Summer Time Fun at Heart's Desire Beach

School is out! This weekend is looking like a great start to summer vacation! It's time to get to the beach and do some exploring. Tomales Bay State Park near Point Reyes is a great place for hiking and/or playing on the beach. The main destination for most visitors is Heart's Desire Beach, but with three sheltered beaches and ten miles of hiking trails, people spread out quickly. 

Tomales Bay State Park is on Tomales Bay, a long shallow inlet of the Pacific Ocean. The shelter the bay receives from the encompassing hills makes the water mostly flat, and the water is generally warmer than the ocean temperatures. When the weather gets really warm the surface water can reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but water temps in the low 60's are more common (for comparison Pacific Ocean temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit). The beaches are wind protected and are often warm even when it's a bit foggy. On the day we were there, a school group was at the beach and lots of kids were playing in the water. The gentle slopes of the beach and the lack of waves make these beaches attractive to families with young kids.

There are two main hikes from the main Heart's Desire Beach. The first is a two mile round trip hike north to Indian Beach. The walk is easy and has educational information about the coast Miwoks along the way. The second hike is a three mile round trip hike up Jepson Trail and down Johnston trail to Pebble Beach.

We recommend the shorter two mile hike for families. The trail quickly leaves the beach and heads into lush forest of Hazel Nut, Pine trees, Coffee Berry, Gooseberry, Huckleberry and Toyon. The hike has numerous interpretive signs along the trail describing these native plants and their uses by the Miwok native people. The hikes ends at Indian Beach. Indian Beach is a beautiful small beach with two teepees made of redwood bark perched high on the sands overlooking the water. We like to go at low tide so you can walk back to Hearts Desire Beach along the waters edge. Just before you arrive back at Heart's Desire there is a small cave tunnel, which is fun to go through with the kids. 

The longer and more hilly hike heads south from the beach into similar forest. The trail travels more inland and up into a Bishop Pine forest. This forest flourishes in the cool climate and the frequent fog. The trail crosses a road to meet up with Johnstone Trail. At Johnstone Trail go left and back towards the water. You will arrive at Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach is less crowded than Heart's Desire and it's a nice place to relax before heading back. 

Looping both hikes together is another option and should satisfy most hikers. Tomales Bay State park is currently closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Also, the park is on the chopping block for closure, so visit it soon!

See the book "Hiking Marin: 141 Great Hikes in Marin County" for more details. Click here to go the Marin Trails website, where you can find more information about the book.