The Greenbelt Alliance is a lobbying group for wild lands around the Bay Area. One of the reasons we have so many hiking options is that outfits like this one are working behind the scenes to make it happen. The organization’s calendar always seems to have interesting group hikes planned. Here’s one I like the looks of:

Sat Aug 18: Limantour Tour

Sonoma & Marin – Greenbelt Outing

18 miles long, nearly 2,000 feet uphill, and worth every strenuous minute. Enjoy a beach walk, the sounds of tule elk, and a hike around the Limantour burn area on this moderately paced hike in Point Reyes. Experienced hikers only. 10 AM-7 PM Point Reyes

RESERVATIONS NOT REQUIRED

Nine hours to walk 18 miles — that’s just about my pace (I’d walk faster if I hadn’t gotten people in the habit of seeing pictures from my hikes; whose idea was that, anyway?).

I haven’t actually gone along on one of these Greenbelt hikes; if you have, please chime in.