Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area. David Weintraub
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common are bluedicks, California poppy, owl’s-clover, checkerbloom, lupine, and blue-eyed grass. Look for these at Skyline Wilderness Park, Sunol Wilderness, Joseph D. Grant County Park, and Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve.
COASTAL SCRUB
Also called soft chaparral, this community consists mostly of shrubs and grasses growing near the coast. Among the most common members are California sagebrush, coyote brush, toyon, bush monkeyflower, and various brooms. Point Reyes National Seashore, Tilden Regional Park, and San Bruno Mountain are all excellent places to find coastal scrub.
Animals
MAMMALS
It’s always a thrill to see a coyote or a bobcat from the trail, but these sightings are uncommon. Glimpses of mountain lions are more rare still, but these large predators are present in the Bay Area, mostly in the more remote parks. Other, more common mammals in our area include squirrels, rabbits, deer, gray fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, and chipmunk. Wild pigs have invaded some Bay Area parks and their rooting does extensive damage. Stay away from these dangerous animals.
BIRDS
Located on the western edge of the Pacific Flyway, the Bay Area is a great place to go birding. The large variety of species results from the wide range of habitats—seashore to mountain—present here. Birders at Point Reyes National Seashore, the area with perhaps the greatest variety of birds, have logged an impressive 440 different species, or just under half of all bird species found in North America north of Mexico. Large numbers of individual birds reside in the Bay Area year-round, pass through on migration, or winter here. For the common names of birds of the continental United States and Canada, the American Ornithologists’ Union’s (AOU) checklist is the authoritative resource. It can be found at www.aou.org/checklist/north/index.php.
Early spring is a good time to spot birds at Sonoma Valley Regional Park.
Common birds seen from the trails include acorn woodpeckers, western scrub-jays, Steller’s jays, spotted towhees, dark-eyed juncos, sparrows, and California quail, the state bird. Hawks, falcons, vultures, golden eagles, and kites soar above many Bay Area parks. If you learn to “bird by ear,” identifying species by their distinctive notes, calls, and songs, you will quickly expand your list, because many birds are frustratingly hard to spot, especially in dense foliage. Birding with a group also improves your odds of seeing and identifying a large number of species, including rarities.
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
A variety of snakes are present in the Bay Area, including California kingsnake, rubber boa, California whipsnake, yellow-bellied racer, garter snake, gopher snake, and western rattlesnake. Gopher snakes are often mistaken for rattlers, but a gopher snake has a slim head and a fat body, whereas a rattlesnake has a relatively thin body compared with its large, triangular head. Gopher snakes are common, but rattlers are seldom seen.
The ubiquitous western fence lizard is probably the Bay Area’s most commonly seen reptile. Also here are the California whiptail, a lizard with a tail as long as its body, the alligator lizard, and the western skink. An animal resembling a lizard but actually an amphibian is the California newt, which spends the summer buried under the forest floor, then emerges with the first rains and migrates to breed in ponds and streams. Briones Regional Park and Monte Bello Open Space Preserve are among good places to witness these migrations. Other amphibians you might see or hear include western toad and Pacific tree frog.
Comfort, Safety, and Etiquette
Most of the routes in this book can be traveled with a minimum of preparation and equipment, calling for nothing more than sturdy footwear and a bottle of water. Probably the biggest safety concern is driving around the Bay Area. And trail etiquette means simply being considerate of others and picking up after yourself (and your pet). However, the more detailed information that follows may enhance your outdoor experience.
Preparation and Equipment
A little common sense goes a long way when preparing for the outdoors. Be realistic about your level of physical conditioning—there are trips in this book to suit all abilities. None of the routes require anything more complicated than putting one foot in front of the other. Some, however, require you to do this for several hours or more, uphill and down. In addition to terrain, weather conditions such as heat, cold, and wind can affect individual performance.
A pocket chart of native species can help to identify plants and animals you may encounter.
Good hiking boots are worth their weight in gold, and that weight is decreasing year by year. Many of today’s light hiking boots combine running-shoe comfort with support, traction, and durability. Some are lined with Gore-Tex, making them waterproof yet breathable, helpful for rainy days and creek crossings. A good pair of hiking boots will protect your feet and ankles, and provide essential traction on steep slopes. Combine the boots with socks that wick moisture (avoid cotton) and cushion your feet, and you have a recipe for happy hiking.
Comfortable clothing will provide protection from sun, wind, cold, rain, poison oak, and ticks. Synthetic fabrics have the advantage over cotton because they wick moisture away from the skin and dry quickly when wet. Adjust easily to changing conditions by adding or removing an insulating layer. Hats, gloves, and insulating headbands are useful accessories. Carry a lightweight, waterproof/breathable jacket, and you’ll be able to brave both rain and wind.
Other items to take along include plenty of water, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, map and compass, flashlight, knife, and basic first-aid supplies. Many hikers use a walking stick or trekking pole for stability and comfort. Binoculars, a hand-lens for plant study, and a pad and pencil are also useful. Try leaving your heavy field guides at home and instead make notes and sketches of birds or flowers you wish to identify. Please do not collect plant or flower specimens.
Special Hazards
Outdoor travel in the Bay Area is relatively safe. Most of the trails covered by this book are well signed and easy to follow. Still, getting lost is possible, either by taking a wrong turn, venturing off the trail, or becoming disoriented. If you do lose your way, don’t panic. Retrace your steps to a known point, use landmarks to get oriented, and refer to a map and compass if you have them. Altimeters are very useful if you have a map with elevation lines. A GPS (Global Positioning System) device may also be useful, but only if you have programmed the route in advance. Also, GPS devices vary in their ability to record an accurate position if the view skyward is obstructed.
Poison oak is a common Bay Area plant that comes in three forms—herb, shrub, and vine. Contact with any part of the plant produces an itchy rash in allergic individuals. “Leaflets three, let it be,” is the rule. In fall the shrub’s leaves turn yellow and red, adding color to the woods. In winter, upward-reaching clusters of bare branches identify the plant. Avoid contact with poison oak by staying on the trail and wearing protective clothing. Wash anything that touches poison oak—clothing, pets—in soap and water.
Western black-legged ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, which, if left untreated, can cause serious health problems. These tiny insects are almost invisible, and often the victim doesn’t know he or she has been bitten. The best protection against ticks is to wear long pants tucked into your socks and a long-sleeved shirt, use an insect repellent containing DEET on your clothes, stay on the trail, and shower and launder your clothes after your hike. If you find a tick attached, grasp it with a tweezers as close to your skin as possible and gently pull it straight out. Squeezing a tick that is attached may cause it to inject the bacteria. Wash the area, apply antiseptic, and call your doctor.
Western rattlesnakes are present in the Bay Area but seldom seen. Most of the time, the snake moves away when it senses humans. However, if a foot or hand lands in the snake’s immediate vicinity, it may strike, sometimes without warning. If you do hear a rattling