Point Bonita harbor seal hike for the family

Photo: NatureBridge

Point Bonita harbor seal hike for the family:

Even if it's a little too cold to get in the water these days, you and the kids can enjoy watching the seals frolic in the ocean on a guided hike out to Point Bonita on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of NatureBridge.

The NatureBridge organization was founded more than 40 years ago as the Yosemite National Institutes, with the aim of connecting kids and families to the outdoors. Now partnered with the National Park Service, the group sponsors one or two hikes in the Golden Gate area each month in addition to running a coastal camp during the summer for kids and public education programs throughout the Yosemite area, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Channel Islands and Washington's Olympic National Park.

The family hike starts at 1 p.m. at the NatureBridge facilities at Fort Cronkhite in Sausalito. Amy Blake, the family programs coordinator, says participants will play a "family mingle" game before breaking into smaller hiking groups. Guides will supply each family with a pair of binoculars to use along the 4-mile hike, which will take them along Rodeo Beach and into hills of the Marin Headlands to Point Bonita.

For kids younger than 6, Blake advises bringing a carrier or a trail stroller, as the terrain can be difficult for young children.

Although it's pupping season for elephant seals now, Blake says it's more likely that hikers will see harbor seals on the trip.

"The guides will help everyone spot animals, and then they'll work together do an inquiry activity that helps you learn more about seal behavior," she says.

The hike is a great way to offer kids an introduction to the harbor seal habitat and gives them a chance to use their powers of observation to figure out more about seal behavior.

The hike lasts until about 4 p.m., and afterward the guides will take groups up the road from NatureBridge to the Marine Mammal Center, where they can visit rescued seals, sea lions and other pinnipeds being nursed back to health before they're released into the wild.

The hike is limited to 60 participants, so registering beforehand - at www.naturebridge.org - is a must.

"We're really focused on giving a family the opportunity to get out in nature and connect with the Golden Gate recreation area," Blake says. "It's a chance for families to learn side by side, and what we really love is letting kids see their parents getting excited about learning something new."