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Dare to tread the San Andreas Fault where the earth's crust shifted and moved 5 meters (16 feet) in 1906!
Meet a Point Reyes National Seashore ranger at the start of the Earthquake Trail for this easy one-kilometer (0.6 miles) walk.
Join a Park Ranger for a leisurely 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) tour and introduction to the history and culture of the Coast Miwok people.
The walk ends at Kule Loklo (meaning "Bear Valley"), a replica Miwok village.
The Station House Cafe in Point Reyes Station has been serving the West Marin community since 1974. Offering American cuisine, the cafe uses fresh organic and sustainable ingredients, supporting local farmers and harvesting from their own gardens.
Many a Sunday evening, the cafe hosts live music, including blues and bluegrass acts such as Paul Knight and Friends, Doug Adamz and the Trio Bravo, and the New Copasetics.
Check the cafe's schedule to see who's playing this week.
Housed in a restored barn in Point Reyes Station, the Cowgirl Creamery has been making handcrafted, farmstead cheese in small batches since 1997. Nationally recognized for its artisan quality, the Creamery offers cheese-making demonstration and tasting at its ecologically conscious facilities on Fridays at 11:30 a.m.
Foodies and dairy junkies won't want to miss the chance to go behind the scenes, where the Creamery makes about 3,000 pounds of cheese per week. Peek through a viewing window and watch how they make the goods, and learn about the cheese-making process in a 60-minute presentation. The class ends with a tasting of Cowgirl Creamery cheeses.
Afterwards, peruse the cheese counter to which features more than 200 of America's and Europe's most prized producers, or check out the selection of local produce and other goodies.
Reservations for the class are strongly recommended; call (415) 663-9335 or book your tour online.
Built in 1870, the Point Reyes Lighthouse guided mariners for 105 years before it was replaced by an automatic beacon in 1975.
Join a park ranger for a guided tour of the lighthouse's lantern room, and learn about the history and function of this Bay Area landmark. Tours are available from 2:30 - 4 p.m., Thursday - Monday, mid-April - December.
The Lighthouse Visitor Center is also open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round, where you can see historic photographs of shipwrecks and lighthouse keepers, and handle artifacts -- such as real whale baleen -- on a hands-on "touch table."
Join a Park Ranger to learn more about Point Reyes National Seashore's natural and cultural history during their Daily Ranger Program, offered weekdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Topics covered may include earthquakes and plate tectonics, the Coast Miwok, the U.S. Lifesaving Service, or area flora and fauna. Some programs may require a walk of up to 1 mile on easy to moderate trails.
There are two programs each day, one at 10:30 a.m. and one at 2 p.m.
Stop by or call the Bear Valley Visitor Center at (415) 464-5100 for information about today's program.
Engaging in the longest migration of any mammal, the California gray whale swims 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) each year, spending about one-third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California. Along the way, these incredible animals can often be seen from the shores of Point Reyes.
On weekends and holidays from late December through April, you can watch the whales through binoculars and scopes from the Point Reyes Lighthouse observation deck. Volunteer docents will be on hand to answer questions about these majestic mammals.
In addition, you can learn about the gray whales' habits and adaptations during the ranger-led "Journey of the Whales" program, held on weekends and holidays from 1:30 - 2 p.m.
Hunted to the brink of extinction at the turn of the 20th century, the northern elephant seal has made a strong comeback in the past 100 years, thanks in part to both government restrictions on hunting and their own secluded, deep-sea lifestyle.
For just a few months each year, these unique creatures come ashore, returning to various spots along the California coast to compete, mate, and give birth. It’s a powerful ecological pageant that only plays out from mid-December through March/April.
The Point Reyes National Seashore offers a specific overlook near Chimney Rock, above Drakes Bay, where visitors can observe a colony of elephant seals through scopes and binoculars. On weekends from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., docents are on hand at the overlook to answer questions.
In addition, a special 30-minute slide program about elephant seals may be offered at the Historic Lifeboat Station, depending on staffing availability. Ask at a visitor center for more information.
Experience the Point Reyes Lighthouse as many keepers have over the years, watching as the lighthouse's beacon shines over the sea.
This popular ranger-led tour is available on the first and third Saturdays of the month, from mid-April through December. Start times vary depending on sunset. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round.
Space is limited. Call (415) 669-1534 after 10 a.m. on the day of the tour for schedule and reservations.The program is cancelled if winds exceed 40 mph. Call back between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to confirm status of program.
Point Reyes Seashore is one of the most biologically diverse places on earth -- nearly 20 percent of the state's flowering plant species are represented on the peninsula and over 45 percent of the bird species in North America have been sighted here.
While you're visiting, help preserve our beautiful park!
The bi-monthly restoration team of volunteers meets in front of the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 9 a.m. on the second and last Sunday of each month. Drop-ins are welcome.
The crew will visit some of the most beautiful areas in the park and help eradicate invasive plant species encroaching upon rare, native habitat. You'll learn about invasive plant ecology and the flora and fauna of Point Reyes National Seashore -- and work up a sweat removing the nonnative European beachgrass, iceplant, and other invasive species.
Bring lunch, water, and sturdy shoes. Gloves and tools are provided. Contact Ellen Hamingson at 415-464-5196 or by email for more information, and call in advance to confirm the workday (occasionally the team travels to another park).
Experience the Point Reyes Lighthouse as many keepers have over the years, watching as the lighthouse's beacon shines over the sea.
This popular ranger-led tour is available on the first and third Saturdays of the month, from mid-April through December. Start times vary depending on sunset. The Lighthouse Visitor Center is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday - Monday, year-round.
Space is limited. Call (415) 669-1534 after 10 a.m. on the day of the tour, for tour schedule and reservations.
The 2012 Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival features four days of birding and nature related trips, talks, film screenings, kids events, and more in Point Reyes Station and the surrounding wilderness.
Most events are pretty pricey -- with birding trips and classes running $30 - $70.
But there are a handful of free and affordable ($15 and under) events on most days of the festival.
Some examples of free and affordable events throughout the festival are:
Friday: $10 talk entitled "Above and Below the Surface" about birds and marine life of the California coast.
Saturday: Free birding pannel discussion sponsored by Citizen Science. Panelists from Audubon, Christmas Bird Count and eBird will discuss the importance of conservation science.
Sunday: Free "Kids Birdathon" hike to identify local species and a $10 presentation on "How Birds Got Their Human Names."
If you've got a little more cash to spend, head out one of several hikes/classes: $35 for a "Butterflies at Muddy Hollow" hike, or a "Birding by the Ear" hike where you walk through various local habitats and learn to identify birds by their songs, offered throughout the festival, or a $30-$40 bird sketching or field scketching workshop held on Friday, the $70 "Wildlife Nature Photography" all-day class on Saturday, or a $60 "Birding by Kayak" adventure on Sunday.
Many events allow only a limited number of participants, so check out their schedule of events to see what's still available.
On Memorial Day, Point Reyes National Seashore remembers and honors the surfmen who protected America's coast. Join the Park Service and the United States Coast Guard for services at the historic Lifesaving Cemetery at 2 p.m.
Following the ceremony, there's an open house at the Point Reyes Lifesaving Service Boathouse Station from 4 - 5 p.m.
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Point Reyes National Seashore with 150 miles of public trails! The Point Reyes National Seashore Association and the National Park Service invite you to join the inaugural Point Reyes Trails Challenge, a self-paced exploration of our amazing park. The Point Reyes National Seashore Trails Festival will kick off the Point Reyes Trails Challenge, a five-moth long fundraiser for the Point Reyes Trails Tust.
So dust off your hiking boots and get ready to join the Point Reyes National Seashore Association on National Trails Day. The festival will include programs, music and food. Kick off your challenge by hiking, taking part in mini classes, visiting info booths or volunteering on a trail maintenance project in the morning. Or join the 50th anniversary celebration in the afternoon!
Come celebrate with the vibrant West Marin community at the 37th Annual Silent Auction and BBQ for the Dance Palace! The Silent Auction is a major fundraiser for the Dance Palace, a member supported non-profit community center that provides a wide variety of educational, recreational, cultural and community services.
The silent auction will be followed by a blues and BBQ reception! Danny Click and the Hell Yeahs will play music on the Dance Palace front lawn from noon to 4PM. The BBQ will consist of raw oysters and sausages, with beer, wine, and soft drinks on sale to benefit the Dance Palace!