsession with these amazing spiders in Home alone with the California Turret Spider.

Volunteer Opportunity: PRNSA Field Institute

The Point Reyes National Seashore Association needs assistants for their Field Institute classes. You will spend a day training with PRNSA staff, then a couple of times a year you'll select the classes you'd like to help with. Shortly afterwards, you'll receive a confirmation of which ones you've been assigned. As a facilitator, you get to take the class for free. Duties include signing in class participants, making coffee (for indoor classes), talking briefly about PRNSA, and generally helping out as needed. I've been volunteering for several years. It's a great experience to work with other facilitators and get to know the amazing field institute instructors.