Nature Through an Urban Frame

Nature Through an Urban Frame
            The San Francisco Bay Area includes cities and towns ranging south to Silicon Valley, north to Wine Country, points east in the East Bay, and west to Marin County, San Francisco, and San Mateo County bordering the Pacific Ocean. 
            It is also home to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, an amalgamation of close to 40 separate park sites. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the most visited unit of the National Park Service, with 19 million visitors per year. Extending over 80,000 acres dotted both north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge, it includes more than 130 miles of trails.
            And that is just one category of abundant nature resources in the Bay Area. County parks, state parks, open space preserves, one’s own back yard. There is nature at every turn.
            Many of us battle the high cost of living here because of access to stunning nature in close proximity to urban areas. Visitors can enjoy bayside trails with rare butterflies or rugged mountain trails with mountain lions and bobcats hiding in the shadows. It would be impossible to visit every beautiful nature site in the area, so nature enthusiasts can never claim boredom.
            This week’s Hike Notes lead us past an iconic view of Marin’s hallmark mountain, Mt. Tam, seen through the framework of the freeway overpass, to Bothin Marsh, a stellar example of the intertwining of city and nature in the Bay Area. A huge variety of migratory birds are in view with a quick stop off the freeway.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos! Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. 
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 94: Bothin Marsh