Hikes, Tours & Talks
Our hikes, tours, and talks visit farmers and ranchers in and near West Marin. Many of the families have been ranching for several generations and have a long history with the land.
Due to ongoing concerns about the spread of livestock diseases, we ask that individuals who have visited farms outside the U.S.A. up to 10 days prior to events not participate in farm tours. Weather can change quickly in West Marin. Bring a jacket for warmth, a hat for protection from the sun, and a daypack for food & drinks. Most tours are not appropriate for young children. Please refer to descriptions below for family-friendly events. For more detailed directions to a Hikes & Tours meeting place, phone 415-663-1158, Monday – Friday, 9am–5 pm or email hikesntours@malt.org.
Space is limited, and tours fill up at different rates. We do not have waiting lists. Refunds made only if MALT cancels a tour, or if tour is already full.
To sign up for an event, click the preregistration link on the event listings, or contact MALT at 415-663-1158 or hikesntours@malt.org.
Event Listings:
- May
- Ranches & Rolling Hills Landscape Art Show & Sale (Saturday, May 19 – Sunday, May 20)
- June
- Western Weekend and Parade (Saturday, June 2 – Sunday, June 3)
- Biking, Beef & Beer at Black Mountain Ranch (Saturday, June 9)
- 8th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration at Historic Escalle Winery (Saturday, June 23)
- Marin Sun Farms: Rogers Ranch & Bird Habitat Talk (Saturday, June 30)
- July
- Ryan-Tocalino Ranch Hike (Saturday, July 14)
- Hog Island Oyster Co. & Straus Dairy (Tuesday, July 17)
- Family Day at Dolcini Ranch & County Line Harvest (Saturday, July 21)
- August
- Cow Track Ranch — Owl and Bluebird Box Building & Hike (Saturday, August 4)
Saturday, May 19 – Sunday, May 20
Ranches & Rolling Hills Landscape Art Show & Sale
Join us in Nicasio for the 15th anniversary of the art show and sale, which has raised more than $1 million to help MALT protect family farms and ranches here in Marin. The Sunday preview lunch is sold out. For information on our free public show, please visit our Art Show and Sale page.
- Registration
- No preregistration needed for public art show.
- Time
- Preview Lunch: SOLD OUT. / Public Show: Saturday 2 – 5 p.m. & Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Where to Meet
Druids Hall, Nicasio
Saturday, June 2 – Sunday, June 3
Western Weekend and Parade
Celebrate farming and ranching in Marin during Western Weekend. On Saturday, the whole family can enjoy 4-H exhibits and petting zoo. On Sunday, join MALT at the parade at noon, followed by a BBQ at Toby’s Feed Barn.
- Registration
- Registration not required.
- Time
- Sat.: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sun:10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Parade at noon.
- Where to Meet
- Point Reyes Station
- Cost
- FREE
Saturday, June 9
Biking, Beef & Beer at Black Mountain Ranch
Ride 33 or 55 miles through the hills and back roads of West Marin, past beautiful MALT-protected farmland. The tour will be led by Allan Reeves, owner of the touring company France from Inside, and members of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition will provide support for this spectacular ride. Return to Black Mountain Ranch for a BBQ of the ranch’s delicious grass-fed beef or veggie burger, organic salad, Lagunitas Brewing Co. beer and Straus Family Creamery ice cream. To see a map of our shorter loop: Click here To see a map of our longer loop: Click here
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- 8:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- 14,000 Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station (Please use the map for directions—Googlemaps, Mapquest and other GPS directional systems are often inaccurate out here in West Marin)
- Cost
- $55 MALT members / $65 nonmembers, includes lunch
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Saturday, June 23
8th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration at Historic Escalle Winery
Enjoy celebrated local wines and food at this benefit for MALT. The 8th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration will include some well-known labels and some promising new ones including: Dutton-Goldfield, Pacheco and Skywalker Ranches, Sean Thackery, Coulier, Pey-Marin, Point Reyes Vineyards and Stubbs Vineyards. Wine by the bottle and by the case will be for sale at a discounted price.
- Registration
- Preregistration suggested. Click here to register
- Time
- 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- Escalle Winery, 771 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur
- Cost
- $55, includes local food and wine tasting, valet parking and wine glass.
Saturday, June 30
Marin Sun Farms: Rogers Ranch & Bird Habitat Talk
PRBO bird specialist Ryan DiGaudio will talk about rangeland and the important habitat it provides for a variety of birds. Then we will join 4th-generation rancher David Evans, owner of Marin Sun Farms, for a tour of the Rogers Ranch that he leases to raise his grass-fed beef and pastured chickens. After the tour, we will lunch at the Marin Sun Farms restaurant.
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- Dance Palace, Point Reyes Station
- Cost
- $55 MALT members / $65 non-members, includes lunch
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Saturday, July 14
Ryan-Tocalino Ranch Hike
Join Marin County Parks naturalist David Herlocker and landowners Jerry Gause and Chick Kretz for a hike up the steep hills of this beautiful 865-acre ranch overlooking Stafford Lake. Enjoy panoramic views of San Francisco and West Marin at the top. Learn from Chick about the history of this ranch that was once the Ryan Dairy. The ranch includes grasslands for grazing, oak woodlands and deep redwood groves that provide habitat for a variety of birds and wildlife.
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- 4151 Vineyard Rd, Novato (Please use the map for directions—Googlemaps, Mapquest and other GPS directional systems are often inaccurate out here in West Marin)
- Cost
- $35 MALT members / $45 nonmembers
- Difficulty
- Very Strenuous
- What to Bring
- Water, lunch, hiking shoes, layered clothes, sunscreen
Tuesday, July 17
Hog Island Oyster Co. & Straus Dairy
Join local oystermen for a tour and oyster tasting, and enjoy your picnic overlooking Tomales Bay. Then carpool to the Straus Dairy to see their organic operation, a methane digester, and the other clean energy techniques they use. You’ll see cows being milked and enjoy a delicious Straus creamery tasting.
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- Noon – 4:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- Hog Island Oyster Company, Marshall
- Cost
- $40 MALT members / $50 non-members
- Difficulty
- Easy
- What to Bring
- Water, picnic lunch, shoes that can get dirty, layered clothing
Saturday, July 21
Family Day at Dolcini Ranch & County Line Harvest
Visit this picturesque farm and picnic on the lawn enjoying the view. Feed the chickens, learn about the bees, and tour the fields full of vegetables. Play games, make ice cream, and create a salad with vegetables fresh from the field. The farm stand will be open and you can purchase eggs, vegetables and snacks.
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- 6970 Red Hill Road, Petaluma (Please use the map for directions—Googlemaps, Mapquest and other GPS directional systems are often inaccurate out here in West Marin)
- Cost
- Adults $20 MALT members / $25 nonmembers Children $10 MALT members / $12 nonmembers
- Difficulty
- Easy
- What to Bring
- Water, picnic lunch, layered clothes, sunscreen
Saturday, August 4
Cow Track Ranch — Owl and Bluebird Box Building & Hike
Be a part of the effort to help local farms ensure that owls and other important bird species continue to thrive in Marin! The Hungry Owl Project will teach us about owls and bluebirds, and we can hike on Bruce and Liz Daniels’ 500-acre cattle ranch and enjoy our picnic lunch, with salad from the ranch’s garden. We’ll learn how to build owl and bluebird boxes that will go to farms and homes around Marin. You may buy a box at a discount at the end of the day. This event is open to adults and children 7 and up. This is a hands on event but carpentry skills are not required. Be sure to bring work gloves for children and adults and see list below for other tools needed for building the bird boxes.
- Registration
- Preregistration is required. Click here to register
- Time
- 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Where to Meet
- 5730 Nicasio Valley Road, Nicasio. Entrance to drive at 5600 Nicasio Valley Rd. (Please use the map for directions—Googlemaps, Mapquest and other GPS directional systems are often inaccurate out here in West Marin)
- Cost
- $15 MALT members / $20 nonmembers / Free for children 7-18
- What to Bring
- Water, lunch, hiking shoes, layered work clothes, sunscreen, work gloves. If you can, please bring either battery or electric power drills for screwing together the boxes, and medium sized paint brushes for acrylic paint. A more detailed tool list will be sent pre-event.