California Coastal Access Guide, Seventh Edition. California Coastal Commission
red (males) or pink (females). After spawning, the fish remain for a few days near their nests before dying.
Other attractions
The town of Bolinas holds an annual Fourth of July celebration that includes a parade and a tug-of-war with residents of the neighboring community of Stinson Beach. At Point Reyes Station, the Western Weekend parade and barbecue is held every year on the first weekend in June, with a nod to the area’s ranching roots. For over 30 years, a Sand Sculpture Contest has been held at Drakes Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore in September. Entry is free, and prizes are awarded; for information, call: 415-464-5100. For a calendar of events, a list of farms that offer tours and overnight stays, and information about local producers of cheese and other foods, see: www.visitmarin.org.
Marin County
Dillon Beach Area
DILLON BEACH: End of Dillon Beach Rd., 4.1 mi. W. of Tomales. Public access to a broad sandy beach via a privately owned parking area. Picnic tables are on the sand. Dogs must be leashed in parking area and may be under voice control on the beach. Café and general store nearby. Call: 707-878-2094.
LAWSON’S LANDING: 5 mi. W. of Tomales, off Hwy. One, S.W. of Dillon Beach. Take the road south from Dillon Beach to this privately operated resort, offering day use and camping. Designated campsites for tents or RVs are located in a meadow and along the seawall; no vehicles allowed in the sand dunes. Picnic tables and fire rings available. Call ahead in wet weather, when the campground may be closed. RV dump stations available. Reservations accepted online only; visit www.lawsonslanding.com.
Boating facilities include self-launch of trailered boats or kayaks, launching service by tractor, boat rentals, and out-board motor repairs. The boat-house offers bait and tackle, propane, firewood, and fishing licenses; call: 707-878-2443.
▪ Popular area for clamming; fishing license required
▪ Pier and bay fishing for halibut, perch, starry flounder, sand dabs, and more
▪ Shorebirds arrive en masse in winter
▪ Harbor seals haul out on the sandy shore
▪ Tule elk may be seen on Tomales Point
KEYS CREEK FISHING ACCESS: Milepost 44.07 on Hwy. One, 1.6 mi. S.W. of Tomales. Small public fishing access area has picnic tables and restrooms. A trail, sometimes overgrown, leads from the gravel parking lot to the bank of Keys Creek. Fishing for coastal coho (silver) salmon, designated as endangered, is prohibited. For steelhead fishing rules, check current Fish and Wildlife Department regulations.
WALKER CREEK DELTA: 2 mi. S. of Tomales, W. of Hwy. One. Walker Creek with its tributary, Keys Creek, is the second largest of the streams feeding Tomales Bay. Although its flow has been reduced by siltation, the stream still supports runs of coho salmon and steelhead. The Walker Creek delta includes over 100 acres of marsh and mud-flats. The delta is managed by Audubon Canyon Ranch, a nonprofit land preservation and education organization. Access to the marsh is reserved primarily for educational and scientific purposes and is by appointment only; call: 415-663-8203.
Marin County
Tomales Bay East Shore
TOMALES BAY: N.W. of Point Reyes Station. The bay is 13 miles long, one mile wide, and very shallow; the south end is less than ten feet deep, and wide expanses of mudflats are exposed at low tide. The bay is fed not by a great river, but rather by small streams, of which Walker/ Keys Creek, Lagunitas Creek, and Olema Creek are the largest. Salt and freshwater marshes are found along the shore.
▪ Nearly 100 species of water-associated birds have been sighted at Tomales Bay
▪ Shorebirds include marbled godwits, black turnstones, and willets
▪ Waterfowl include surf scoters, buffleheads, and ruddy ducks
▪ Great egrets wade in shallow bay waters
MILLER PARK LAUNCHING FACILITY: Hwy. One, 3.6 mi. N. of Marshall. County park has a pier, jetty, and concrete boat launch ramp. Picnic area in a grove of trees. Fee for parking.
NICK’S COVE: Hwy. One, 3.6 mi. N. of Marshall. A restaurant and inn occupy historic bayside buildings; there is public access to the pier and beach during business hours. Call: 415-663-1033.
LIVERMORE MARSH/CYPRESS GROVE: Marshall-Petaluma Rd., Hwy. One intersection. Managed by Audubon Canyon Ranch, a land preservation and education organization. Access is reserved primarily for educational and scientific purposes and is by appointment only; call: 415-663-8203.
VILLAGE OF MARSHALL: Hwy. One, 10 mi. N. of Point Reyes Station. Historic hamlet with oyster production and sales.
▪ Kayak rentals and instruction at Blue Waters Kayaking, 19225 Shoreline Hwy.; call: 415-669-2600
MARCONI CONFERENCE CENTER: E. of Hwy. One, 1 mi. S. of Marshall. The old Marconi Hotel (built 1913) is a state park, used as a conference center. Overnight accommodations are offered to travelers not attending a conference if space is available; reservations taken three days in advance. Call: 415-663-9020.
TOMALES BAY STATE PARK–MILLERTON POINT: Hwy. One, 5.4 mi. N. of Point Reyes Station. Trail leads to the point. A small salt marsh borders the beach, known as Alan Sieroty Beach. Dogs on leash allowed only on the fire road running on high ground from the parking lot. Tomasini Point, undeveloped state park property, is one mile north of Millerton Point; an opening in the fence marks a trail to the shoreline; no dogs allowed. Call: 415-669-1140.
▪ Picnic area
▪ Views of forested Inverness Ridge
▪ Osprey platform encourages nesting
BIVALVE OVERLOOK: Milepost 31.50 on Hwy. One, 3.2 mi. N. of Point Reyes Station. Views of Tomales Bay from gravel pull-out along Hwy. One.
TOMALES BAY TRAILHEAD: Edge of Tomales Bay Ecological Reserve, 2.2 mi. N. of Point Reyes Station. Trail from Hwy. One to the southern tip of Tomales Bay. Small gravel parking lot.
Marin County
Point Reyes Station
GIACOMINI WETLANDS: W. of Point Reyes Station. Former pasture land has been undergoing wetland restoration since