The End Of Nowhere – Closer than you may think

Just north of San Fransisco, in Marin County, are some of my most favorite spots in the country. I had driven “by” this location many, many times over the years. But in 2015, I decided it was time to take the turn and explore Pointe Reyes a little more.

Windswept Pines at Point Reyes, CA, 2015
Nikon D800 converted to Infrared, 36mp, on a Nikor 24-70 Lens @ 35mm
ISO 100 : 1/160 at f9

This shot is for sale on my Etsy Store here

The road to Pointe Reyes can be a little hard to find, since it shows little fanfare. Just off of US Route 1, it’s outside the town of Point Reyes Station, where one of my favorite cheese companies, Cowgirl Creamery is located. Initially, you travel through tree covered canopy for quite some time. But eventually, the trees fall back. And oh, what wonderful landscape unfolds.

The course takes you upwards into fields with occasional dairy cows, some providing Cowgirl with delicious cream, from what I am told. Looking East, way down below, is Tamales Bay, which provides the area with some of the most delectable oysters.

Point Reyes Cows, CA, 2015
Nikon D800 converted to Infrared, 36mp, on a Nikor 24-70 Lens @ 66mm
ISO 100 : 1/160 at f9
This shot and others can be found on my westernspaces.com site

I’ve seen a lot of amazing landscapes. But this one especially felt like a diamond in the rough. We’re only a few hours outside San Fransisco and we may as well be in the middle of nowhere. Lonely roads, wide open skies and distant landscapes– what an amazing place.

Point Reyes Prairie, CA 2015

The road meanders at this higher elevation, until you reach a dead end. And there, is the above stand of trees- bathed in a fog rolling off the Pacific. Hiking past those trees, you can get to Tomales Point, which overlooks the entrance to the Bay. I’ll be honest, I have not hiked to that point, yet… Sometimes I prefer to visit a location and leave some things unexplored, giving me an excuse to go back and explore further.

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