Jepson Trail
Trail length: 1 mile
Terrain: shaded forests (Bishop pine, Bay, Oak), gently sloping
Restroom? Flush toilets and showers are located at Hearts Desire Beach, a short detour off the Jepson.
Parking: very small parking lot at Jepson Trailhead off Pierce Point Road
Kid friendly? Yes
Dates visited: 8/14/16, 8/27/16, 9/17/17, 8/18/18
Plant list and mushroom list by the Marin chapter of the California Native Plant Society
Favorite plants on this trail: Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
Favorite spots:
Views of Tomales Bay
Grazing on huckleberries along the trail
Listening to birds call from the trees
This hike is in Tomales Bay State Park. Mostly shaded, it's perfect for a warm day when you want to escape the heat. This is an ideal nature hike for kids. It's got plenty of different leaves, banana slugs, and delicious huckleberries in summer. For kids, hike the Jepson trail to Heart's Desire Beach.
If you'd like to extend your hike, continue on the Indian Nature Trail to Indian Beach. Interpretive signs point out the flora and fauna along the trail. Indian Beach is a quiet spot with fewer crowds and has a tidal marsh and two Coast Miwok-inspired structures to explore. Return the same way on the Jepson. The Indian Nature Trail starts near the restrooms. It’s a short 0.5 mile hike through the forest to Indian Beach. Take the 0.6 mile loop trail that winds through the marsh back to Heart’s Desire or return on the nature trail.
About halfway along the Jepson Trail is a virgin grove of Bishop pine called the Jepson Memorial Grove. You'll encounter twisted old trees (Toyon, Bay, and Oak), many types of fern (Deer, Western Sword Fern, Lady Fern), and plenty of berries - huckleberries, blackberries, and currants. Watch for poison oak dangling on the trail.
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.