Bolinas Lagoon Preserve

Bolinas Lagoon is one of the few remaining unspoiled estuaries on the west coast.

Rangers Recommend

Sunrises and sunsets reflect beautifully on the shimmering surface of the lagoon.
Bob Stewart Trail wanders through a lush grove of alders and willows at the lagoon's north end.
Audubon Canyon Ranch, a nonprofit sanctuary and education center, offers an additional 8 miles of hiking next to this preserve, mid-March through mid-July. Check their website for open hours.
The lagoon is bordered by the charming seaside villages of Bolinas. Stop for lunch.
Friendly dogs are welcome on shore, on leash.

Naturalist Notes

Bolinas Lagoon is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary [External]. It is also within the Golden Gate Biosphere, an Audubon Important Bird Area, a State and National Treasure, and one of only seven Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance in the western United States.
The lagoon is an important stopover for tens of thousands of birds migrating on the Pacific Flyway. The birds need rest after their long, strenuous flights. Please observe quietly from a distance.
Herons and egrets are among the shorebird standouts. These large waders nest in nearby trees.
Enjoy watching the lively and curious harbor seals, especially at low tide. They haul out to rest on land before returning to the water. Please do not disturb; give them room.
Seal pups are often left alone by their mothers for short periods. Don't worry. They don't need to be rescued.
Threatened and endangered steelhead and coho salmon swim through the waters to reach upstream spawning grounds.
Most of the lagoon is shallow, only a few feet deep at high tide.
Check out the iNaturalist field guide [External]. Add your own observations.

Activities

Dogs On Leash

Fish

Hike

Kayak Canoe

Know Before You Go

Bring binoculars for the best views of birds and seals.
Dress appropriately for the weather. Temperatures can change quickly. Wear waterproof shoes or boots, as well as sun protection.
Carry drinking water.
There are no restrooms at this location.

There are two entry points for Bolinas Lagoon Preserve.

Directions

From the east: Exit Highway 101 at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Take Sir Francis Drake west 20.4 miles to Olema. Turn left onto Hwy 1/Shoreline Highway. Continue on Shoreline towards the south end of the Lagoon.

From the west: Exit Highway 101 at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Take Sir Francis Drake west 20.4 miles to Olema. Turn left onto Hwy 1/Shoreline Hwy, and turn right at Olema Bolinas Road, at the west end of Bolinas Lagoon. The Marin County Open Space Disrtict gate is on the left just before Horseshoe Hill Road.

Parking

Street parking only, along Highway 1 or in the village of Bolinas. Please be respectful of local residents. There is no public parking in the gated private community of Seadrift.

Public Transit

You can also dial 511 to find out about transit options from your location.

Map

Enter your location

37.915049

-122.691849

All visitors must respect rules to keep the preserves safe and sustainable.

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ALL VISITORS

No smoking or fires.
Weapons and hunting prohibited.
Motorized vehicles prohibited. (Individuals with qualified disabilities may operate certain kinds of zero-emission mobility devices on some roads,multiuse trails, and certain other facilities.)
Everyone must yield the right-of-way to horses. Bikes must also yield to pedestrians.
No model airplanes, drones, or other self-propelled crafts.
Permit required for commercial use and groups of more than 15 people.
All resources are protected. Do not follow, approach, or feed wildlife.
Maintain a minimum distance of 300 feet from all seals and do not disturb them.
Dispose of waste properly. Pack it out.

DOGS

Dogs must be leashed at all times. Leash must not exceed 6 feet in length.
Off-fire road and off-trail use prohibited.
Individuals accompanying dogs are required to clean up and remove pet waste.
A maximum of 3 dogs per person is allowed. No commercial dog walking permitted in this preserve.

BIKES

No bicycle riding in this preserve.

HORSES

No horseback riding in this preserve.

In an emergency, call 911. To report an incident or suspicious activity, call the Ranger Field Office at 415-473-2816 or submit an Incident Report.

Visitors are responsible for knowing and obeying all Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) regulations. Citations will be issued for violations. Read the official regulations: Marin County Municipal Code Appendix A.

Call 415-473-6387 for more information regarding allowable types and use of mobility devices for people with qualified disabilities.

The MCOSD is a special district pursuant to the California Public Resources Code. Marin County Parks oversees the management of the county parks system and provides public information on behalf of the MCOSD.

Bolinas Lagoon has existed in a state of fluctuation for 7,000 years.

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COAST MIWOK

Native American Coast Miwok lived beside Bolinas Lagoon, a place of extraordinary abundance, for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans.

LAND GRANT

In 1834, Rafael Garcia was awarded Rancho Las Baulines through a Mexican land grant, introducing agriculture and livestock. In 1849, logging on the north end of Rancho Bolinas began increasing sediment in the lagoon.

GOLD RUSH

Accessible only by boat or horse, in the mid-1800s Bolinas Lagoon was a busy port, shipping regional farm and dairy products, and logged trees to San Francisco. One vendor recorded shipping as many as 1,000 eggs per day. A road to Sausalito, now Highway 1, opened in 1870. The first residential subdivision in Bolinas, called Grande Vista, dates from 1872. In the following decades, the lagoon's hills and shoreline became developed with roads, farms, ranches, and homes. This development significantly increased sedimentation of the lagoon.

PUSH BACK ON DEVELOPMENT

In 1957, the state of California leased 1,200 acres of tidelands to the Bolinas Harbor District. Plans emerged for a 1,400 slip marina, heliport, bridge, and offices. Dipsea Road and Inner Seadrift Lagoon were developed, and the County of Marin Master Plan included a four-lane freeway, shopping mall, and thousands of homes. Marin and Golden Gate Audubon society chapters responded by purchasing a small section for preservation. In 1964, Bahia Baulines, Inc., which leased 100 acres of tidelands, proposed a hotel, restaurant, parking, boat facility, and marina on Kent Island. Audubon Canyon Ranch, the Nature Conservancy, and the Marin Conservation League raised funds to purchase the island and transfer it to the County for preservation. The Marin County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase just hours before the Harbor District planned to condemn the island to retain control.

WETLAND OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE

In 1988, Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) took over management of Bolinas Lagoon Preserve. In 1998, Ramsar designated the lagoon as a Wetland of International Importance. In 2008, the Bolinas Lagoon Ecosystem Restoration Project: Recommendations for Restoration and Management was completed by a working group of community representatives and scientists, coordinated by the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, with support from MCOSD and USACE. The Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council currently advises the County on the management and ecological restoration of Bolinas Lagoon, and includes representatives from:

Audubon Canyon Ranch [External]
Bolinas Rod and Boat Club
College of Marin [External]
Community-at-Large
Community of Bolinas
Golden Gate National Recreation Area [External]
Greater Farallones National Marin Sanctuary [External]
Marin County Parks
Point Blue Conservation Science [External]
Point Reyes National Seashore [External]
Seadrift Homeowners Association

MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BOLINAS LAGOON

The Howard Hughes of Towns[External] (Bolinas Gallery)