Low Tide Adventure at Shorttail Gulch!

In July, we will hike a little-known trail through prime owl habitat down to a beautiful cove with shorebirds and tidal rocks! There are also great wildflowers, raptors, and hummingbirds along the way. This is one of my favorite new spots to nature journal in all of the North Bay. We will be there during a relatively low tide so that we can apply our journaling practice towards the fascinating web of life that exists where the waves meet the land! We will start with some exercises to help our ability to draw rocks and landscapes. The tide will be going down and be at its lowest around 1pm. Some people may stay longer if the tide-pooling is super fun!

There will be a moderate amount of hiking on steep trail with lots of stairs to get down to the beach. If you are not that sure on your feet or have trouble with lots of stairs this might not be the trip for you. Once at the beach we won’t walk too far but be prepared for sand and or slippery rocks.  Bring everything you need to be comfortable and protected from sun and wind. This would be a good day to test out your sunny-day nature journaling equipment! A wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, maybe even an umbrella. Also be prepared for wind. A small folding stool could also be useful. Close focus binoculars and maybe a magnifying glass could be useful for looking at tide pool creatures.

We will have our potluck lunch on the beach so bring something that is somewhat portable.

$20 recommended donation

The trail head is located within a residential community in Bodega Bay so please be respectful when parking along Osprey Dr. The trailhead will be on your left as you drive in. The map below should get you to the right spot. There is no bathroom or water.