China Camp State Park, March 24, 2010

Walking Distance: 6 miles
Walking Time: 3 hrs., 29 minutes (1:00 - 4:29 p.m.)
Start and End Point: $5.00 Vehicle Day Use spot, Bullhead Flat parking lot, China Camp State Park, CA

The stretch I covered today was as far south as McNear's beach, and as far north as the Miwok Meadows area in the park (NW of Buckeye Point). I walked along San Pedro Road (double yellow lines on map), the beaches, and the Shoreline Trail (solid red line), to see as much as possible. I also made a stop at the China Camp Village historic site, where there is a visitor center and some interesting information about the remnants of this old fishing village and shrimping area.

China Camp was a great park that I'd never visited. Great views; lots of wildlife; and, this time of year, some nice wildflowers as well. I met several mountain bicyclists on the Shoreline trail. And, there was some poison oak sprouting up alongside the trail, so I stepped aside to let the cyclists pass -- very carefully.

Wildlife Sightings:
49 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 25 ducks; 10 sea gulls; 2 hummingbirds; 2 willets; 2 ladybugs; 1 Western grebe; 5 snowy egrets; 2 Canada geese; 1 deer; 5 turkey vultures; 1 lizard; 1 reg. (tree) squirrel; 3 orange and brown butterflies/moths; lots of beautiful wildflowers (wild purple iris, blue-eyed grass; yellow scotch broom, etc.); 1 wild turkey; 1 blue jay; 2 great egrets; 3 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 big fat black and yellow bumblebee; and 1 dragonfly.