The Rift Zone Trail runs north-south through open pasture and Douglas fir forests on the eastern fringe of Point Reyes National Seashore. The Rift Zone Trail traces a short piece of the San Andreas Fault between the Inverness Ridge (west), and Bolinas Ridge (east). The San Andreas Fault Zone - created by the collision of Pacific and North American plates - is 1 mile wide, 780 miles long and over 20 miles deep. It's responsible for thousands of earthquakes a year, but despite its volatility, visitors will find little evidence of the fault's activity in this bucolic setting.

Open marshes along the Rift Zone Trail play home to the California red-legged frog, a federally threatened species

Redwoods and Douglas fir grow tall enough to block out the sun - making perfect conditions for ferns and mushrooms

The Rift Zone Trail leaves the Bear Valley Trailhead and quickly passes through open pasture - beware of roaming cattle

A Red-tailed Hawk above the Rift Zone Trail - Its scientific name 'jamaicensis' refers to Jamaica where the first specimen was officially scientifically documented

Riparian sections of the Rift Zone Trail host six species of salamanders including the Rough-skinned newt, the California newt, the slender salamander and the arboreal salamander

Tree limbs extend in every direction reaching for sun under the forest canopy

The Rift Zone Trail enters the Stewart Horse Camp before reaching the Five Brooks Trailhead

A deer grazes in late afternoon at the Stewart Horse Camp

Keen eyes will pick out young stands of Coastal redwood trees along certain sections of the Rift Zone Trail

Long, moss covered tree limbs create surreal sub-canopy landscapes mid-way through the Rift Zone Trail