China
Camp State Park,California State Parks,
Marin County
In brief:
3.4 mile loop through oak woods along San Pablo Bay.
Getting there:
From US 101 in Marin County, exit North San Pedro Road. Drive east a little less than 5 miles, to the Bullhead Flat Trailhead on the left side of the road.
Trailhead details:
Parking for 10 cars in a paved parking lot; more roadside spaces a few feet away along North San Pedro Road. $5 day use fee (self register). One designated handicapped parking spot. Wheelchair accessible restrooms at the trailhead. Trail access is unobstructed, but trails are not wheelchair friendly. No maps here; the ranger station up the service road across the street sometimes has them. There is no direct public transportation to China Camp, but you can walk (or cycle) into the park from a Golden Gate Transit bus stop near Civic Center: visit the Transit Info website for details.
Gas, food, and lodging:
Gas, pay phone, stores, and restaurants back near Civic Center along North San Pedro Road and in either direction on 101. China Camp has a campground with 30 walk- and bike-in sites (no drive-in sites).
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 3.4 mile loop hike is easy, with about 400 feet in elevation change. Trailhead elevation is around 5 feet. The hike's high point is around 330 feet. There is one steep 0.2 mile stretch on Miwok Fire Road, but the other trails are very gently graded.
Rules:
Most trails are multi-use. A few are designated hiking-only. Dogs are not permitted. For day use, the park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset.
The Official Story:
CSP's China Camp page
China Camp park information 415-456-0766.
Map Options:
• Use AAA's San Francisco Bay Region map to get there.
• Download the park map pdf from CSP's website.
• Trails of Northeast Marin County is my favorite map (available from Pease Press).
•
A variation
of this hike is described and mapped in 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco,
by Jane Huber (yup, that's me, the creator of this website). Order
this book from Amazon.com. • Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area, by David Weintraub (order this book from Amazon.com) has a great map and descriptions of a China Camp hike.
• Hiking Marin, by Don and Kay Martin, has a few good maps and some trail descriptions (order this book from Amazon.com).
• North Bay Trails, by David Weintraub, has a good map and trail descriptions (order this book from Amazon.com).
• 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area, by Ann Marie Brown (order this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and descriptions of a featured hike.
• View photos from the featured hike.
China
Camp State Park always seemed cloaked in mystery to me. I'd driven by the park
many times and savored the bay views from the road. I'd heard about the historical
area, and walked around Turtle Rock. But I was never quite sure where the trailheads
were, or where the trails went. Like so many state parks, it was tough to find
a comprehensive map of the park, and after looking at some partial maps, I never
understood how the trails all fit together. On my first hiking expedition at
China Camp, I managed to find one map under glass at a ranger station. Unfortunately,
there weren't any to take with me, and there are no maps on the state parks
website. Finally, in 2001, maps appeared at the ranger station! This happy occurrence
should make it easier for hikers to find their way around China Camp.There are a few major trailheads. Heading east on North San Pedro Road, you'll first pass Back Ranch Trailhead. From there you can hike to the Nike Missile Site, and San Pedro Mountain (managed by Marin County Open Space District).
Miwok
Meadows is the next trailhead, and the best choice for Turtle Rock and Chicken
Coop Hill access. Next you'll arrive at Bullhead Flat (where the featured hike
starts). If you keep going, you'll finally reach the China Camp Historic Area,
which has the most parking. Although the park isn't huge, there are a number
of loop possibilities, and hikes range from the short and sweet flat loop around
Turtle Rock to a moderate climb to San Pedro Mountain's summit. Camping
is available at a developed site, and there is a group day use area near Miwok
Meadows.I love visiting China Camp in late winter, when the madrones are in bloom. I've never caught the park's wildflowers in April, but from visits in late winter and late spring, it seems that China Camp does not have a breathtaking display. Although temperatures soar in summer, the featured hike is mostly shaded, and breezes off the bay will cool you down on a hot day. The autumn landscape is graced with a riot of color from the park's black oaks. So any season is nice, but if you can manage it, visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds. This is a popular Marin County destination.
For the featured hike, cross
North San Pedro Road and walk up the paved service road. Stop at the ranger
station on the right if you like, then proceed up the service road (it looks
unlikely but this is the route) At 0.12 mile, you'll reach a signed with Shoreline
Trail. Turn right, toward Miwok Meadows. The multi-use trail soon leaves the ugly work yard behind and ascends easily through a dappled forest of coast live oak, toyon, and California bay. At 0.29 mile, at a signed junction, Peacock Gap Trail begins on the left. Continue straight on Shoreline Trail.
The narrow trail, popular with cyclists, winds through woods, with small seasonal streams running downhill toward the bay at nearly every turn. Shoreline is fairly level, and wanders through mixed woods and small grassy meadows. When there is a break in the vegetation, there are nice views of the bay. Since the trail parallels North San Pedro Road, some traffic noise will probably be audible. The woods are filled with madrone, coast live and black oaks, California bay, and a few buckeye. There isn't a lot of
poison
oak, but some shrubs crowd the trail with leaves and branches about head level.
In late winter, look in the grassy spots for early wildflowers, including milkmaids
and shooting stars. At 1.64 miles, Shoreline Trail drifts down to Miwok Meadows
and a signed junction. You can extend this hike to a nearly 7 mile loop: continue
as Shoreline proceeds west, skirting the campground, ascend on Back Ranch Fire
Trail, then take Bay View Trail to Miwok Fire Road, turn left, walk downhill
a short distance, turn onto Oak Ridge Trail and follow the remaining directions
below. For the 3.4 mile hike described below, turn left onto Miwok Fire Trail.This wide fire road starts out steep and then eases up a bit after 0.2 mile, as it climbs through a thin forest of oak, madrone, and California bay. You may see a few manzanita. Look for the yellow flowers of false lupine in spring. As you look back over your shoulder, views open up all the way to Big Rock Ridge on the west side of 101. At 2.05 miles, Oak Ridge Trail begins at a signed junction on the left. Miwok Fire Trail meets up with Ridge Fire Trail a few steps further up the hill; Ridge Fire Trail cuts west and eventually enters Harry A. Barbier Memorial Park on the south slope of San Pedro Mountain in San Rafael.
Turn left onto Oak Ridge Trail.After a few steps the grassland fades away and trees shade the trail. In winter, dead leaves from moss-lined coast live oak and California bay litter the ground. In spring look for blue-eyed grass. The trail is a thin sliver that winds levelly through trees, but it's a multi-use trail and a popular route for cyclists, so be alert for bikes. Oak Ridge Trail steps out to a signed junction at 2.20 miles. In 2001 the parks department conducted a controlled burn along the ridgeline to the right. Only blackened stumps of nonnative eucalyptus remain. This should create a firebreak, and restore the ridge to a more natural setting in a few year. McNears Fire Trail crosses Oak Ridge Trail, and both will cross again, so either trail is an option. Bear left. The fire road and trail run together briefly, then the trail veers right, angling across the hillside at 2.22 miles, while McNears climbs uphill to the left. Bear right on Oak Ridge Trail.
This section of Oak Ridge Trail is charming. Through breaks in the oak trees pricey homes
of
Peacock Gap, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and the smoke stacks of Richmond
refineries are visible. An unmarked path crosses the trail and heads downhill
to the right, on the way to a residential neighborhood. Continue straight.
In late winter, a single large trailside manzanita bush puts forth a riot of
white blossoms. In late spring, look for yellow mariposa lilies in the sunny
spots. At 2.50 miles Oak Ridge Trail and McNears Fire Trail meet again at an
unsigned junction. The trail to the right ends at the park boundary at the crest
of the hill. Continue straight on Oak Ridge Trail.Oak Ridge Trail snakes downhill, with long segments of wooden fence protecting the switchbacks. Some charred trees remain from a prescribed burn. This stretch of Oak Ridge Trail is a common spot for glimpsing some of China Camp's large deer population. In the understory you might see creambush. After descending gently under the quiet shelter of coast live oak and California bay, Oak Ridge Trail emerges into a small patch of coyote brush, where you'll likely see Ithuriel's spear and sticky monkeyflower in late spring. A dome-shaped grassy hill blocks any views to the east. The trail takes a tight turn and heads back into the woods. At 3.10 miles, Oak Ridge Trail ends at a signed junction with Peacock Gap Trail. The trail to the right reaches the park boundary in 0.1 mile. Take Peacock Gap Trail to the left.
The multi-use trail continues the descent. A few residences are visible at the base of the gulch. At 3.15 miles, Peacock Gap Trail ends at a previously encountered junction with Shoreline Trail. Turn right and retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
Total distancee: 3.44 miles
Last hiked: Tuesday, May 22, 2001
