The trail-head is located to the left of the main beach just behind the restrooms. Be wary, this trail is steep and is an intermediate level of activity. This is a quarter mile trail that begins with a steep climb and winds through dense forest that leads to Indian Beach and connects to a road, totaling a 1 ½ mile excursion. It takes about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes to leisurely hike the trail. This is an excellent place to hike if you’re looking for a quick but fulfilling amount of physical activity surrounded by quiet nature, with sporadic yet beautiful views of the bay. Informational placards on plants and native wildlife sprinkle the trail. This trail meets Heart’s Desire road which loops back to the beach.

Summer is finally here! The days are getting longer and the weather is much, much warmer.  Now is the perfect time to get some Vitamin D in the great outdoors. I make sure to get outside in the summer as much as I can and get my blood flowing, because overall I feel better about myself physically and mentally.

In case you didn’t know, West Marin has a wide array of outdoor activities to be taken advantage of.  From hiking and kayaking to canopy and safari tours, there is something for all ages and demographics out here. We have an entire list of local activities to entertain you while you are visiting the area, and our wonderful lodging staffers are all experts on the area. Make sure to inquire at the front desk next time you are visiting Nick’s Cove, or check out our website for complete details.

Hope to see you soon!

Gualala Point Regional Park – Easy Hike

This spacious 195-acre park has open meadows mixed with coastal forest. The park contains a campground, trail system, coastal vistas, and sandy beaches. The park is located adjacent to the Gualala River, which offers limited seasonal fishing. Gualala Point Regional Park offers 2.9 miles of coastal trail along bluffs, through meadows, and above the Gualala River. Gualala Point Park is mostly popular with day hikers and picnickers.

This hike is exactly what you are looking for if you are craving beautiful scenery and fresh salty air.

Our Garden Manager, Brendan Thomas, has been hard at work in our 2-acre, onsite garden called, “The Croft”.  Here he talks about the climate challenges we face and what we are doing  to keep a sustainable garden:

“A winter of record rainfall at Nick’s Cove has presented many challenges in the vegetable garden. Flooding, erosion, and landslides are all a result of relentless weather after years of below average rainfall. We have been working with a permaculture contractor to turn this potentially disastrous situation into an opportunity to improve the landscape and ecosystem in the garden.

Perennial Abundance Permaculture designed and installed a system of swales around the vegetable beds that all feed into a sequence of rain gardens. These rain gardens are large basins that are connected by a constructed creek bed. In a rain event, the water that would otherwise flood and erode the vegetable beds is directed into this system. The rain gardens fill and spill out into the creek, which fills the next basin before moving on.

The slowing and redirection of the flow allows the ground to absorb the water. The idea is to collect the runoff from a storm and allow it to penetrate the soil, or as the permaculture saying goes, ‘Slow it, spread it, sink it.’ Rather than quickly moving across the ground, taking very precious topsoil with it, the water is trapped and used to feed a beautifully planted garden.

These rain gardens are like seasonal ponds, and they are planted with California native wetland plants. All of the plants are selected for their adaptability to the seasonal changes that we see in California. Some are drought tolerant, some thrive in the very wet or submerged low spots in the rain system. With spring in full swing, now is a great time to come see these gardens in person, as everything is soaking up the increased sunlight and warmth.

Perennial Abundance Permaculture is Nate Chaput and Tom Le Blanc. They are passionate individuals who have helped transform the garden this winter. Come see their top notch work in person at Nick’s Cove and check them out at perennialabundancepermaculture.com.”

Hope to see you soon!

The Johnstone trail head is marked with a sign located to the right of Heart’s Desire beach, just past the picnic area and before the beach. This beautiful trail extends for 4.3 miles, is relatively flat and has staircases for steep grades, making it a highly recommended trail for families. Along the trail there is the Vista Point Picnic area which boasts built in grills and fantastic views of the bay with ample seating areas. Pebble beach and Shell Beach are some popular stops along this trail which are excellent places to spot some wildlife or enjoy a quiet place. The Johnstone trail connects with the Jepsen trail and loops back to Heart’s Desire Beach.

Happy Trails!