Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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At a four-way junction, you meet the Old Springs Trail, left, open to hikers, horses, and bicycles. Your route, from here on closed to bicycles, continues straight and begins to climb over severely eroded ground that alternates between moderate and steep.

In addition to the ever-present turkey vultures, you may see another large black bird, the common raven. These relatives of jays, crows, and magpies are able to make an astounding variety of sounds. And while Poe’s “Nevermore” may not truly be part of their vocabulary, other weirdly human sounds certainly are. Ravens are also great aerial acrobats, and seem to enjoy chasing each other in frenzied pursuit.

Wild for Flowers

In spring, especially after a wet winter, the hills are decorated with a dazzling display of California poppy, mule ears, paintbrush, Ithuriel’s spear, yarrow, blow wives, and blue-eyed grass. Nearly 50 species are listed in the pamphlet Frequently Seen Wildflowers of the Marin Headlands, available at the visitor center.