Salmon on the Rebound

See Salmon Spawning at Lagunitas Creek Near Samuel P. Taylor State Park

The return of salmon to Marin County creeks is one of nature’s most intriguing seasonal events, an inspiring sight to behold; but it takes patience, laser focus, and the help of fellow hikers also on the lookout for this special show, happening now! Just east of Samuel P. Taylor State Park is the rippling Lagunitas Creek and Leo T. Cronin Fish Viewing Area, one of the premier spots for spying the salmon.

During the spawning season of October through April (with a peak in December and January) coho salmon return to Lagunitas Creek from the Pacific to complete their three-year lifecycle. Female salmon splash their tails to build a nest, or redd, in the creek bed. They may appear to be flopping sideways and fluttering about in the water over rocks. After they lay their eggs, males rush in to fertilize them. The females stick around for a few weeks to guard their nests, but both the females and males die after spawning.

So where can you currently see them?

Take a short stroll along the wide and tranquil trail. The shallow waters upstream from the fish viewing area is one of your best bets to see these determined fish. They can be hard to spot as their color turns gray or olive.

Our team has been going for years, without luck spying any salmon ... until last weekend, where several salmon sightings occurred at this location. Tip: talk to other hikers to help each other sight the salmon. Just be sure to stay a respectful distance and use a camera zoom ... the salmon prefer privacy from hiker-paparazzi.

Another option for potential sightings is at Devil's Gulch Trail in Samuel P. Taylor State Park Bonus: Here you can carry onward for a peak-bagging adventure to the park's beautiful Barnabe Peak.

Parking at Leo T. Cronin Fish Viewing Area is very tough to come by due to the popularity of this trail right now. Arrive early or late day, or be prepared to wait in a car line at the lot ... it usually isn't too long before a car leaves. The car pull-out area for Devil's Gulch at Samuel P. Taylor State Park also fills up fast and there's no place to wait in line on the road, so you'll need a very early start or a parking four-leaf clover. The main trail at the Leo T. Cronin fish viewing area is dog-friendly (keep them on a leash). No dogs on the hiking trails at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View