Bay Nature

1100 acre Park managed by: Marin County Open Space District

Bolinas Lagoon, a shallow estuary, is a great place to see some of the millions of water birds that travel the Pacific Flyway each year. Watch for seals hauled out at low tide too.  If you plan ahead in spring, you can sign up for a guided walk to see nesting egrets and great blue herons at Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Martin Griffin Preserve. Formed by seismic activity on the San Andreas fault, Bolinas Lagoon’s channels and mudflats host migratory birds, eelgrass beds, and a population of harbor seals.

The lagoon has suffered from too much sediment inflow in recent decades, and a once-small island on the north side has been growing every year. Solving that problem is not so easy, though. Check out our feature article on Bolinas Lagoon to learn the backstory.