Mt Tam - Steep Ravine-Dipsea Trails

The start of the hike is in the coastal scrub of the hillsides. We were treated early to bunches of Columbine. Then we walked through the riperian woodland along the creek with tons of escaped Forget-Me-Nots lining the trail. We stopped to watch a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers, but couldn't find their nest. The creek was really rolling along. The creek had taken out a door in an old dam so no more pond. Didn't see any owls or hear any wrens. That'll teach me to show up at 10 instead of 7:30!

The middle part, up Steep Ravine Trail, is the reason for coming here. From all the remnants of Trillium and Slim Solomon's Seal I realized that I should have come here a couple of months ago as well. Susie and I sat on a downed giant redwood tree. Before we really started going up, I had my lunch, read my flower book, and Susie "talked" to everybody that came by. The hike is so steep that railroad tie steps have been built into the trail. You walk through cut out redwood trees that have fallen across the trail. The scariest part was taking Susie up a 10 foot ladder near one of the many little waterfalls. But the Red Clintonia was there in full tilt, and it made it all worthwhile!

The upper half of the trail turns into Douglas Fir, and at these higher elevations there are still lots of cream colored Douglas' Iris covering the hillsides, along with Milk Maids and even a couple of Hound's Tongue stragglers.

The trip down Dipsea Trail goes across the grassland. I got my first look at the Owl's Clover. Susie and I had fun flushing a covey of Quail. She also liked snuffling around the grass where the deer? had slept the night before. We thought we heard a red-tailed hawk, but it turned out to be a Stellar's Jay doing his imitations. But just like VH1, it sucked me in. Then the trail winds through a wierd-looking patch of redwood that are all the same age. They look like toothpicks 100' tall.

Dipsea wanders through some Bay, then down more steps, and re-connects with Steep Ravine.

Here's a summary of what we saw:

Birds
Turkey Vulture, California Quail, Hairy Woodpecker, Stellar's Jay, Scrub Jay, Common Crow, Chestnutpbacked Chickadee, American Robin, Oregon Junco,

Wildflowers
Star Lily, Red Clintonia, Blue Dicks, Blue-eyed Grass, Douglas' Iris, Miner's Lettuce, Red-stemmed Filaree, Columbine, California Buttercup, California Poppy, Wild Radish, Milk Maids, Wood Strawberry, Cinquefoil, Dove Lupine, Bull Clover, American Vetch, Bur Clover, Bedstraw, Lovely Clarkia, Purple Sanicle, Cow Parsnip, Western Morning Glory, Hound's Tongue, Hedge Nettle, Black Nightshade, California Bee Plant, Common Monkey Flower, Indian Paintbrush, Owl's Clover, Manroot, Narrow-leaved Mule Ear, Common Yarrow, Scarlet Pimpernal, Forget-me-nots,

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Last updated 30 Oct, 1995.