Santa
Margarita Open Space Preserve,
Marin County Open Space District,
Marin County
In brief:
1/4 mile flat loop hike on a tiny oak-dotted island.
Getting there:
From US 101 in Marin County, exit North San Pedro Road. Drive east on North San
Pedro Road about 1 mile, then turn left on Meadow Drive. Drive on Meadow about
0.2 mile, to the roadside parking near the end of the street.
Trailhead details:
Side of the road parking at the edge of a residential neighborhood. No parking
or entrance fees. No drinking water, restrooms, maps, or designated handicapped
parking. The single trail is flat, but is not well-suited to wheelchairs. Golden
Gate Transit bus #34 stops at nearby North San Pedro Road, a short distance from
this trailhead.
Gas, food, and lodging:
Stores, pay phones, restaurants and gas back toward Highway 101 on North San Pedro
Road. No camping.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 0.4 mile loop hike is very easy. This is a tiny preserve with a flat
perimeter trail and a brief path that climbs to a short hill.
Rules:
No bikes or dogs. Horses are permitted, but you are not likely to encounter equestrians
at Santa Margarita.
The Official Story:
MCOSD's Santa
Margarita page
MCOSD 415-499-6387
Map Choices:
• Use AAA's San Francisco Bay Region map to get there.
• Download the park
map pdf from MCOSD.
• Trails of Northeast Marin County is a great guide to Santa Margarita
(available from Pease Press).
• Open Spaces: Lands of the Marin County Open Space District,
by Barry Spitz (order
this book from Amazon.com) has a simple map and trail descriptions.
View
photos from this hike.
Santa Margarita Open Space Preserve seems lifted from
the pages of a fairytale. This tiny island, surrounded by a thin ribbon of water,
is accessed by a massive bridge. Once you reach the island, you'll find a gorgeous
oak woodland, towering boulders, and a diminutive wooded hill, where rocks and
spooky coast live oaks screen all views. It takes just 0.3 mile to circuit the
island, but it truly feels like a private getaway. Winter can be muddy, spring
boasts flowers, and there's plenty of shade in summer. In autumn the deciduous
oaks toss their leaves to the ground, and by winter only a litter of dead leaves
provides clues to identify the bare branched trees.
Start at the open space gate at the end of Meadow
Drive. This bridge was constructed to facilitate entry to a development, and
it still stands, despite the island's open space status. When I visited in January,
as soon as I reached the bridge a flock of seagulls descended in a cloud 
around
me, hoping no doubt for a snack. At the far side of the bridge a pair of valley
oaks stand sentry to the right and left. A trail splits, and another well-worn
path heads straight, to the left of a cluster of pale white boulders. Turn
right.
The narrow trail, open to equestrians and hikers
only, keeps a level pace. Coast live oaks and California bays huddle together
on the left, while to the right deciduous oaks sprawl far apart in grassland,
permitting views across Las Gallinas Creek to the surrounding neighborhoods. Practically
every house has a dock, and many sport boats as well. Santa Margarita Island strikes
a balance between woodland and marsh, and unless you visit during the rainiest
months of the year, the trees seem to be winning. In winter and spring though,
you are bound to tread through some very sticky muddy. The trail curves left,
revealing views
to a newer housing development across the channel to the west. On my visit, a
grassy nook on the left was like a little spring preview, with dozens of white
milkmaids fluttering in the breeze (watch out for poison oak along the trail through
here). The trail draws close to the shoreline, but then drifts back toward the
trees. Much too soon, the trail runs out of real estate, and you'll find yourself
back at the bridge at 0.30 mile. You can return to the trailhead, or turn left
and ascend the obvious path uphill.
After just a few steps you'll enter a dappled forest
of California bay and coast live oak, with a few other oaks mixed through the
woods. One very gnarled coast live oak is adjacent to a swath of boulders. As
I walked uphill a silently hawk flew out of its treetop hiding place, escaping
to the north. The path easily ascends to the crest of the hill, where there are
some grassy patches, but beware of poison oak. The trees block all views. When
you're ready, retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
Total distance: 0.37 mile
Last hiked: Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page
the pages of a fairytale. This tiny island, surrounded by a thin ribbon of water,
is accessed by a massive bridge. Once you reach the island, you'll find a gorgeous
oak woodland, towering boulders, and a diminutive wooded hill, where rocks and
spooky coast live oaks screen all views. It takes just 0.3 mile to circuit the
island, but it truly feels like a private getaway. Winter can be muddy, spring
boasts flowers, and there's plenty of shade in summer. In autumn the deciduous
oaks toss their leaves to the ground, and by winter only a litter of dead leaves
provides clues to identify the bare branched trees. 
around
me, hoping no doubt for a snack. At the far side of the bridge a pair of valley
oaks stand sentry to the right and left. A trail splits, and another well-worn
path heads straight, to the left of a cluster of pale white boulders. Turn
right.
to a newer housing development across the channel to the west. On my visit, a
grassy nook on the left was like a little spring preview, with dozens of white
milkmaids fluttering in the breeze (watch out for poison oak along the trail through
here). The trail draws close to the shoreline, but then drifts back toward the
trees. Much too soon, the trail runs out of real estate, and you'll find yourself
back at the bridge at 0.30 mile. You can return to the trailhead, or turn left
and ascend the obvious path uphill. 