Difficulty level: Easy

Distance: 1 mile

The Lagunitas Creek Watershed covers 103 square miles of Marin County, providing critical riparian zones throughout the county that connect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The vegetation of these riparian ecosystems provides essential resources to coho salmon, steelhead trout, and other native wildlife by filtering pollutants from urban runoff, reducing erosion along river banks, cooling running stream water, and providing unique shelter for juvenile aquatic species.

Coho salmon and Steelhead trout are indicator species for the health of streams within Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS). Coho are at the brink of local extinction and Point Reyes is home to one of the last stronghold populations in the southern extent of their range. Tracking and monitoring coho salmon throughout the year is an integral part of ensuring their persistence over time in this region.

Lagunitas Creek Watershed is one of the most important waterways left for these wild coho salmon, supporting 10 to 20 percent of the surviving fish. As a result, the Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program at Point Reyes National Seashore, made up of both park and PRNSA staff, has spearheaded riparian restoration projects in the Lagunitas Creek Watershed to boost the survival of coho and steelhead survival by restoring habitat, removing invasive species, and much more.

On this short Picnic on the Pacific Plate hike, you’ll join Fisheries Biologist Michael Reichmuth and Fisheries Field Crew Lead Brentely McNeill on an exploration of a critical coho and steelhead restoration site, the Olema Creek. Michael started his fisheries career with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service before transitioning to his position with Point Reyes National Seashore.

Brentley first visited Point Reyes in 2013 for an Americops internship with the Watershed Stewards Program, and is now working on the Point Reyes Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program to help collect and analyze data from local streams. Fisheries biologists and crew members like Michael and Brentley are key players in a larger effort to understand the ecology and distribution of endangered fish populations throughout Marin County.

On this hike and talk, you will learn about the importance of the critical year-round monitoring that occurs within PRNS and how this data helps ensure the species survival for this and future generations of park visitors. Learn how this data informs recommendations to improve ecosystem resilience within Point Reyes National Seashore.

Fascinating Fish of Olema Creek