01 Jul The Adventure Begins

My first week at The Point Reyes National Seashore was informative. The Point Reyes National Seashore is a 70,000 acre park in Marine County, Northern California.

This park is alluring as you get a taste of a variety of different landscapes and ecosystems, with hundreds of miles of hiking trails. I am still in awe that this park is merely an hour away from the busy and bustling San Francisco. My drive to the park was a dull 6 hours until the last hour where the scenery began draw my attention. As you drive through the small towns to get to the park you are transported to a lush green backdrop beaming with tall thriving trees. Although I am a California native, I was not aware that California had these hidden gems scattered through its vast state. 

Because of the myriad of hiking trails, it can be very easy to lost. As a result, my first mission at the park was to become familiar with the environment and know my way around the park. My supervisor Carlo was creative enough to design a “Selifie Scavenger Hunt”. This scavenger hunt took me throughout the park, observing the small details of the most popular trails to get a better idea of what each trail offered and where they were all located. The trails of Point Reyes can cater to every hiker as they range from dense green, jungle-like Riparian forest trails, to sandy beach trails and boundless grassland trails that resemble the Great Plains. There is also an opportunity in the park to engage in some whale watching. It is also very interesting while it is a National Seashore, some of the terrain is occupied by ranchers so cows can be found roaming along the roads. My first week here at the park I have been fortunate enough to already spot some river otters, plenty of cows, tule elk, deer, many many birds, and a marine mammal that could have been a dolphin or porpoise still unsure about the details of that encounter. 

As I become more familiar with the park I am also learning more about how it operates and the hierarchies that exist within in it. One of my career paths I am contemplating is become an Interpretive Park Ranger, so this experience will guide me in exploring this career path further. Although, my original work plan has experienced some major changes due to COVID-19, I am remaining flexible.