Mt Wittenberg to Bear Valley Trail through Sky Trail and Kehlam Beach, Pt. Reyes National Seashore

I usually like loop hikes and I think most of the people I have met on the trails do too. Pt Reyes has multiple loop options and this loop is one of them. More will be post in the future as it tends to be one of the most visited areas for hiking in the Nothern California and more precisely in the Bay Area.

So off the bat..when you park at the Visitors center at the 1 Bear Valley Rd (no fee btw and super duper bathrooms with cold fountain for water as well), the Bear Valley Trail starts.

Only about 0.3-0.5 miles in you will see in front of you and kind to your right hand side the mark to take the Mount Wittenberg trail. In this area there are a lot of options as you can go straight ahead and do the Bear trail to the Arch Rock, but this loop is about heading to Mt Wittenberg first taking looping back to parking lot through the Sky trail and the Bear valley trail.

As soon as you turn right to the Mt. Wittenberg trail you will begin a steep uphill climb for about 2 miles. The uphill trail is just gorgeous. The trail, the trees, the vegitation is worth every minute of taking this uphill route but make sure to keep track of your time in order to get back before dark.

Mixed douglas fir and oak forest is part of this amazing trail.

Just about when you feel you are tired and you need a break, you will be almost at the highest point (1400 ft).

You wont reach the top unless you take a small trail to the right of this sign on the right.

(In my trip I took a while to take the pics so I had to skip the 0.2 miles to the highest point to see views of the Seashore and Olema Valley-Highly suggested if you got the time).

No matter what you do ,a break is necessary at this point. The area can be windy and cold especially if you have sweated to get up there so suggested to use your layers at that point.

California shore and Pt Reyes can be pretty foggy, windy and cold even on a sunny day in the bay so be prepared to chill out.

After the break, continue on the Mt Wittenberg trail. Take sometime to direct yourself. Taking the Z Ranch trail will only take you away from the shore, and has nothing more to offer than what you already are seeing. Your way will look like this (even though this is looking backwards towards the way you came from) and you will start descenting.

The views as you descent are the best in the California Seashore you can get and soon you will be on the Sky trail (passing the meadow Trail to your left hand side). (If you decide to take the Meadow trail back to Bear Valley trail you will loop about 5 miles here though we are exploring about 12 miles loop).

Your trail looking backwards looks like this (Sky trail)

Your attention, your compass or a good map is required at this point asyou are descenting towards the Bear Valley trail or towards the secluded Kelahm Beach. In this trip we visited the beach to have a half an hour lunch and enjoy the seaside before taking the bear valley trail back.

In order to head back and while you are on the Sky trail. Your goal from here after is to remain on the Sky trail. As you come to this sign (will be on your right hand side as you come down the trail you see on the picture below),

you continue forward and towards the sea. The sign above might confuse you to go right and take the sky trail. Indeed the trail you can see on your left on the pic is the sky trail but you should not take it towards the sky camp but towards the opposite side.

Soon enough you will arrive at a new intersection. The one with Meadow trail on your left hand side. Remember your goal is to remain on the Sky trail

The path is just magnificent and will reward every step you take no matter the huge amount of poison ivy around you.

Intersections will keep on coming. There is one coming up with Woodward valley trail on your left that you will pass and another one with Old Pine trail to your right hand side thar you will also pass.

On the signs now you can see Baldy trail where is where you are heading while being on the Sky trail.

About a mile after your intersection above you will see finally the intersection with Baldy trail. You can see below the group left me an arrow at the intersection to go left. If you are with a group also falling behind make sure to let them know to mark their trail. That will secure yours and theirs safety. But dont leave anything behind on the trails.

The Baldy trail is not covered. Many ups and down - nothing compare to what you conquered with Mt Wittenberg but can wear you out without any break. If it is rainy day thats the point you will get rained down so make sure to have your layers handy.

There are parts of the trail that are beautiful......just spectacular..

And few miles in the view of the seashore will be worth your troubles so far.

As you keep on declining you will come across to the intersection with the Bear Valley Trail. If you decide to take it back you are about 6 miles out. On that intersection though you can go right and head to one of the most secluded beaches in the Bay Area, that of the Kehlam Beach.

Taking the Bear Valey trail towards right and hiking about 0.5 miles (30 mins) you will come across a huge tree (wish I knew what kind but feel free to email me with such details, comments always welcome)

Take the path left of the treee and you will see the sign to guide you towards the beach. That you can reach by taking a wonderful well preserved staircase.

The beach connects to the left with the Arch Rock which collapses in 2015 and that is why there are no pictures at this post. The pictures below show the north side of this beach.

Heading back your way towards the intersection of Badly Trail and Bear Valley Trail should be the same, but you will continue on it in order to head back.

Bear valley trail is a very popular trail and one of the most beautiful ones in the Bay Area. The scenery you will cross looks like a faity tale background the ones you expect river and forst fairies to join you during your hike.

It is not short. You are in for a 6 mile way back, flat and beautiful but still will take you 2-3

hrs, so plan accordingly your time. If you have attended the sunset at the beach and its winter time you will not avoid hiking back in the dark so having your headlamp checked can be really useful. The Bear Trail Valley Rd will end and lately the signs warnign the hikers not to take it to the Arch Rock are easily located.

Passing those you will be about 2 miles away from the parking lot and about 1 mile away from the restrooms. Notice that throughout the hike no other restrooms facilities were available so using nature to your favor is highly recommended if necessary.

The trail is well marked broad and clear and you cant miss it even of the sun light is low or none. After the restroom your way should be to the left somehow and in about a mile you will hit your parking lot. You can see the first picture and that wil be the trail you are coming back to the parking lot to close your loop.

See below the Stats and trail map as they were recorded with a Reno 655t.