Walkabout Northern California

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

—WALT WHITMAN, “Song of the Open Road”

Never did I think so much, exist so vividly, and experience so much, never have I been so myself—if I may use that expression—as in the journeys I have taken alone and on foot.

—JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU, The Confessions

AMERICANS CROSS THE ATLANTIC TO WALK FROM INN TO INN on long-established European trails. They hike the Alps or Southern France, explore the British Isles at 2 miles an hour, or pilgrimage through Northern Spain on the road to Santiago de Compostela, stopping each night at a hostel or inn.

To my delight, I have discovered that in California it is also possible to enjoy dozens of multiday walks from inn to inn. This book will help you plan self-guided hikes along the wild Pacific Coast, through the majestic Sierra Nevada, into the Southern Cascades, through the parklands around San Francisco Bay, and more. Each day ends with a comfortable bed, a glass of wine, a good meal, and perhaps even a therapeutic massage or a soak in hot springs.

Hike the Marin Coast from the Headlands to Point Reyes, stopping each evening in a coastal village where you can explore the pubs and restaurants. Cross the Sierra in the footsteps of the pioneers, and stay in cabins on the shores of clear mountain lakes. Take a romantic stroll along the beautiful Mendocino Coast, and enjoy gourmet cuisine at inns perched on bluffs overlooking the vast Pacific. Walk along the shore of Monterey Bay, and marvel at the abundance of sea and bird life in its protected waters. Hike Lassen, exploring mountain lakes, deep canyons, and otherworldly hydrothermal landscapes, with a visit to a rustic guest ranch, where you will enjoy sumptuous dining and a muscle-soothing soak in hot springs.

The multiday hiker derives a special joy from hiking in the wilderness. The tensions of the workaday world melt away. The mind slows as the miles pass, and your focus shifts to the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. You go not only into the woods but deeper into yourself. A walk in the wilderness is the antidote to the frantic pace of modern life. Leave the car behind to hike for a few days, and you have not only the time to process your to-do list and plan the work that needs to be done when the hike is over but also the time to daydream, to tell your friend a story that might take three days to complete, to contemplate, to meditate. If a pilgrimage is a walk to a sacred site, then perhaps nature’s wild places are our cathedrals, and every hike in the wilderness is a pilgrimage both to a place and into one’s heart.

Walking in the wild places of California, on the same trails that others have hiked for 10,000 years, one imagines how life must have been: the Sinkyone teenager who looked up at King Peak soaring to the heavens from the Lost Coast and thought, “Tomorrow I will climb to its summit and see the rest of the world.” Or the pioneer wife on the Emigrant Trail who, with her family, walked most of the 2,000 miles from their former home in Indiana and, as she was about to ascend West Pass, thought, “Just one more great climb. We will conquer the elephant, and then walk to the fields of gold.”

Or the Ohlone children on the Monterey Bay, filling baskets with mussels for the village feast, who have come farther south than ever before when the eldest says, “It is time to go back.” A young girl points south, “just to that river.” Pelicans and seagulls crowd the sandbar where the river meets the sea. A school of dolphins leaps beyond the breaking surf, and farther out to sea, migrating gray whales surface and spout. The eldest says, “Tomorrow, at low tide, we will cross the river and see what the mussels are like on the other side.”

A long hike through the wilderness deepens our connections to those who came before us. We feel the same yearning to climb to the next ridge to see what is on the other side. It also deepens our connection to nature and the need to preserve it. The strongest advocates for protecting the threatened California wilderness are those who hike its trails.

The Walkabout California adventure started with a hike in the Marin Headlands, just across the Golden Gate from San Francisco. For quite some time I had admired the Miwok Trail’s grace and beauty as it climbs and winds up Gerbode Valley and through the coastal hills. A map of Golden Gate National Recreation Area revealed that the Miwok connected with a half dozen other trails. If I took Wolf Ridge Trail, I could drop down into Tennessee Valley and take the Coastal Trail to Muir Beach. Did the journey need to stop there? Trails on the western flank of Mount Tamalpais go all the way to Stinson Beach. Could I keep going to Bolinas? I pulled out a Mount Tam map. Yes, I could climb to the Bolinas Ridge, hike through a redwood forest, descend, and stroll into town. Then I got out a Point Reyes map and saw I could keep hiking north all the way to Olema, 38 miles over four hiking days through some of the most breathtakingly beautiful coastline in the world. Along the way I would stay in four coastal villages, each with interesting inns and great dining.

I was hooked. By the time I finished that first walkabout, I wanted more, and I began to search for other inn-to-inn adventures. Were there other hiking routes through the California wilderness where inns, B&Bs, hotels, resorts, or hostels were within a reasonable day’s hike? I wanted to stay on trails, but a short stroll on a quiet country lane or even a very short walk on the shoulder of a rural highway would work to connect trails. The result is an exploration of more than 450 miles of California wilderness, nights spent in more than 50 inns, many extraordinary meals, and this book.

In the spring of 2009, my daughter, Emily, and I launched our website, WalkaboutCalifornia.com, with trail guides, some ideas about how to get started on your own walkabout, and an invitation to an online discussion about inn-to-inn hiking. The timing was right—people from around the world were ready to hit the trail on a California walkabout. We posted more hiking guides, and others joined in for discussions of European inn-to-inn hikes, questions and ideas about California walkabouts, restaurant and inn suggestions, and photographs of their journeys.

When we started hiking inn to inn in California, innkeepers were stunned that we had not arrived by car. Now, inn-to-inn hikers are no surprise. When we checked into the Bear Valley Cottage on the Point Reyes walkabout, our host, Amanda, rushed into her kitchen and returned with a well-worn copy of one of our Marin Coast guides that a guest had left behind. She offers a 15% discount for guests arriving on foot or by bike. Inn-to-inn hikers have become a regular part of her business.

What is the recipe for a really great inn? A beautiful setting is probably the most important ingredient. Throw in a room that is spacious, quiet, and well lit, with a comfortable bed, and don’t forget a gracious innkeeper, one who cares about your comfort as if you were a friend. “Your clothes are wet. Let me throw them in the dryer.” “Can we pack you a lunch for tomorrow’s hike?”

What makes a good hiking companion? I am lucky to have two who add to the joys of the trail and the pleasures of a good meal at the end of the day. Heidi, my wife, can hike all day. A horticulturist by trade, she is also a naturalist. If time allows, she will stop to study every wildflower. Along the trail my mind wanders, but she brings me back to notice the song of a meadowlark, the fragrance of a bay laurel grove, the intricate beauty of a Douglas iris, or a new constellation peeking over the horizon. My old friend Scott Jordan, a family court judge in Reno, knows the Sierra Nevada Mountains well, tells a great story, appreciates walking quietly for a few miles, and is always eager for an inn-to-inn hike. Spending a few days on the trail together renews and deepens a friendship.

Travel light. A 12- to 15-pound day pack with a book, lunch, and a change of clothes should do it. Is 10 miles a long hike? Not if you have all day. The sun shines for 15 hours on midsummer California days. How about 15 miles? No problem. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before you set out. Choose a comfortable pace. Stop to rest and read by a woodland stream. Have a swim in a Sierra lake. Take a nap in the shade of a buckeye. You will still arrive in time for happy hour.

Some of the great California inn-to-inn hikes I describe can take a week, but many can be enjoyed over a weekend. Some are challenging, but many are perfect for the casual hiker. Each chapter in this volume describes one or more great California inn-to-inn hikes. At the end of each chapter, you will find a detailed description of the route, transportation alternatives to the trailhead and back, and information about places to stay. Use these to plan your walks. Read the whole section to get a flavor of the countryside; meet some of its denizens, both two- and four-legged; learn a little of its history; and know what villages, inns, and restaurants to expect along the way.

So lace up your hiking boots and strap on a day pack. Leave the car behind and explore some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world. Take a walkabout in Northern California.

THE CALIFORNIA COAST enjoys a Mediterranean climate with rainy winters and dry summers. In midsummer, hot air from inland valleys rises, often drawing dense banks of fog from the Pacific that can blanket the coastline. The fog is most persistent in the northern part of the state. Spring and fall are the best times to hike the coast, but pay attention to weather reports. It can rain in midsummer, and a heavy fog can feel like rain. Always bring a light rain jacket. Late April–mid-June and the autumn months of September and October are ideal for a coastal inn-to-inn hike. You’ll have the best chance for perfect weather and to avoid the summer crowds.

Hiking in the mountains depends upon the intensity and timing of winter snows. High Sierra trails may not open until July. The months from June through mid-October are usually very good, but be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms at any time. Expect water levels to be highest in the early season, making some stream crossings more difficult. Autumn is ideal for the best weather and for having the trails to yourself.

EACH HIKE INCLUDES a simplified trail map, but it is important to also bring along at least one up-to-date topographical map for most of these hikes. Map suggestions can be found at the end of each hike. Here are some excellent sources:

All the paraphernalia of a journey can be such a hindrance, so I discard most everything, but then sleeping apparel, paper robe, and raincoat, inkstone, brush, and paper, medicine, lunch basket, and so on, wrapping them all up and hoisting them onto my back—legs wobbly and body weak—I felt as if I was being dragged backwards and I barely made any headway at all, feeling nothing but misery.

—MATSUO BASHO, Knapsack Notebook

I TRAVEL AS LIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE, with light boots and a large day pack that fits my shoulders and has a hip belt. I try to resist the urge to fill the pack.

THE BEST SAFETY PRECAUTIONS are to stay warm, dry, hydrated, regularly fueled with food, and rested. Taking these precautions will keep you from getting hypothermia and put you in the best position to manage any surprises.

KNOW YOUR ROUTE. Study the maps and read the hike description before you leave. Check in with the park or Forest Service offices before you start to find out if there are any difficulties with your itinerary. Talk to other hikers on the trail.

LEAVE YOUR ITINERARY WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER. Let your innkeepers know that you are coming on foot, and give them a number to call if you don’t arrive by a specified time. Call your friend or loved one when you return home to let them know you are safe.

HIKE WITH A PARTNER. OK, I am guilty of violating this one, but it is easier to get out of a jam if you have someone to help you.

RATTLESNAKES ARE COMMON IN SOME PARTS OF CALIFORNIA. They may be found near streambeds, under driftwood, or basking in the sunshine on a trail. If you hear a rattle, stop and determine the direction. Head the other way.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE OCEAN. Rogue waves will soak your feet or worse. Every year unsuspecting beachgoers get knocked down and dragged out to sea by surprise surges.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIDES. Sections of some of the coast hikes can be passed only at low tide. Read the hike description to learn where these spots are, and time your hike to reach them when the tide is out. For tide schedules, go to tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.

TAKE CARE WITH STREAM CROSSINGS. If a waterway looks dangerous, take the long route around. Hiking poles are helpful for maintaining balance. Some streams that flow into the ocean are most easily forded at low tide, when a sandbar forms at the mouth.

LIGHTNING CAN BE HAZARDOUS DURING AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SIERRA. Pay attention to the weather, and head for lower ground if a storm is coming.

ALTITUDE SICKNESS IS RARE BUT POSSIBLE FOR SEA-LEVEL DWELLERS WHO HIKE IN THE MOUNTAINS. The symptoms are shortness of breath, headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and memory loss. The best preventive measures are to give yourself time to acclimate, load up on carbohydrates before and during your hike, and drink lots of fluids. If you or a member of your party starts to feel the symptoms, head for a lower elevation.

TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST LYME DISEASE. Lyme disease from tick bites is infrequent in Northern California compared to the northeastern United States and the Upper Midwest. But it does occur, mostly in coastal counties. Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks, use repellents, and avoid sitting on logs in oak forests.

EACH HIKE’S DESCRIPTION gives you a sense of what to expect along the trail. The other sections help you plan and arrange your trip. Each chapter has a map showing the overall route. You will also want to bring topographical maps for most of these hikes; I suggest specific maps for each route. Detailed directions for each hike keep you on track. I have managed to take a wrong turn on most of these walkabouts, but this section will minimize your false steps.

Driving and parking directions help you find out-of-the-way trailheads. Information on public and private transport (taxis and shuttles) will help you to plan how to get back to your starting place or even how to make the trip without a car.

Places to Stay lists contact information for inns, B&Bs, hotels, resorts, and hostels. This list may be partial if there are many lodging options. Prices are also broken into these categories:

In properly developed countries, the inhabitants regard walkers with grave suspicion and have taught their dogs to do the same.

—ALAN BOOTH, The Roads to Sata: A 2,000-Mile Walk Through Japan

TAKE GOOD MAPS. Two maps are better than one. Still, don’t be surprised if you need to backtrack to find a hidden, unmarked trail.

IF THE POISON OAK LOOKS DIFFICULT TO AVOID, DON’T GO THERE. It will get you. Turn around and take the longer route.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WALK ALL DAY if you take rest breaks and stay hydrated and fueled with food.

TURN AROUND AT LEAST EVERY 0.5 MILE and look at where you’ve come from. Otherwise you’ll miss some spectacular scenery.

THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR HIKING ON THE BEACH—flat, firm sand—are usually found during the hours before and after low tide.

WHEN YOU GET UP FROM A REST BREAK OR LUNCH, stop before you walk away to see if you left anything behind. Otherwise you may arrive at your B&B and discover your camera is back on the trail.

THE WALKABOUT CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY IS GROWING, and there are so many more inn-to-inn hikes to be discovered in California. I continue to explore, and so do others. Visit WalkaboutCalifornia.com to share your ideas about inn-to-inn hiking, your reviews of restaurants and inns that you enjoyed along the trail, your photos, and any questions about the hikes. Find out about new walkabouts, and share in the adventure.

Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you.

—JOHN 12:35

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation. “Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

—LEWIS CARROLL, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland