As spring was approaching and a late rain expected during the week I decided to head out on a Saturday morning to Marin County and China Camp State Park.

I started my hike across the street from the Turtle Back Trail. I would be heading along the Shoreline Trail towards the ranger station. I originally thought I’d reach the ranger station and then return along the Shoreline Trail back to the trailhead.

The trail parallels San Pedro Road and turns south around Miwok Meadows, giving me a bit of relief from the cars on San Pedro. Here, I really felt like I was in the wilderness, despite the graded trail and wooden bridges. The forest was alive with bird song: Bewick’s wren, spotted towhee, and dark-eyed juncos.

As I came around the eastern edge of the meadow, I saw an oak crowned with a white jewel like a Christmas tree.

The angel on top of the tree, a killer angel, was a white- tailed kite pulling apart breakfast.

I then reached the junction with the Oak Ridge Trail. This is where I planned to turn back but I felt good, the weather was beautiful, and I wanted new scenery on the return loop.

I unpacked and assembled my trekking poles, removed an outer layer, and started my climb up to the ridge.

After a few switchbacks and glimpses of San Pablo Bay, I reached the top ridge looking out towards Peacock Gap and the Richmond San Rafael Bridge.

I continued on, the trail exposed to the late winter sun. I soon came to the junction of the Bay View Trail, which would bring me to Back Ranch Campground and then my car at Turtle Back Hill.

I dipped back down into leafy shade and despite the trails’s name, there were fleeting views of the bay through trees and foliage.

After returning to my car, two hours and 25 minutes after I started (not bad for 6.5 miles), I drove down San Pedro Road to check and sketch the progress of the osprey’s nest.