China Camp: Marin's trail-laced park on the bay
Most people who come to visit Marin County’s famed parklands head to Muir Woods, Mt. Tamalpais, Stinson Beach or Point Reyes—all wondrous places loaded with trails and natural beauty. But in-the-know locals who wish to escape the crowds instead head to the eastern edge of the county, where China Camp State Park—only 10 minutes east of Highway 101—is a widely overlooked treasure.
The park is only 1,640 acres, but the eco-diversity is impressive. The preserved wetlands along the shore shift to oak-studded meadows and then eucalyptus groves in the steep hills that rise high above San Pablo Bay. These hills are roamed by a large deer population, and in the spring, brightened by more than a dozen species of wildflowers in pinks, yellows, oranges and purples.
Even more than hikers, mountain bikers adore China Camp because—unlike the trails on Mt. Tamalpais—they’re allowed on the narrow, “single-track” trails in addition to the fire roads. (This makes hiking a little less relaxing, but most mountain bikers are careful to yield to hikers.) Most mountain bikers park on the park’s only road—two-lane Pt. San Pedro Road—just outside the Back Ranch Meadows toll gate. From there they only need to pedal two minutes to jump on the Shoreline Trail (rolling) or Bay View Trail (hilly)—the park’s two stellar single-track trails, which each wind through the park for more than five miles. They connect to several other trails, which allow hikers, runners and bikers to try many different loops.
On the Bay View, you can climb as high as 1,000 feet from the sea-level starting point and follow one of several ridgeline fire roads that spiderweb through the park. The Shoreline Trail explores meadows and deciduous forests as it meanders eastward—paralleling the road but seldom close enough to notice—the length of the park.
Less ambitious visitors can simply enjoy a quiet picnic in gorgeous surroundings at one of several day-use areas just off the road. China Camp Village, near the park’s southern boundary, has the most to offer. There you’ll find a quarter-mile long pebble beach and a small museum with artifacts from China Camp, which was a thriving shrimping village in the 1880s. There’s also overnight camping in the park.
HelloSanFrancisco tip: If you wish to relax on a sandy beach after a hike or bike ride in the park, stop at McNears Beach County Park, a quarter-mile from China Camp’s southern boundary on Pt. San Pedro Road. There’s also a swimming pool there.
Posted by Bob Cooper
