Join co-leaders Toni Gregorio-Bunch and Vicki Silvas-Young on a short beginners walk to botanize and picnic at Franklin Point, located in the northern part of the Año Nuevo State Park on the San Mateo County coast. We will be exploring the surroundings as we walk to Franklin Point, which is the most botanically interesting area of the park.

Some of the coastal prairie flora we expect to see includes silver bur ragweed (Ambrosia chamissonis), California goldenbush (Ericameria ericoides), coastal sagewort (Artemisia pycnocephala), and Argentina anserina (Potentilla anserina). Expected dune flora includes yellow sand verbena (Abronia latifolia), pink sand verbena (Abronia umbellata) and American dunegrass (Eleymus mollis). In the coastal scrub community expected species are bee plant (Scrophularia californica), coast buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), maybe sea cliff bluff lettuce (Dudleya farinosa) and fleshy jaumea (Jaumea carnosa).

Bring your choice of optics and layers of clothing for variable coastal conditions including wind, sun, precipitation and fog. We will be walking on sand dunes for short stretches of this 3-mile hike. For dining on the beach bring food, fluids and something to sit on. Note that there are no bathrooms at Franklin Point. However, flush toilets are located at the main parking lot of Año Nuevo State Park, which will require payment to enter to use the facilities.

RSVP is required to join us for the walk. No drop-ins please and space is limited. Please visit our Chapter’s Meetup page, here: www.meetup.com/California-Native-Plant-Society-Santa-Clara-Valley-Chapter/. We open the RSVPs one week before the event. Find your event within the page and tap/click the “Attend” button to reserve your spot.

Driving directions and parking tips are provided on our Chapter’s Meetup page.

Before signing up, please read the Año Nuevo State Park Welcome page at www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523. For more information, please contact Toni at 408-373-4497 or Vicki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..