This is not the Dogtown ghost camp
of the Gold Rush. This Dogtown in Marin County is actually a bend in Highway
1 road between Stinson Beach and Point Reyes National Seashore. Nearly
everyone passing by manages to grab a photo of the sign pictured. During the
1850's a community named Woodville next to a saw mill was home to hunters
who owned so many dogs that the area was nicknamed Dogtown.
From Sausalito
on Highway 101 you can get to Dogtown by taking the Highway 1 turn off. Stay
on Highway 1 through Muir Beach and Stinson Beach. Continue along the east
shore of the Bolinas Lagoon. At the north end of the lagoon, pass Bolinas
and continue on about one mile on Highway 1 until you see the green sign
posted on a tree that says Dogtown and sports a population of 31 people or
so.
Tucked into the last piece of
private property between the Point Reyes Station
with Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation
Area (GGNRA), Woodville Ranch, a 5-acre working ranch with Arabian horses,
cats, goats and chickens (fresh eggs usually available). Woodville Ranch is
located at 5755 Highway One, Dogtown, CA 94924. Phone: (415) 868-1618.
Guests can stay in the house or in a renovated barn loft and enjoy many
activities nearby. The owners of the ranch say they purchased the property
because of the great trails for horseback. Horse rentals are available at
nearby Five Brooks Stables.
Those
seeking chain hotels might consider staying within an hour's drive at
Mill Valley,
San Rafael or further north along the coast at Bodega Bay in Sonoma
County. Bodega Bay is where Alfred Hitchcock's
famous thriller, The Birds, movie was filmed. A favorite resort property
there is Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa.
Things to do in and around Dogtown
California:
- Bird watching at Point Reyes National
Seashore and Bird Observatory with Audubon Canyon Ranch
- Point Reyes Lighthouse is a scenic
California light station with guides.
- Bicycling and bike rentals are
available in Bolinas and Point Reyes Station.
- Kayaking and Surfing is available in
Bolinas Lagoon or thrilling surf kayaking or surfboarding at Stinson and
Bolinas Beaches.
