I finally made it to this trail! I used to live & work in Mill Valley (years ago) & never made it…read moreto this hike. We started at the beautiful Old Mill Park (where I used to take my niece & nephew when they were little). As mentioned in other reviews there are lots & lots of steps! Great cardio & leg strengthening. The views are so worth it and the trip back was super quick bring all downhill. Many other options of hiking trails to take from here which I like.

One word; STAIRS! Lots of stairs. And inclines galore. The hike along the Dipsea trail is…read moredefinitely not for the faint of heart. It's a strenuous trek that maneuvers through some of the most beautiful parts of Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods. The great thing is, you can combine this trail with other trails within the park to make it as easy or as strenuous as you'd like. One of the most popular variations of this hike is the Dipsea-Matt Davis-Steep Ravine loop trail. It's roughly 8 miles and 1,700 feet of elevation gain, and tackles parts of the Dipsea stairs and Matt Davis trail inclines. I hiked this loop and it was absolutely fabulous! The Dipsea portion of the hike is mainly exposed but offers some really scenic coastal views when you reach the top. Compared to the Matt Davis and Steep Ravine Trail, it was my least favorite, but I still enjoyed the workout that I got from hiking up the stairs. The Dipsea trail is definitely more of an incline workout versus a super scenic trek. But when combining this trail with other more scenic trails in the park, you'll be able to enjoy the best of both worlds. The Dipsea Trail can actually be accessed from a few different locations within the park. The three most popular access points are from Stinson Beach, Pantoll Campground, and Muir Woods National Monument. I started on the trail from Stinson Beach and I really enjoyed the loop through Steep Ravine and Matt Davis. Would recommend if you're looking for a versatile hike in Marin with a mix of stairs, ocean views, and forested pathways.

This trail technically goes from Mill Valley to Kent Woodlands but this review is for the trail…read moreloop featured on All Trails which is 2.7 miles and a little over an hour. This leg of the trail runs parallel to the Southern Main Fire Road which is a good alternative if you are going to also go to Dawn Falls but wanted more trail and not a fire road. It's also much less trafficked and has more shade. This loop is better in winter and spring. The winter especially after the rains there are small waterfalls along the trail (they dry up by late March) and it's very green. Spring brings some wildflowers like Irises. The summer can get hot with dead brush so not as great but at least it's mostly shaded. Can see Bay, Richmond Bridge, and Mount Diablo in the distance.

What a gorgeous hike! The drive to get to the base of the hike is an easy one hour drive from SF…read more The first 15 minutes of the hike is mostly covered in tree canopy with a gorgeous stream. It's a little chilly but then it opened up to an uphill climb for a mile. The expansive views of the mill valley are beautiful. Very dog friendly but also lots of mountain bikers so just keep your pup close. Lovely hike and I cannot wait to do it again.

Great views, great trails. If you plan on camping, please…read morecheck the website for limitations on type of camping and spaces. The park has no car camping, just tent camping and the available sites are very limited. I also suggest checking the weather before you go as conditions on the mountain can change dramatically ( like going from over 80° and no wind to 56° windy and foggy so bring layers no matter how warm it is.

Just past SF this park has so many different trail options perfect for all hiking levels. The…read moredownside is this place gets PACKED! My sister and I arrived before 8am at the Watershed parking lot and barely found a space. We did the trail that took us to the West Point Inn for the pancake breakfast and round trip was close to 5 miles so it was a great workout. There's gorgeous views and well! On the way back to the 101 however it's a mess. The road on the way down is crowded with parked cars, which makes driving through challenging. That's the only thing about this park, other than that I'd love to come back in spring when everything is green and vibrant!

I first visited Hippie Tree a few years ago, and I remember there were two swings. Parking is…read morepretty easy as just park on the street along the residential area. Today I visited this spot again, and I got to park much closer than the previous time as I passed the entrance to the trail to Hippie Tree last time. The trail to the Hippie Tree has a slight incline, but pretty short hike. This time, there was just one swing. The swing was also pretty high so it was a bit difficulty to get on. The two girls who were there were not able to climb on. Then I tried to climb on, and I was able to do it. :D I showed them that using one leg to hook on the seat and holding onto the ropes to pull yourself up while swing the other leg onto the swing worked for me. This spot is truly a hidden gem, and I just felt pure tranquility when I was swinging there. :) The view is amazing even though today it was a bit foggy over in SF area so couldn't see the city and bridge as much.

Definitely a hidden gem in Tiburon! The entrance is at the end of a residential area. There are a…read morefew spots to park on the side of the streets. It's a bit of an uphill walk towards the tree but once you get up there, it's to your left. We were there on a Saturday afternoon and it was empty so we got to enjoy the views and swings to ourselves. Check the weather prior before going because it can be cloudy and the view won't be as great.

GORGEOUS. The views were simply amazing at sunset!…read more The Verna Dunshee loop is 0.7 miles and completely flat (under 20 minutes) while the East Peak trail is 0.3 miles and ~300 feet of elevation gain (around 30 minutes up-and-down). The East Peak trail was pretty challenging with uneven ground and steep elevation, but it's doable for most people as long as you take it slow. The east peak parking lot is $8 to park but super easy to access and plenty of spots available. You can scan a QR code at the entrance to the trails to pay, and wi-fi is provided.

The Verna Dunchee loop is actually what brought us here. It is paved and flat and less than a mile…read moremaking it an easy enjoyable peaceful walk, I did it in my fuzzy boots. When we finished my husband looked up at the fire look out and then back at me and said "you wanna?". So I returned to our vehicle put on tennis shoes and started up. The first part is wooden and easy but then all the easy stops. I am going to go ahead and call it a beginners rock scramble since you must use your hands some of the time. The views are stunning! Makes you stop and appreciate nature and all its miracles. Totally worth it but I will admit it was harder than I anticipated. The loss of the star is 8$ parking. Oh and the bathrooms were clean! Dog friendly.

Book your parking before you go. So lucky we did because we saw others being turned around because…read morethey did not. We were able to find parking without any issues. Two people in our group has the American the Beautiful annual membership passes so they were able to bring 3 guests each in free. We spent about 2 hours here. Most of it was spent walking the main loop amongst the tall beautiful redwood trees. It is very peaceful there, even on a weekend. We did hike off the trail to see the hibernating lady buga. So many people walked right past them. There is a small gift shop right inside the entrance and a large gift shop plusa little cafeteria a short walk down the main trail too.

"Let me bring you songs from the woods To make you feel much…read morebetter than you ever could" (Jethro Tull) Muir Woods is 550-acres of old-growth forest with enormous redwoods wherever you look - they are the tallest type of tree in the world. We walked through their well-marked paths and over the wooden bridges and generally stared in awe at the majestic scenery. It is designated as a National Monument, and admission to the park runs $15. But if you have a National Park pass (like we did), you can enter Muir for free.

*****pay attention *****…read more Word, to the ignorant drivers who have never been on switchbacks DO NOT come here. As you blast down the very single car lane, not paying attention and laughing away isn't cute. Be mindful of cars and pediatricians. Believe it or not its not all about you! The road to the trail is all kinds of messed up. It's a single lane through a neighborhood with very little turnouts. Believe it or not, there are huge redwoods along this road. If you have never been on a road like this, please park at the bottom of the road!!! PLEASE! Even the folks who were walking up the road to the trail aren't alert. It's sooo fun to be surrounded by people who believe it's all about them yes, im being harsh, but it was that bad!

Dawn Falls Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back trail near Larkspur, California. It's considered to…read morebe a moderately challenging route. It will take about an hour to walk through this beautiful redwoods round trip to the Dawn Falls. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running. The best part of the Dawn Falls trail is that it's not crowded but you may still see a few other people while exploring. This trail is open year round but the best time is from January through November. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. However, I do see local dogs roaming without their leashes. Only a few parking spots deter many visitors. However, if you will be willing to be patience, there will on a parkingspot for you. This trail is maintained so clean here, so please no littering! Enjoy!

I had forgotten just how gorgeous this hike is--the scenery is incredible the entire way. Be…read moreprepared for a steady climb through most of the route, with plenty of wooden stairs, gnarly roots, and rock steps, but the stunning views make every bit of effort worth it. There are many great spots to stop for photos, take a break, or enjoy a picnic--we did all three. Thanks to the recent rain, there was still plenty of water flowing, which made the trail even more beautiful. The picnic area at Laurel Dell is especially serene, with a babbling brook nearby. There's even an outhouse, which is always a welcome sight. I actually found climbing up much easier than descending as one has to really pay attention to their footing. We were happy seeing Alpine Lake again knowing we were close to end of hike.

A scenic trail, the winding uphill drive to reach the trail sets the mood and makes one start…read morefeeling the adventure even before one gets on the trail. The Cataract trail is medium difficulty level so one must be geared up well especially wearing the right shoes. It's along the stream of water and is quite narrow, has nice views. We were there before the sunset and the colors around looked so pretty! Quite close to the Fairfax downtown. There was no parking near the trail so people mostly park along the road.

Beautiful spot along the coast. There is a short walk on a path to the lookout point. It's…read moreconnected to a couple of trails you can walk along. There is a bathroom that has no sink or water. The parking lot has a good amount of spaces. Note that this is federal and the parking lot is closed during shutdowns. You can park nearby and walk in there is no entrance or fee. If you are in the area and driving by I recommend stopping by for a few minutes.

We stopped by Good Earth Natural Foods Market for to go from the hot deli first, picked up some…read morefresh baguette, cheese, and hot sandwich before picking a spot at Muir Beach outlooks for light hiking and picnic. There is plenty of parking and the scenery is simply beautiful. California coast at its best.

I just hiked most of this trail yesterday, and it was lit…read more I hiked the section from Pantoll Ranger Station to Dipsea, and to Stinson Beach from there. I looped back up on the Matt Davis Trail. Steep Ravine is famous, or at least locally famous, for its ladder up the side of a waterfall. On this occasion, it was slippery and wet, and was missing two of its rungs. Last time, I went up, but this time, I went down, which I think was way scarier. I would definitely not want to do this in the rain. As it was, I clung to the ladder with my whole body, and still felt like I was gonna slip. I became covered in mud, as a warning to all the other hikers passing in the other direction of what was to come. There are so many gorgeous little waterfalls on Webb Creek on this trail. Hiking through this forest almost feels like traveling back in time. It's so beautiful. I thought a heard a few fish splashing up the creek, but didn't see any. It looks like a salmon paradise, with hundreds of shallow pools connected by tiny cascades. Very hard but very rewarding trail. Make sure to bring food and water, since there isn't any water on the trail, and the only food is in Stinson Beach.

This time we started with the Steep Ravine and came back via the Dipsea Trail- great choice! Beauty…read moresurrounds you the entire hike. Be prepared to hike up many, many steps on Dipsea. So many gorgeous spots for photos and a lunch break. Fantastic map of area at the Pantoll Ranger Station (he was super nice & kind of cute). The entire area is very well maintained (Support your Parks!). Next time I think we shall start our hike at Stinson Beach.