Salt Point State Park

Wildflower-draped ledges overlook one of the first designated underwater preserves along six miles of coastline thick with bull kelp forests. Aside from diving and kayaking in the treacherous surf slamming the shoreline, Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County offers 20 miles of trails through Douglas firs, redwoods and through a rare pygmy forest, as well as across windswept meadows where century-old blocks long ago quarried to cobble the streets of San Francisco have been left in stacks.

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The sun was just coming up and slowly illuminating the breathtaking seacliff views above Jenner as we neared our destination. During mushroom season, an early start like this can mean the difference between finding what you came for and finding out that someone else already did. The terrain changes abruptly from grassy seaside meadows to dense, damp pine and liveoak forest as we wind our way up Hwy 1 into Salt Point State Park. One of my fellow mushroom hunters recalls aloud the times his father used to take him and his brother up here as small children to search for golden-yellow chanterelles and stout, fat king bolete or "porcini" mushrooms. Between that and having to beat other pickers to the area, it's obvious that mushrooming on the Sonoma Coast is nothing new. We arrive at our secret destination and begin our hike. Really, it's what mushroom foraging (of the successful sort, anyway) truly is; off-trail, hardcore hiking...blended with what feels like nothing so much as Easter egg hunting for grownups. You can cover quite a bit of ground and take in a lot of scenery before glimpsing the traffic-light yellow of a golden chanterelle peeking out from under the dull brown fallen leaves. And when you do, its best to freeze right where you are and take an even harder look at your immediate surroundings. Often, the rule that mushrooms rarely appear alone proves true. After about an hour or two of searching the picturesque forest, a few false-alarms and a handful of lucky stumbles on large patches, we each get back to the car with our 5 pound limits of golden chanterelles and meaty, full-flavored black trumpets in our baskets. The drive back home- in contrast to the sleepier, early-morning drive up- is full of conversation as we compare our sightings in the forest and toss around ideas for gourmet pizzas, pastas, and soups that will put our finds to use over the next several days.

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Just off Highway 1 about 100 miles North of San Francisco, quietly lays Big Sur's little sister. Salt Point may not be as well known, but her beauty is electrifying. The coast is riddled with psychedelically shaped rock formations and hidden crustacean-filled caverns that will keep explorers enthralled for days. Twenty miles of scenic hiking is also available for those ready to discover the six miles of coast the National Park has to offer. Camping is a must in order to fully breathe in everything Mother Nature has to show; quick hidden trails connect camping areas with the breathtaking coast. Although the wind can sometimes get the better of us, it's nothing a fleece hoodie and beanie can't remedy. Salt Point is a true icon of beauty that is conveniently located far away enough to take a hiatus from the rat race, but close enough to always be visited again.

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The drippy forests along the California coast north of San Francisco hold a wealth of foodie treasures. Know where to look, and you can find prized, savory mushroom species like chanterelles, boletes, and morels. You can also find stuff that will kill you, so go out with a group like the Sonoma County Mycological Association. In season (September to May), the group holds monthly Saturday foraging "forays" in gorgeous Salt Point State Park, between Jenner and Sea Ranch. Members will help clue you in on where to look, separate the edibles from the toxic time-bombs, and join in cooking up the best discoveries at the end of the day.

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