Olema Valley Trail

Olema Valley Trail is a 5.3-mile one-way route from Five Brooks Trailhead south to Olema Valley (South) Trailhead. It follows old-road tread through the valley, alternating oak, bay and fir shade with open grass-and-sedge meadows. Allow about three hours on foot. This is a point-to-point hike, so leave a car at each end or arrange a pickup; walking back adds the same distance.

The Five Brooks end starts in lush, vine-covered forest. Farther south, the valley opens into grass, sedge and blackberry-edged meadows. Deep sandy dirt is common and can turn muddy in the wet season. The route meets Teixeira and Bolema trails heading west toward Ridge Trail, so follow Olema Valley at those junctions. Near the southern end, Pine Gulch Creek crosses without a bridge. Another ford just south of Teixeira can be knee-deep, fast, cloudy and rocky. Avoid the route after heavy rain or turn back if the water looks unsafe to cross.

Five Brooks has a medium gravel lot and a vault/composting toilet; the final 0.3 mile to it is an unpaved access road. The south trailhead is a very short paved shoulder on the west side of Highway 1 across from McCurdy, so park completely outside the lane. Hagmaier is a midway access reached by a half-mile connector from a highway shoulder. Pets are prohibited. Plan food and water before starting; no route-side source was identified.