Completed: February 11, 2023 | Elevation: 1,407′ | Trail: Mount Wittenberg Trail Out & Back | Distance: 4.1 miles
After completing Point Reyes Hill we made our way back to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and headed south to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, about a 30-minute drive away. We pulled into the parking lot just before 3:30 P.M., grabbed our packs and made our way to the Bear Valley Trailhead located at the south end of the parking area. From there it was about a 5-minute walk alongside a large meadow before reaching the junction with Mt. Wittenberg Trail to the right.
The first mile was a fairly gentle climb through the forest. It was very shady and with no sun, quite cool.
After that we reached some large switchbacks and the trail climbed more quickly, hitting grades of more than 20% in some places. Eventually, we crossed a saddle that provided peek-a-boo views before leveling off as we approached a clearing.
It had taken us about 45 minutes to arrive at the spur trail that went to the summit of Mount Wittenberg. Standing in the full brightness of the sun felt really good.
Not wanting to be stuck on the trail after sun down, we hurried up to the summit, going through a stretch that still had several downed trees from the recent storms. At the top, we found two survey markers, which we assumed marked the summit. Otherwise, there was no other significant landmark to indicate one had reached the peak. We followed the trail a little way beyond the markers, but it didn’t look like there was anything else to see, certainly no views through the dense trees.
After consulting the map in AllTrails, we decided that we had found the top. I was starting to get cold so we hoofed it back down, but not without pausing to admire one charred tree with two symmetrical trunks. It was sad to see the remnant damage of the 2020 Woodward Fire, a reminder of the stresses facing much of California’s forests.
It was just before 5:30 when we got back to our car, so roughly a two-hour hike. As we headed back to San Francisco, we stopped at Due West Tavern in Olema for celebratory drinks – we had knocked off two peaks and experienced two new trails all in one lovely afternoon – and discovered these really addictive spiced marcona almonds to boot.
Follow our progress bagging the Bay Area’s Nifty Ninety here.
Coda
I think the Mount Wittenberg Trail was good to hike once (and certainly necessary to complete the Nifty Ninety challenge), but I’m not sure I would come to Point Reyes to specifically climb it again. We got a nice work out, but there are plenty of other trails that provide a cardio workout while also offering amazing views.