This hike in an oft-overlooked state park takes you up and down a hill, to quiet Pebble Beach, and then along the bay to more popular Heart’s Desire Beach.
Location: Tomales Bay State Park
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: easy
Shade: shaded
Parking: parking lot ($8/vehicle, pay at park entrance)
Public Transportation: n/a
WC: at parking lot
Dogs: not allowed on trails or beaches, only at Vista Point picnic area
Hiked: Jan 2021
Our Trail Route
Jepson Trail begins at the upper level of the parking lot (the lot near the picnic area, not the one at Heart’s Desire). The entire mile of Jepson Trail climbs up the hill, but it’s a gentle climb. At the first trail marker, we turned onto Johnstone Trail. Early on, we had to cross a paved private road, but it was easy to spot the trail on the other side. Then Johnstone Trail split – we went left towards Pebble Beach. It’s flat then an easy downhill. A little over a mile on Johnstone, we took a right turn onto the short out-and-back trail to Pebble Beach.
After a quick break for pictures, we turned around to rejoin Johnstone Trail, which follows the shoreline. We kept on Johnstone past the picnic areas and parking lot, all the way to Heart’s Desire Beach. Then we returned via Johnstone to the parking lot.
Notes
The path can be a bit rough. It had just stormed, so there were some fallen branches and lots of slippery leaves on the trail. Not too many people, though, except at Heart’s Desire.
Gallery
The trailhead at the parking lot. 
Jepson Trail 
Jepson Trail 
Go straight here to meet Johnstone Trail. 
Cross the private road. The trail continues where the big tree is. 
Johnstone Trail 
We went left towards Pebble Beach. 
Cross the private road again. 
Johnstone Trail 
A view of the bay from Johnstone Trail. 
Lots of debris after the storm. 
We went right to Pebble Beach. 
And then back to the same marker, this time taking the other trail. 
Johnstone Trail 
Johnstone Trail here follows along the bay. 
Straight would take us to the parking lot, but we took the right turn here. 
Vista Point Picnic Area 
Heart’s Desire Beach 
And back the way we came to the parking lot again.
