Friday, April 29, 2011
Coho Salmon Winter Spawning Run in Lagunitas Creek at Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Marin County, California USA.
The winter spawning run of coho salmon can be viewed at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.The largest remaining run of Central California Coho Salmon"The largest remaining run of Central California coho is found in the Bay Area, in Marin County's Lagunitas watershed." Coho Salmon in West Marin County - Bay Nature Institute | Coho Salmon jumping up Inkwells Falls on San Geronimo Creek. Picture by Paola Bouley. |
"SPAWN, the Salmon Protection And Watershed Network works to protect (the) endangered salmon in the Lagunitas Watershed and the environment on which we all depend." Salmon Protection And Watershed Network "The Lagunitas Creek Watershed (LCW), located in west Marin County, California currently supports California's largest wild population of Central Coast coho salmon and at least its second largest population of steelhead trout. It has been identified as one of the most important waterways left for wild California coho, federally listed as endangered." The Coho of Lagunitas Creek Watershed - SPAWN |
Plan your trip to see the Coho Salmon Run in Lagunitas Creek
Carrie Sendak, Watershed Biologist at Salmon Protection and Watershed Network, said that the Coho Salmon run in Lagunitas Creek goes from "mid-November to mid-January typically, with peak two weeks (during the) last week of December (through the) first week of January."1. At the start of our winter rainy season it takes a few rainstorms to get enough water flowing in Lagunitas Creek to enable the fish to make their way upstream to the spawning grounds.
Real-time flow data for Lagunitas Creek.
USGS Real-Time Water Data for Lagunitas Ck at SPTaylor St Pk
2. During and immediately after a rainstorm the creek will be cloudy with silt. The best time for fish viewing is 2 or more days after the last significant rainstorm. Check the recent local rainfall at Lagunitas, CA and the local weather forecast to help decide when to plan your trip to see the salmon run.
3. Call the SPAWN office (415-663-8590) for up-to-date information about when the salmon spawning run is occurring.
Map of Locations for Viewing the Salmon Run
• Instructions for online interactive topographic river maps & road maps.• Click on Map button for road map, Topo button for topographic map.
• Full-Screen Lagunitas Creek Map - landmarks in and near Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
• Names of landmarks (A, B, etc.) - DoubleClick or point on the red markers.
Geographic coordinates - Landmark name (marker on map above)
N 38.08485 W 122.82887 - salmon leave Tomales Bay and enter Lagunitas Creek (A)
N 38.02981 W 122.73612 - Devil's Gulch Trail in Samuel P. Taylor State Park (B)
N 38.01899 W 122.73316 - North Creek Trail in Samuel P. Taylor State Park (C)
N 38.00450 W 122.70875 - Shafter Bridge over Lagunitas Creek (D)
N 38.00479 W 122.70868 - Inkwells Falls - entrance to San Geronimo Creek (E)
More about:
• California Coho Salmon at risk of Extinction - Bay Nature 23dec2010.
• Viewing Coho Salmon at Samuel P. Taylor State Park - nps.gov.
• Summer Salmon Institute 2011 - Environmental Education Training Workshop.
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park - KQED QUEST Defective website - must be viewed with Internet Explorer.
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park hiking - BRT Insights
• California Hiking Trails Directory.
• Hiking & Camping Trip Reports - BRT Insights.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
IceRocket Tags: hiking, trail, Samuel P Taylor State Park, Lagunitas CA, Marin County, California.
Tags: coho salmon, Lagunitas Creek, San Geronimo Creek.
Labels: hiking
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Trailheads for Muir Woods National Monument - Marin County, northern California USA.
Road maps, driving directions, & trail maps for planning your trip to Muir Woods.
Most visitors to Muir Woods National Monument enter via the main entrance at the Visitor Center (near Mill Valley, CA). See my trip report: Hiking to see the redwood trees at Muir Woods National Monument 24dec2010 and Steve Eulberg's music video Muir Woods Redwood Forest Cathedral.Muir Woods is entirely surrounded by Mount Tamalpais State Park, so State Park trailheads can also be used as alternate starting points for access to Muir Woods.
Map of trailheads in and around Muir Woods National Monument.
• Map user FAQ. The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map.• The tool on the left zooms in and out. Point at the red markers to see their names.
• Buttons: Map = road map. Terrain = 3D shaded topo map. Topo = topographic map.
• Full-Screen Map: Muir Woods National Monument and Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Geographic coordinates - Landmarks (elevation)
N 37.89392 W 122.57313 - Muir Woods Visitor Center (elevation 200 ft.)
N 37.90999 W 122.57721 - Mountain Home trailhead (elevation 925 ft.)
N 37.90845 W 122.60292 - Bootjack Picnic Area (elevation 1460 ft.)
N 37.90364 W 122.60425 - Pantoll Ranger Station (elevation 1500 ft.)
• "The Mountain Home Trailhead is one of the back doors to Muir Woods, as well as one of the easiest trailheads to reach on Mount Tam." (Bay Area Hiker: Mountain Home-Muir Woods Loop)
• Muir Woods via the Bootjack Trail - tommangan everytrail "The out-and-back hike along the Bootjack Trail, plus a couple miles of wandering at the Monument, should yield about six miles of heaven under the big trees."
• "There are two drive-in picnic areas on Mt. Tam: Bootjack Picnic Area and East Peak Picnic Area. Both sites have picnic tables, rest rooms, and running water." (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy :: Mount Tamalpais)
• "Maps available (for a fee) at the Pantoll Ranger Station. Restrooms, water, and pay phone next to ranger station." (Bay Area Hiker: Pantoll Trailhead, Mount Tamalpais)
• Muir Woods Trail Map pdf - National Park Service. This simple map may be helpful for planning your trip and guiding you along the trails as you hike.
• Mapquest - Muir Woods National Monument. Road map and driving directions.
More about hiking trails in California:
• Hiking trails in Marin County - Marin Wiki.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - Statewide Information.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
IceRocket Tags: Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais State Park, hiking, Marin County, Mill Valley CA, California.
Tags: travel, outdoors, redwood trees, photography, landscape photography.
Labels: hiking
Sunday, April 17, 2011
American River Canyon Hikes - trail guides for Auburn State Recreation Area - book review.
Hiking in the Canyons of the North Fork and Middle Fork American River - Placer County, El Dorado County, California, USA
"Our objective is to help the reader select a route for hiking, cycling or riding among those included in this volume. We provide specific directions to the trailhead and parking and what you may expect to encounter in terms of trail length (distance and time), difficulty and slope. A graphic profile of the elevation change for each trail, along with an easy to read map, allow the reader to easily orient himself or herself. .... A brief trail description is followed by a more detailed account of the notable features of each trail in terms of history, flora and other features." |
This great little booklet provides very thorough descriptions of 21 hiking trails in Auburn State Recreation Area north-east of Auburn, CA. Purchase the booklet from any of the local stores listed on the ASRA Canyon Keepers website. Overall, I rate "American River Canyon Hikes" as an excellent resource for hiking in Auburn State Recreation Area (SRA) (**** 4 stars out of 5).
Trailheads in the American River Canyon - Driving & Hiking Map.
• The map is interactive. Click and drag to reposition map. Map user FAQ.• Point on the red markers to see their names. Use the tool on the left to zoom in and out.
• Map=roads. Satellite=satellite map. Terrain=3D shaded topo. Topo=topographic map.
• Full-Screen Road and Hiking Map: Auburn State Recreation Area.
Geographic coordinates - Hiking Trail name.
N 38.91428 W 120.92821 - American Canyon Trail (A)
N 38.98250 W 120.98436 - Applegate to Lake Clementine Trail (B)
N 38.91685 W 121.03655 - Clarks Hole Trail (C)
N 39.00006 W 120.94020 - Codfish Falls Trail (D)
N 38.92283 W 121.01320 - Culvert Trail (E)
N 38.95464 W 120.96831 - Foresthill Divide Loop Trail (F)
N 38.93291 W 121.01174 - Fuel Break Trail (G)
N 39.04052 W 120.90231 - Indian Creek Trail (H)
N 38.93498 W 121.00342 - Lake Clementine Access Trail (I)
N 38.91655 W 121.03526 - Lake Clementine Trail (J)
N 38.93331 W 121.01106 - Lakeview Connector Trail (K)
N 38.88695 W 121.01613 - Olmstead Loop Trail (L)
N 38.90969 W 121.04984 - Park HQ to Confluence Trail (M)
N 38.91516 W 121.04043 - Pointed Rocks Trail (N)
N 38.91222 W 121.03505 - Quarry Road Trail (O)
N 38.90733 W 121.04874 - Robie Point Firebreak Trail (P)
N 38.91692 W 121.03622 - Stagecoach Trail (Q)
N 39.10485 W 120.94782 - Stevens Trail (R)
N 38.91648 W 121.03964 - Tinkers Cut Off Trail (S)
N 38.91638 W 121.04354 - Upper Stagecoach Trail (T)
N 39.09025 W 120.92104 - Windy Point Trail (U)
American River Canyon Recreation & Conservation.
• American River NF & MF Conservation & Recreation Directory. (Set display options alphabetical 100. 1=whitewater, 2=rafting, 3=conservation, 4=fishing, 5=camping-hiking, 6=local-info)• Some sections of American River NF are protected within the USA National Wild & Scenic Rivers Program.
See also:
• The American River: North, Middle & South Forks, 1989 - book review. More hiking trail information.
• Reviews - Books, Videos, and Websites - BRT Insights.
• California Maps - Atlas & Gazetteer by Delorme, 2008.
• California Hiking Trails Directory - BRT Insights.
IceRocket Tags: Auburn State Recreation Area, Auburn SRA, northern California, American River, hiking, trail, Auburn CA, Placer County, El Dorado County, California.
Tags: travel, walking, hiking, book, book review.