Sunday, November 12, 2023 — 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
East Bay Chapter CNPS
Details
Field Trip to Carson Country in Marin County
Leader: Roy West is a writer and long-time native plant volunteer. He is not a real botanist.
The Carson Country, between Fairfax and Alpine Dam, is probably my favorite place on Earth. At well under an hour from Berkeley, it’s another world.
The trip starts at the Azalea Hill parking lot and heads northwest on the Pine Hill Fire Rd for an approximately 3.5 mile out-and-back walk, with a loop at the end. I figure 3 or 4 hours at a slow pace with lots of stops to look at plants. There’s a bit of up and down, some of it modestly steep, some narrow trails on the loop, and the road may be wet or rocky. But any regular day hiker with sturdy shoes and used to trails should have no problem. Besides, if you get tired, just stop: it’s heaven everywhere.
The geology is what makes this route special, crossing back and forth from Franciscan melange to serpentine. The plants change as abruptly as the soil.
More details and sign up on Meetup
