Lou Wilkinson
Coastwalk Volunteer Extraordinaire

Coastwalk is volunteer-run—no doubt about it. Our amazing cadre of volunteers does everything from running the Coastwalks to installing insignia on the CCT, and everything in between. Occasionally,
one volunteer really stands out, even among this unbelievable crowd, and we find that we must offer some special recognition...

Lou has been the face of Coastwalk in Marin County for as long as we have existed. He ran the Marin summer program for years, even decades, and initiated trail work days in Tomales and Point Reyes, which still take place every spring and fall. Over the years, Lou has managed to keep a positive spirit, avoid the drama and politics that plague all organizations and stay excited about the work. We're proud to call him a Coastwalk Volunteer Extraordinaire, and to introduce him to you:

Born in 1926 in New York City, Lou, after graduating high school in 1944, joined the Navy and trained as a medic, serving with the Marine Corps. He graduated from the University of Virginia and eventually found his way to San Francisco. In 1956 he married, and moved to the house in Sausalito where he and his wife have lived for 52 years. After 35 years in pharmaceutical sales, Lou retired in 1985.

“The concept of helping to create a contiguous trail from Oregon to Mexico is what inspired me to get involved with Coastwalk in the first place. I see the ‘signing’ of the Coast Trail as evidence of the success of Coastwalk’s efforts.

“I ran the Coastwalk in Marin for about 25 years. During those years I created and managed ‘trail maintenance work parties’ twice a year for both the Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Park. These are the two parks that we walked through and camped in during the Marin Coastwalks. Doing the work parties for both parks maintains a good relationship with the parks and has benefited Coastwalk in a number of ways.

“I think my favorite thing I have done for Coastwalk has been helping to create and perpetuate the Marin Coastwalk—it has given a great deal of pleasure and knowledge to a great many people over the years.

“It seemed like the other volunteers—cooks, etc., were so happy performing their roles, and the trip members seemed so pleased with their experience, that it was easy to continue to create the trips year after year. It was a matter of sharing knowledge about a beautiful area with other people.

“A special experience that happened almost every year took place at Tomales Bay State Park where we would camp for a night. After dinner, as it was getting dusk, the ranger—Carlos Porata—would take us to see the baby spotted owl. He knew where it nested and would call to it and the owl would fly down close to us, maybe 10 feet away. It seemed as curious about us as we were about it. As we walked slowly along the path the owl would swoop down and follow along until we got to the boundary of its territory. Then it would stay behind as we continued on the path. A lovely experience.”

To learn more about volunteering for Coastwalk, contact the Coastwalk office -
(800) 550-6854.

Back to top

Home    Coastwalks    California Coastal Trail    Get Involved     Events & Dayhikes   News & Links     Who We Are    Coastwalk Store