Keeping the Wildlife at Bay in Drake Country

This coast walk will keep you glued to your field glasses. No, the route isn’t difficult to follow; you’ll want the field glasses to help you observe the abundant wildlife around Drakes Estero.

The many fingers of Drakes Estero, Marin County’s largest lagoon, are patrolled by legions of ducks. Great blue herons, willets, godwits and many other shore birds feed along the mud flats. You might see deer--either the native black-tail or the “imported” white axis--browsing the grassy ridges. Harbor seals and sea lions often swim into the estero, or estuary.

You won’t need binoculars to sight the most common animal found in these parts--cows. Both Herefords and Black Angus graze the headlands. This is cow country, and has been for more than a hundred years. A century ago, schooners maneuvered into Drakes Estero, took on a cargo of fine butter and returned to San Francisco, a ready market for the dairy products produced on Pt. Reyes.

The trail turns to the left and passes a stand of pine, once the nucleus of a Christmas tree farm. Soon the path crosses a causeway, which divides Home Bay from a pond. Bird-watchers will sight large numbers of shore birds in the mud flats of Home Bay.

The trail rises above the estero, descends to another pond and ascends again. About 2 1/2 miles from the trail head, you come to a signed junction. Sunset Beach Trail continues well above the estero and ends at a couple of small ponds, backed by Drakes Bay and the wide Pacific.

Estero Trail swings east and, after half a mile, comes to a junction. You can head south on Drakes Head Trail down to Limantour Estero, or you can follow Estero Trail all the way to Limantour Beach.

The estero you’ll visit, as well as the beach and bay you’ll view, are named for that pirate/explorer in the service of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman to sail around the world. While you’re walking along the estero, you can debate that age-old question: Did Sir Francis, in June of 1579, sail his Golden Hinde into Drakes Bay or San Francisco Bay? Is he the discoverer of San Francisco Bay, or does that honor fall to other sailors, more than 200 years later?

The bay where Drake set anchor had chalky cliffs, which reminded him of the cliffs of Dover. Drake’s description of this bay points to Drakes Bay. A member of the crew recorded that Drake, to mark his discovery, left a brass plate nailed to a post. A plate with Drake’s name was found indeed found in 1936, but tests sponsored by the Bancroft Library, where the plate resides, proved it to be of modern manufacture. In any event, the man who unearthed the plate claimed to have found it near San Quentin Prison on San Francisco Bay. And the debate goes on.

Old ranch roads form a nice trail system on the west side of Inverness Ridge. Estero Trail is the most dramatic of these trails, and offers fine vistas and superb wildlife-viewing opportunities.

Directions to trail head: Head for Olema, which is 35 slow and curving miles north of San Francisco on Highway 1. (Here you’ll find the well-marked turnoff for the Pt. Reyes National Seashore Bear Valley Visitors Center.) Proceed two miles north past Olema and veer left onto Sir Francis Drake Highway. The highway follows the west side of Tomales Bay, passes through the hamlet of Inverness, then heads left (west). You’ll pass a junction on your left with a road leading toward Mt. Vision. Keep looking left and you’ll see the signed road leading to the Estero parking area. Follow this narrow road to the signed trail head.

The hike: Estero Trail, an old ranch road, climbs gently. As you climb, look over your left shoulder and admire Inverness Ridge, highlighted by--from west to east--Mt. Vision, Pt. Reyes Hill and Mt. Wittenberg.

The trail turns to the left and passes a stand of pine, once the nucleus of a Christmas tree farm. Soon the path crosses a causeway, which divides Home Bay from a pond. Bird watchers will sight large numbers of shore birds in the mud flats of Home Bay.

The trail rises above the estero, descends to another pond and ascends again. About 2 1/2 miles from the trail head, you come to a signed junction. Sunset Beach Trail continues well above the Estero and ends at a couple of small ponds, backed by Drakes Bay and the wide Pacific.

Estero Trail swings east and, after half a mile, comes to a junction. You can head south on Drakes Head Trail down to Limantour Estero, or you can follow Estero Trail all the way to Limantour Beach.

Drakes Bay, Marin County Where: Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Distance: 8 miles round trip, with 500-foot elevation gain. Terrain: Similar to Great Britain, with moors, weirs, glens and vales. Highlights: One of the Bay Area’s largest lagoons. Terrific bird and wildlife watching. Dramatic walks over the fog-wrapped shroes. A perfect antidote for the homesick Briton or Scot. Degree of difficulty: Moderate. For more information: Contact Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Bear Valley Road, Pt. Reyes, Calif. 94956, (415) 663-1092.