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Roy's Ranch Marin County Open Space Preserve B - E; *** ; 0.2+ miles; Transit? Rainy Weather No MAP MCOSD INFO MORE INFO BAYHIKER INFO
The trailhead alongside Nicasio Valley Road has only roadside parking, and not much of that -- it was half full on the drizzly first morning of 2009. We were barely able to let down our van's ramp on the narrow shoulder. Next we faced a trailhead gate and a motorcycle barrier with overhangs that would exclude any chair higher than 38 inches. There's also a considerable slope down from the road right there that makes entering the park uncomfortable. We tried going north on Meadow Trail, skirting a large
puddle and climbing a short slope to emerge from the woods. A few of these trees were up to 6 feet in diameter, but if there are very large redwoods here, we weren't able to get to them. But since it was a cold morning, we were grateful not to be in deep shade. The meadow would have been a pleasant place to enjoy the snacks and coffee we had brought with us, but the only place for my companions to sit off the ground was on logs in the woods, which were covered with wet moss. When we determined that all trails heading north were impassable, we retreated to the trailhead, where a low wood retaining wall made a good seat. Later, I checked the Dickson Ridge Road trailhead, 0.1 mile past the parking area, and found a locked gate and wheelchair-impervious hiker stile. Another trail across Nicasio Valley Road, which apparently crosses the golf course, is similarly blocked. On the map it looks as though going south on the Roy's Redwoods Loop Trail might be possible, but on this day I found the soft, uneven going there impassable. What did seem evident was that only parts of the Loop Trail within hearing of Nicasio Valley Road are likely ever to be at all usable. If we can get the stile on Dickson Road modified for access, that would be a good route for those of us who can handle steep. But it's likely Samuel P. Taylor Park, just a few miles away, will always be a better choice, if you have to choose. Details: West County Stage buses will make flag stops on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, 0.4 mile away. To drive, follow Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Nicasio Valley Road, go right 0.4 mile and look for the gate on your right. No designated parking, but there's an accessible portable toilet just past the gate. No benches provided in the area we visited. On leash dogs are permitted, and we met quite a few of them. |
We
had a disappointing visit to Roy's Ranch on New Year's Day. With the
dry winter, we thought mud would not be a problem, but it was, and we
were unable to go far on any of the trails (those that didn't have wheelchair
impassable gates). Fortunately, since it is so close to Sir Francis
Drake Boulevard, right on the route to Point Reyes and Samuel P. Taylor
Parks, it should be easy to visit again when it's really dry.
If you get there first, let me know what you find out.
Here,
to avoid a muddy footpath, I stayed on the grass, which was not a very
comfortable ride, and would have been hard work in a manual chair. My
companions got very wet feet on this terrain, but we savored the fresh
smell of the forest, and Dan saw a large owl fly away ahead of us. It
was disappointing to find that the trail became too narrow for my chair
soon after entering a patch of redwoods, less than 0.2 miles out.