30x30 Biodiversity Beach Hike Register

Date and Time:
Sun, Nov 3, 2024; 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM  (Pacific)

Organized By: Loma Prieta Chp Singleaires

Location: 5J4W+96 Pescadero, CA, USA

Map | Directions

Event Organizers:
Lisa Barboza
   lisa.barboza@gmail.com
   (650) 493-8099

Hi Nature Lovers, Please join us for our beach hike to celebrate the 30x30 initiative, to preserve, from development, 30% of the land and sea by the year 2030.

When: Sunday, November 3 2024 30x30 Biodiversity Hike, Franklin Point at 9:30 AM

Join us to explore the biodiversity of Franklin Point, located on the San Mateo County coast, and an intact, botanically and wildlife rich part of the original coastal prairie, with large sand dunes and marsh habitat, alongside a gorgeous stretch of the coast. This is part of Año Nuevo State Park, and it’s one of my favorite places to go, at all seasons.  Our conservation theme will be to discuss the plant and animal communities of the location, as well as to clean up and remove beach plastic.

Look to see flotillas of Brown Pelicans, Sanderlings, Black Oystercatcher, Marsh Hawk, gulls, and a range of cormorants in addition to seals and sea lions.

The native plant community is also widely diversified with some very special spots of rare plants.  This has some of the highest sand dunes on the central coast, and it is dominated by the ocean during winter and summer.  We’ll look at an area of intact dunes and a coastal prairie, and we will be visiting the Tafoni garden, a spot of unique geological wonders.

Length: 4.2 miles, 300 feet of gain.

Elevation change: about 300 feet, but sandy dunes make for slippery footing.

Website: Franklin Point is part of Año Nuevo State Park

Meeting place:  Franklin Point trailhead, at a dirt turnout, off the west shoulder of the highway, 3 miles south of Pigeon Point Rd (the lighthouse).  If you reach the Costanoa Lodge turnoff on the east side of the road, you've gone 0.7 miles too far south. Take care not to go to the main entrance of Año Nuevo State Park.

Hosted Carpool Location: Page Mill Park & Ride corner of Hwy 280 and Page Mill Road in Palo Alto.  Be there at 8:00 AM.  

Parking:  Free

Facilities: bushes

Starting trail: Franklin Point Trail

Lisa’s cell: 650/493-8099

Level: Easy(1A)

Bring: Lunch, clothing appropriate for the weather, at least 1L of water. Rain Cancels.

Carpool: Meet at 8:00 AM at Page Mill Park & Ride at Hwy 280. Host will be there.

Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.