Redwoods On the Way: Hiking at Samuel P. Taylor State Park

 

Coast Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens

 

Date: August 30, 2025

Place: Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Lagunitas, California

Coordinates: 38.019396, -122.730133

Length: 4.1 miles

Level: moderate

 

On Labor Day weekend Pappa Quail and I went on a little three-days getaway by ourselves. Our destination was Point Reyes National Seashore but on our way there we stopped at Samuel P. Taylor State Park and did a nice little hike there. When we arrived at the park there were still a few available parking spaces in the main parking area so we stopped there, had a little picnic lunch, than got our cameras and some water and went on an exploration hike.  

Our hike as captured by my GPS

Samuel P. Taylor is a redwoods park. It was a fairly hot day so we welcomed the deep shade of the redwood forest. We started walking along the road towards a trailhead that was recommended by the entrance booth attendant.  

We crossed Lagunitas Creek on the asphalt road bridge and paused there for a little bit to see if we could find any birds. We could hear a few in the trees but saw none in the open. 

Lagunitas Creek

Past the bridge we found the Pioneer Tree Trail and started uphill on that trail. Right away we were deep in the forest, where the temperature was at least ten degrees lower than out in the open. 

Pioneer Tree Trail

The soil was very dry. I didn't see any wildflowers blooming, but some of the bushes were bearing nice looking berries. 

California Spikenard, Aralia californica

The redwoods in this forest were young trees. Sadly, all old growth trees were logged more than 150 years ago. The young trees did tower at impressive heights already. 

Coast Redwood, Sequoia Sempervirens

There weren't many people hiking that trail at the time. Most people who were in the park stuck to the water ad the picnic area. for nearly all of the hike we had the trail to ourselves.

Pioneer Tee Trail

There were  places in which the trail was under maintenance work. At one of the trail curves there was a mound of green boughs that were cut and piled up together. Some of the boughs belonged to a conifer tree with leaves that looked very similar to redwood but seemed more delicate. The cones still hanging from the stems didn't look like any conifer cone I knew. This tree turned out to be a California nutmeg (no relations to actual nutmeg), which is a species endemic to California, and apparently has a 'species of concern' status. 

California Nutmeg, Torreya californica, endemic

The trail was leading us uphill along the contour of the hill. At first we ascended along a tributary creek's ravine and descended mildly on its opposite side, and then continued somewhat parallel to the Lagunitas Creek. All that time we were in the shade of the renewed redwood forest. 

There were more berries-bearing bushes along the trail, including ripe red rosehips. I tasted one of them but its texture was too dry and unpleasant to the palate. Perhaps it would have been better as an herbal infusion. 

Rose hips

We reached another trail maintenance area. That part of the trail seemed to have sustained extensive erosion damage and the park authorities were now building a long boardwalk bridge over that place. We passed carefully along that newly built yet unfinished structure only to find on the other side a sign saying that the trail is closed and to please not walk on that bridge ... It was too late for us to obey that sign so we simply continued on.

Shortly after passing that bridge we started our descent back to Lagunitas Creek. Along the way we could see many of the sad stumps of the old growth redwood trees that were logged to build human structures. 

Redwood stump

The Sir Francis Drake Blvd road goes parallel to Lagunitas Creek and a long flat bridge crosses them both. At first we wanted to do a return loop on the south side of the creek but that trail, we quickly found out, was closed, so we went on he bridge to continue our hike on the north side. 

The part of the bridge that was right over the creek had tall chicken wire fences on its railings. Salmon-shaped Xs were nailed on some of the bridge's posts. I guess that fishing from the bridge is prohibited, and the fences were meant for anglers who didn't get the memo. 

No fishing from bridge

The trail north of Lagunas Creek was parallel to the creek. It was the south-facing slope, which was considerably drier. We walked briskly along the trail when Pappa Quail stopped short and motioned me closer - he saw a snake in the vegetation. 

Aquatic Garter Snake 

The snake slithered away quickly but I was able to get a few nice photos of the sleek and beautiful animal. It was a garter snake, a harmless (to humans) California native species. 

Aquatic Garter Snake 

There were plenty of spider webs too and the sunshine, which was almost direct now, illuminated the web domes, making them look like artistic lace. 

Spider Web

There were considerably fewer redwoods on this part of the trail. Redwoods prefer the moister side of the hills. The taller trees were firs and pines and there were also more oaks on this side of the creek. 

Acorn woodpeckers flew from one tree to anther and Pappa Quail captured one that was busy at her dead fir acorn granary. 

Acorn Woodpecker

We crossed a small tributary brook and I was surprised that it was running still. I looked for little animals in the water but found none, not even those water-walker bugs. 

The trail turned into a dirt road that continued a bit higher above Lagunitas Creek. It had the funny name of Gravesite Road. I couldn't find information about that Grave site. Perhaps it was Taylor's own grave? I don't know. 

Gravesite Road

Near the trail junction I found the only plant that was flowering in any noticeable numbers: the Pennyroyal, an invasive species of mint. 

Pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium

It was a much drier area there and the conifers were replaced by an oak savanna we many open grassy areas. It was past midday, the day was hot, and both Pappa Quail and I were sweating in the heat. 

Gravesite Road

We walked fast to the next trail junction where we decided it was time to go back down to Lagunitas Creek and the shade of the forest. We headed downhill, passing a campground on our way and uing their tap to fill our drained water bottles. I also washed my face and soaked my hat, letting the col water drip down my neck. 

The trail dead-ended at the road that stretched along Lagunitas Creek. We crossed the road intent on waking back along the asphalt but then we saw a narrow foot path between the road and the water so we climbed down a drainage chute to get to that trail. From that trail we could see some very nice-looking water holes where people were swimming or floating on tubes or small kayaks. The creek was definitely the place to be on a hot day at the end of summer.  

Lagunitas Creek

We continued along the narrow foot trail, relieved to be in the shade. In some places the vegetation closed abve us completely, creating a cool tunnel, forcing us to stoop every now and then. 

We finished the walk along Lagunitas Creek with a nice, unobstructed view upon the water and the picnic area behind it. 

Lagunitas Creek

Just before reaching the main picnic area where we were parked we encountered a junco that stood out in the open, and held his place bravely as Pappa Quail took his photo. 

Dark-eyed Junco

This hike at Samuel P. Taylor State Park was a lovely start for our lng weekend outing. Sweaty and hot we got into the car and drove directly west to Point Reyes National Seashore where we planned to do a nice afternoon walk in the ocean breeze. 

 

 

 

 

On a Winter Discovery Hike at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

 

Date: January 22, 2025

Place: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, California

Coordinates: 37.806910, -122.148377

Length: 4 miles

Level: moderate

 

Last month I planned to take my family hiking group to Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, east of Oakland. It has been a while since the last time I hiked there so a prep hike was in order, and I went on my own. I parked in the innermost parking lot and started without delay up the Canyon Trail, due east.

My hike as captured by my GPS

Canyon Trail is a fairly steep dirt road. Like its name suggests, it follows a narrow and deeply shaded canyon. It was a cold morning and I hurried uphill, ready to meet the sunshine again up on the East Ridge Trail.  

Canyon Trail

January 2025 was a dry month and the creek was not flowing. The trail however did have quite a few muddy spots, in places where water retained in the heavy clayish soil was seeping out to the surface. 

Although most of the park's area is forested, there are also significant chaparral coverage of the hill slopes. Up near the trail junction I had a nice view of the chaparral slope outside of the creek's gulch. 

Chaparral

I turned left (northwest) on the East Ridge Trail. The uphill ascension continued but at a much milder slope. For the god part, the trail was open to direct sunshine, which I enjoyed greatly. 

East Ridge Trail

I walked fast, pausing only briefly ear and there to look at some interesting sights such as a tall madrone tree with its shining smooth red bark. 

Pacific Madrone, Arbutus menziesii

Soon I came upon another trail junction, one that was gated. This wasn't a cattle gate but one barring humans, allowing entry only to those hikers who have a permit - the area east of the trail I was walking on was managed by the local water company, EBMUD. I promised myself that one day I'll get myself a permit and go hike there.

On the left was a huge pine tree, standing out in a forest f live oak and laurel. Try as I did, I could not fit the entire pine into my photo frame. Although there are native pine species in the Bay Area, I don't think this pine was a native species, but one that established itself from a population brought hither by people. Still, it was pretty and impressive.

Pine, Pinus sp.

Still on January, but some plants begin their spring bloom. The laurel tree which I've seen blooming already in Las Trampas just a few days earlier, was booming here as well. 

California Laurel, Umbellularia californica

Despite the dry spell, there were plenty of mushrooms on the forest floor, some of them evidently have popped out fairly recently. I love seeing mushrooms so I paused for a bit next to those I've seen there. 

At the high point of the trail there was a memorial bench. The bench was inviting so i sat down for a few minutes, drinking my tea from my thermal mug and enjoying the view ahead. Through the haze on the horizon I was able to identify the long ridge of the Ohlone Wilderness and Rose Peak, as well as the bump of Mission Peak which from this angle didn't have its signature pyramid shape. 

Off to the other side on the east, Mount Diablo was in the view, framed between the trees and the ridge of Las Trampas. 

For a good stretch now, the trees remained east of the trail and I had view to the west and to the south over the chaparral. Then I did see a single tree on the west. The tree was small. I didn't recognize the species, but it was a deciduous one, and it was just beginning to bud out. The tree itself wasn't what attracted my attention - it was the little hummingbird that was perched on the tree top, singing loudly its squeaky spring song. 

Anna's Hummingbird

Then the trees closed in on both sides of the trail, creating a beautiful canopied tunnel over the path. The forest there was the usual mix of oak, laurel and madrone, and I was already seeing a few thin redwoods too among them. 

East Ridge Trail

On the forest floor I saw a few more mushrooms, including a couple of shiny purple ones that seemed to have poked through the soil fairly recently. 

I didn't expect to see any herbaceous wildflowers this early in the season, so I was quite surprised to see some wild strawberry flowers. 

Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca

Just before the trail junction where I had planned to turn downhill to the Creek Trail where the redwoods were I saw a fallen, dead oak. What got my attention to this oak was the eerily beautiful mosaic pattern of the dry brown moss that filled the cracks in the dead tree's bark. 

The next trail unction was with the Prince Trail, a short and steep trail connecting the East Ridge Trail with the Stream Trail below. It is a short bit of trail but I did see some interesting sights on my way down to the creek, like the budding soap plants. 

Soap Plant, Chlorogalum pomeridianum

From the mid point of the Prince Trail I could see already some of the redwood fairy rings. All the redwoods in this park are young, new growth that sprung from the side shoots of the old growth trees that were looked in the 19th century. They grow in rings around where the old tree used to be. 

Coast Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens

There were more mushrooms along the trail. These were small and delicate, poking out through the green moss. These tiny mushrooms are but the small fruiting bodies exposed to the air. Most of the fungus is a much larger being, hidden out of sight in the earth or in the rotting vegetation. that they decompose 

I sat for a few minutes on the bench at the junction with the Stream Trail and munched on my snack, letting my excitement build up. The creek side nearby was a known place for ladybugs to aggregate in the winter, but not every year they accumulate in large numbers. I've already seen photos online of this year's aggregation of the ladybugs but I also knew that nothing was tying them in place and on warm weather they would disperse. When I eventually came  over to that spot and looked for the cute little bugs I was immediately gratified - there were lots and lots of them. 

All the vegetation in that area was covered with ladybugs, with all numbers of dots on their wings. Most of them were red but some were orangish. A warning sign nearby said that the ladybugs were to be seen only, not touched, and definitely not collected. 

The wooden fence posts and beams were also covered in ladybugs. The little insects seemed quite active, moving around and walking on the plants and all over each other. 

An information sign nearby explained about the lifecycle of the ladybugs. These insects, it said, aggregate during winter to be ready for mating when spring comes along. They tend to aggregate in the places where they'd hatched, where their larvae would be sure to find plenty of mites to eat when they hatch from the eggs. The only other place where I've seen ladybugs aggregate like that (there were even more of them there), was in Snow Mountain, almost three years ago. 

After the ladybug spot I resumed walking southeast along the Redwood Creek. Now I was walking right under the tall redwoods, and the trail was very shaded and cool. 

The Stream Trail

I've never seen Redwood Creek dry - there was always some water running through. Although January was a dry month I was expecting to see a higher flow, after all, December was rainy. The water level however was pretty low and the flow barely noticeable. 

Redwood Creek

In many ways, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park looks and feels like a northern extension of Anthony Chabot Regional Park. The forest there however, has better preserved community of the native East Bay tree species such as the live oaks, madrones, laurels, and of course - the redwoods. "Preserved" might by a bit of an overstretched word because none of the trees there are the original, old growth trees. Those were all logged out a couple hundred years ago. Still, in places the forest in this park has a nice "wild" feel to it.

The Stream Trail

Despite the low flow of the creek the area beneath the redwood trees was plenty damp. The ferns looked very lush and happy and the rich smell of a healthy forest permeated my nostrils. The forest scene was completed with some lovely looking mushrooms rising through the thick layer of humus and decomposing leaves. 

The only flower that I saw blooming along the well shaded Stream Trail was the invasive periwinkle, which I did not photograph. I did see the fruit of the snowberry here and there - they also looked lovely. 

Common Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus

There are many picnic areas along the Stream Trail and on the last curve before reaching the parking lot there was also a large, open lawn and a little playground. I was glad to find a restroom structure there and on my way to use it I was impressed by the raw of tall manzanita that were in full bloom, and the swarm of angry-sounding bees that fussed over the cloud-like blossoms. 

Brittleleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos crustacea

Redwood Regional Park is very pretty year round, but winter time has its special charm there, and it is my favorite season to hike in the redwood forest. A week later I took my family hiking group on that same loop trail, and they agreed with me.