Olema Marsh - 4.7 Miles Round-Trip

Olema Marsh is located one mile north of the Bear Valley Visitor Center in Point Reyes National Seashore. It's one of the largest freshwater marshes in Marin County and a prized destination for bird watching. Heron, egret, kingfisher, various raptors and scores of migratory water birds can be found in the vicinity.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

Olema Marsh is part of the greater Giacomini Wetlands Area, acquired by the NPS in 2000 for restoration.

Ranchers throughout the Olema Valley area dammed and redirected water for decades to create cattle pasture, depriving wetlands of their fresh water tributaries and twice daily flooding from Tomales Bay. Most levees were removed by 2008, with an immediate impact on the area's natural hydrology, ecology and wildlife.

While marsh exploration is limited, the short hike from Bear Valley Visitor Center is quite varied. The trek begins at Morgan Horse Ranch, the only breeding horse ranch in the National Park system. It quickly transitions into a forest dominated by Douglas fir, with trees that can reach 200' and live hundreds of years.

They're comparably sized to Redwoods, but distinguished by their bark and lower limbs. The Douglas is not a true fir, though does resemble one (its scientific name translates to false hemlock).

California Buckeye is a deciduous member of this predominantly evergreen forest. The buckeye produces bunches of white to pale pink flowers May - June, but may lose its leaves as early as mid summer. Although its flowers are toxic to bees and generally inedible, early inhabitants used the buckeye's unripe seeds to stupefy fish. Leaves were made into medicinal teas, and the wood was ideal for making fire drills.

California Bay - also known as California Laurel - is in the same plant family as avocados and cinnamon. Always competing for light, bay trees often arch into better lit areas and sprout new branches along its bent trunk. Because they prefer moist soil, California bay is only found on trails on the east side of Inverness Ridge.

Coast Live Oak is named for its perennial leaves, in contrast to seasonal deciduous oaks', which drop seasonally. Coast Live Oak leaves are dark green on top and white and hairy underneath. No other oak in California has leaves that curve backwards at its tip. Like all oaks, coast live oak drop acorns in the fall, which the Coast Miwok boiled and pounded into meal.

Coast Miwok occupied this area for thousands of years, building a complex society from abundant land and sea resources. The trail to Olema Marsh skirts Kule Loklo, a recreated Coast Miwok village and cultural exhibit that showcases dwellings and tools used by the Miwok over 200 years ago:

From Bear Valley Trailhead, head up the Morgan Trail into the forest (.23 miles : 188'). It rises beside Morgan Horse Ranch to the Horse Trail - Kule Loklo Trail split (.4 miles : 165'). Veer left on the Horse Trail, and note Olema Marsh is not listed on this sign.

The Horse Trail crests, drops to a bridge, and forks right for Olema Marsh (.65 miles : 75'). The Horse Trail skirts the edge of Kule Loklo, just past which it merges with a gravel road and quickly branches right on a narrow, unmarked path. The trail emerges in a marshy clearing, an excellent place to findwildlife (1.0 miles : 25').

The oft-wet and muddy trail leads through open space to Bear Valley Road (1.85 miles : 2'). Turn right on Bear Valley Road for .1 miles to the Olema Marsh access road, and left into the Olema Marsh parking area (2.15 miles : 9').

The Olema Marsh Trail continues north through the marsh to its abrupt terminus on Point Reyes - Petaluma Road (2.35 miles : 5').