China Camp State Park in Marin County provides valuable public coastal access, and the beach at the old fishing village site is popular with swimmers and picnickers. Equally well-used are the fifteen miles of trails that head off along the shore and crisscross the adjacent uplands.
One of those trails is called Turtle Back Trail. A 1.5 mile loop trail located on the bayside of N. San Pedro Road, just south of the entrance to Buck Ranch Meadows Campground, it includes great views out to the Bay, a shady stretch through upland woods, and five large interpretive panels that introduce hikers to the salt marsh, upland and mudflat habitat in the park.
Sun and foggy sea air (and possibly mischief-makers) had taken a toll on the Turtle Back Trail panels. Faded and missing some of the three-dimensional add-ons, they were in need of a do-over — and earlier this year, we won the contract to replace them.
We reproduced the designs of the existing panels and commissioned new 3D tactile elements for three of them.
Thanks to everyone who worked with us on the project: California State Parks, sculptor Bridget Keimel, KVO in Santa Rosa, and Barber Signs in Petaluma. A good team effort!
