Greenpicker Trail
Trail length: 3.6 miles
Terrain: oak, fir, bay, maple forests
Restroom? Yes, at Five Brooks
Parking: Yes, large parking lot at Five Brooks
Dates visited: 9/16/16, 9/29/18, 4/26/19, 2/26/21
Favorite plants on this trail: Stream Violet (Viola glabella), California Spikenard (Aralia californica), Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemosa)
Favorite spot: The flat area of firs and elderberry before Firtop; it’s blissful when it’s misty.
The Greenpicker trail runs between the Stewart and Glen trails in three segments. Starting at Five Brooks, take the Stewart Trail to the first 1.9 mile segment of the Greenpicker Trail. Near the top of the ridge at Firtop, the second 0.7 mile segment begins. The third 1.0 mile segment begins at the intersection of the Stewart and Ridge trails. Most recommended hikes do not include the three segments together since they are not the shortest path to any destination but rather parallel the Stewart Trail. For example, the 0.7 mile segment parallels the shorter 0.3 segment of the Stewart Trail. Typically, the Greenpicker is paired with the Stewart as a loop.
The trail is mostly shaded and passes through serene forests of oak, Douglas fir, bay and maple. This is a popular trail for horses which leaves the trail riddled with dusty pits that turn to mud when it rains. With even an hour of rain, the Greenpicker quickly turns into a slippery, sloping mud slide. Best to avoid it in the rain! Another trail hazard is wasps and yellow jackets; warning signs are posted when they are most active. Warnings aside, this is a beautiful trail filled with birds and perfect for escaping the heat of a hot day.
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. Normally, two facilitators help with every class. 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 about a year. It's a great experience to work with other facilitators and get to know the amazing field institute instructors.