On Sunday, April 25, 14 eager Benicia Day Hikers arrived at the Palomarin
Trail Head of Point Reyes National Seashore at around 10:15 a.m. Shortly
thereafter we headed out on the lovely Coastal Trail. This trail follows
the coastline at first along the top of cliffs that drop precipitously to the
rocks and crashing waves below. We enjoyed near perfect weather and blue skies. The abundant rainfall this spring encouraged a luxurious growth of wildflowers as we hiked up and down passing several fresh water lakes along the way. The rainfall also guaranteed that the waterfalls of Alamere Falls would be the best ever and they were indeed. Our cameras were snapping away.
The final hike down to the beach is always a series of challenges. The first challenge was snaking our way down a narrow un maintained trail through poison oak thickets clearly marked, "dangerous, pass at your own risk". And of course, pass we all did, and arrived at the top of an ugly looking eroded gully that provides access to a little bit of "heaven on earth".
The cascading waterfalls were surrounded by lush wildflower displays. The descent in the ugly gully brings one to a level area still about 50 feet above the sandy beach. Next comes the most challenging bit -- a rock scramble down a rather nasty ravine of crumbling rock. Not everyone did the scramble; but those who did were rewarded with the most beautiful sight of a waterfall crashing straight to the black sands of the beach. We enjoyed lunch on the beach and most of us took off our shoes and socks and allowed the sand and water to massage our feet and clean between our toes.
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