The trail is around a 2-mile loop nestled in Samuel P. Taylor Park…read more Parking is $8 so I think this hike is better if you are already at Samuel P. Taylor Park. Not that many people are here on the weekdays so it might be worth the parking fee for some extreme calm because the trail doesn't get as busy as some other trails in Marin. I felt it was very serene, and you were really away from it all here with just the sounds of the running creek and woodpeckers. Visually it's very shaded with lots of greenery and ferns. I always get a sandwich at Lagunitas Grocery store beforehand and eat it in the park.

When my son suggested I hike the Pioneer Tree Trail he described it as easy and empty; he had never…read morebefore seen anyone on the trail and surmised that bringing my dog, whether permitted or not (he was unsure) would thus be no problem. He had obviously never been on the Pioneer Tree Trail on a summer weekend during a pandemic. Pioneer Tree Trail is a 2.1 mile loop trail that isn't flat but neither is there any significant elevation. It winds around and back and forth through beautiful Redwood groves and it's got a lot of charm. The fact that most people enter the trail from Samuel P. Taylor Park probably accounted for its popularity during my weekend, summertime visit. Children and families and groups who I'll assume were in some sort of Covid-bubble all seemed to be enjoying this hike on a sunny day. And even though she wasn't technically allowed, my dog enjoyed the easy to follow trail as well. If all you're looking for is a mellow stroll, go ahead and enter from the park. If you want more of a challenge though still no elevation, park on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at Inkwells, cross the bridge on the north side of the road, and follow the flat, bike-friendly Cross Marin Trail to your left. When you cross the second bridge, do a u-turn and you'll encounter the entrance to the Pioneer Tree Trail. I have it on good authority that you can have this trail to yourself at most times, but I'd not rely on it during a summer weekend when people are itching to break out of their homes after months of sheltering in place.

This Open Space Preserve is part of the Marin County Park system. You can easily access this…read morepreserve from the Camino Alto preserve which is immediately southeast of this part. I found that the trails and roads were in pretty good shape, but keep in mind that some of them are pretty steep. Also note on the map which ones are good for bikes and which ones are not suitable for bikes. On My Le summer bike ride through this preserve, I happen to encounter a volunteer. This nice gentleman goes through the parks and make sure that everything is safe and in good shape. I suggested that they have maps at the entrance, rather than just a board

Somebody's gonna get killed here. Or somebody's dog is gonna get killed here. Or both. It's yelp…read morecliche to say "I really wanted to like this place..." . It's not cliche to add "but I really enjoy remaining alive". So first things first: * Keep yourself and your dog - and anything else you cherish - close and hug the mountain. If you're heading up, stay far to the right and as close to the mountain as possible. If you're headed down, continue to stay there, even if it feels like you're walking in the wrong "lane". * Pray that the mountain bikers racing down the mountain stay in the outside "lane", have excellent brakes, vigilance, and a conscience. I wish there were signs that explained these rules but there aren't. Don't learn the hard way. There's a lot of options here. After street parking on West Blithedale, I hiked about 45 minutes up to a great viewpoint with a bench. At this point, there's an auto barrier which allows walk-ins and bike-ins. I went no further but was told that continuing on leads to a paved road then another fire road leading to many additional trails. (To get to this place, I took the path on the left when there was an option. Path on the left but keep hugging the mountain). To this point, the hike isn't difficult. The incline is gradual but the wide path is rocky so wear sturdy shoes. Others have reported this trail as sunny and hot but I experienced normal Mill Valley weather (cool and overcast). My dog and I generally enjoy a hike that doesn't entail fearing for our lives. By that measure, this isn't really a great place. I did like the ease of access and the long, gentle slope of the trail (at least the part I hiked) and for that I'd make a return visit. There's probably a law against even thinking this in Marin, but this would be a 4-star hike for me if we could ban the mountain bikers. Until then, no.

The Tiburon Uplands preserve is a short 1-mile loop through a heavily wooded area with nice views…read moreon the top of the bay. There is even a little bench at the top of the trailhead where you can sit and look out to the bay. The area is very canopied and looks like no one else is around. Some parts of the trail get very narrow, I would not do this hike alone as it's very remote and easier to fall off the trail. At the top there is a trail going to Old St. Hilary's Preserve which adds another mile to the hike. I think it makes more sense to add this since the views are amazing and there is no point to go down long windy Paradise drive for just a short 1-mile loop. I think it's actually better to park on Lyford or Heathcliff drive which dead end to fire roads that go to the St. Hilary's Preserve and go to the Uplands Preserve from there.

I found this place while running around Paradise Dr. and past this mysterious overgrown entrance to…read morea hiking trail. Lo and behold I looked it up and saw that it was connected to Old St. Hilary's Open Space Preserve. It has one official trail - The Loop Trail. It's less than a mile and somewhat steep and entirely wooded.Take a left at the park bench at the top of the trail and take the unmarked trail to get to Old St. Hilary's. Its pretty cool, but not very scenic. I would just go to Old St. Hilary's and call it a day. I'm not surprised that this the trail looks pretty overgrown. Tiburon Uplands is a nature preserve, rather than a developed park. Its 24 wooded acres are tucked into a canyon along a quiet stretch of Paradise Drive near Tiburon, about one mile south of Paradise Beach Park. A short but strenuous one mile loop trail winds through mature woodlands and allows visitors to enjoy a variety of native plants and animals, as well as excellent bay views from higher elevations. The property adjoins the Old St. Hilary's Open Space Preserve near the ridgeline. The preserve provides a secluded natural experience with few recreational facilities, and is not easily accessible. Dogs are allowed on leash. Directions: From Hwy 101 in Mill Valley, take exit 447 for Tiburon Blvd (Hwy 131) east 1.8 miles. Turn left onto Trestle Glen Blvd, right onto Paradise Dr, and follow for 1.5 miles. The park is on the left.

Husband and I heard about this trail from a friend and decided to do it today. This is an easy,…read morerelatively flat trail that is also quite wide, though somewhat rocky. We passed kids with their moms, older couples, dogs, and, and a couple of joggers, but the trail never felt busy or crowded. The path goes East-West and gives beautiful views of Terra Linda, San Anselmo, and even a little bit of San Francisco is the day is clear enough. We didn't have a lot of time, so when the trail broke off into a few different directions at about the .75 mile mark, we turned around to go back to the car. The trail was a bit muddy but was a very nice quick walk. Please be considerate as you are parking in a neighborhood; drive slow and maybe try to keep your voice down. We noticed that some of the driveways have parking blocks to prevent people from turning around in their driveways.

What's kinda funny about this trail is how it starts on Lucas Valley Road. There's no parking lot…read more(no restrooms either), so you just park on the shoulder near a big rock. As it turns out, that big rock is the Big Rock, so the hiking-averse among us will likely take a pic and drive away. Talk about premature climax. But you should keep going as the uphill climb wasn't that strenuous, mostly a gradual incline, and it affords nice views along the way. One view you'll have is of Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas's production facility although from a distance, it looked more like an upscale private resort. You might presume Lucas Valley was named after George, especially since he donated the land that led to the formation of the back-and-forth trail. However, it's named after a 19th-century Irish immigrant unrelated to George. The meandering, gravelly trail was mostly exposed so bring water and a hat. If you make it to the radio towers, you can pat yourself on the back for reaching the second highest summit in Marin next to Mt. Tam. You also might be lonely up there as I ran into exactly one bicyclist and two hikers on my entire journey. Instead, put in your AirPods and play a song like Peter Gabriel's "Big Time". Just replace 'Time' with 'Rock'. The lyrics still work: "I'm on my way, I'm making it / I've got to make it show, yeah... Big, Big, Big, Big, Big, Big, Big, Big ROCK!" RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

This is the perfect hike. I started at 4 p.m. on an August afternoon, and finished with plenty of…read moretime to spare. The grade is perfect for some uphill cardio, without going overboard. The downhill is not slippery and dangerous. at the top, adjacent to the radio tower oh, there's even a porta potty. The view from the top is fantastic. Look toward San Pablo Bay. You'll see the Carquinez Bridge off in the distance toward the northwest. look toward the Southwest and you'll see the finger fog pushing through the San Francisco Bay toward the Richmond and Albany Hills. There's a small place for parking right off of Lucas Valley Road.

Zelinsky Park is located behind the Tiburon Town Hall and Belvedere Tiburon library. It is a small…read morepatch of land next to the marsh, and it is on the trailhead to St. Hilary's Open Space. The park is named for Fred Zelinsky (1894-1982), a local real estate developer. His family donated the land on which the town hall and library is built on. The park utilizes the marsh as a viewing area fior the local wildlife and habitat. However i wish they had signs marking the the trail to the Open Space. I only found about about the trail after looking at the Tiburon walking trails map near Main Street. The marsh is next to a community of homes. To me, it us not a destination park n that I would go out of my way to visit. There are no other amenities there. It is a simple little park that makes great use of the marsh and its smallish amount of surrounding land.

The person who reviewed this 11 years ago was spot on about the beauty of this trail. He biked it,…read morewhich was definitely a lot of climbing and I hiked it today. I'm surprised no one else has reviewed this beautiful trail. We chose this hike because it was so hot today inland-it turns out it was a good decision. The hike begins with climbing almost all the way to the of trail. However, there are sweeping views of the coast, Mount Tamalpais, and beyond. The most fascinating part was the abundance of sedimentary rock we were surrounded by- truly astounding. I had to look up the history of these rocks and learned this- we were looking at one of California's most famous geological features: radiolarian ribbon chert. The strata with the various colors was clearly visible & striking. Additionally we were impressed with the large concrete bunker complex (at the top of climb) Battery Townsley. It's the massive WWII gun battery perched above Fort Cronkhite and Rodeo Beach. I highly recommend this hike for those that enjoy spectacular, coastal views, history, and geology.

After you ride the Coastal View trail, you will want to sell your earthly goods and then donate the…read moreproceeds to the GGNRA and then devote yourself to mountain biking full time. Really, join me! We'll make it work! We'll live on thistles and spring water, and we'll dance with the butterflies! Oh, never mind, we need beer money...but do check out this trail...I pretty much guarantee you'll love it. Here's my loop: West Blithedale trailhead, up Old Railroad Grade to West Point Inn, past the Inn to Old Stage Road trail, down to Pantoll campground, (through the parking lots) to Coastal View trail, ride Coastal View all the way to Highway 1. Then turn left, ride carefully on Hwy 1 to the Pelican Inn, and have your friend guard the bikes while you get a pot of tea to drink out on the lawn. Then lug your tired rear up Diaz Ridge trail back to Mill Valley and don't hate on me for getting you to a place that's downhill from where you want to be. Alternate plan: Get your friend's husband, who has a truck, to pick you up. Say yes to hitchhikers 'cause that might be you one day and you think you know them maybe a little. But I guess I should review the trail itself: Coastal View is absolutely magnificent. The word 'magnificent' is not an exaggeration, which I am prone to, but not in this case. Single track (but not the scary next-to-a-cliff-you-might-die type of single track) that progresses from wooded bits near Pantoll, to an exposed path, to a Disney-couldn't-design-a-trail-that-looks-this-good segment that winds through some low trees (duck! you might get wet if it's misty), then out to views of the coast (or the fog, depending on your luck). Go with a friend so you can keep saying, "Oh my gosh! This is great! And there's no one on the trail!"* Tons of wildflowers in the spring and great photo ops if you're into that--I am always so blissed out that I forget about photos. Bonus photo op at Muir Beach overlook right off of Highway 1. *OK, you may see a few others on Coastal View trail. On my most recent ride, we saw a single runner (that's it!) from Pantoll to Hwy 1. That said, don't rush it, savor it. Look out for bunnies. PS Yes, you could hike this, too, but I never have. I'm sure it's just as nice on foot. PPS the only place you might lose your way is just past Pantoll, but watch for the signs and I think it is clear.

Half these reviews are of the wrong place. There's the Tomales Bay Trail and the Tomales Point…read moreTrail which sound very similar so it's easy to get them mixed up but they are completely different places. The Tomales Point Trail is much farther out and the hike is in view of the ocean and features Tule Elk. That place is: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tomales-point-trail-tule-elk-preserve-inverness?osq=tomales+trail The Tomales Bay Trail is right outside of Point Reyes Station off the Shoreline freeway. The trail is about 2.5 miles and takes a little over an hour. Since it's so close to Point Reyes Station it's nice to go here if you are looking for a shorter hike and not wanting to go all the way out to the seashore or do a long Bear Valley trail. The trail is easy passing by two lagoons or ponds and views of the Inverness mountain in the background. Lots of wildflowers in the spring! Lots of birds, not always in eyesight but I could hear them everywhere. I kept seeing a black bird with a bright red markings, not sure what type of bird this is but it was pretty. There is no shade, most of the time this isn't an issue since Point Reyes is naturally cool or foggy but on a sunny day this can really creep up on you.

For years now I've driven by the Tomales Bay Trailhead and been consistent in remarking that "I…read morewant to hike that". I finally did, and when I'd almost fully back-tracked to my car I said "Well, done that. Don't need to do that again". I got home and told my son I'd hiked this nothing-burger trail. At first he didn't know which trail I was talking about then he was struck with a sudden recognition. "You're right" he said, "that's a nothing-burger". There's nothing wrong with his trail aside from there not being much to it. Parking at the trailhead is easy and free in a small lot. After going through numerous gates designed, I believe, to keep the cows in, hikers are presented with attractive views of Tomales Bay and the surrounding wetlands. The trail is neither challenging, steep, nor long but if you want to make it as long as possible head out to the end of the peninsula. Reach the end of that and return the way you came and you'll log a bit under 3.5 miles total. There's no looping here so backtracking is your sole option. Dogs aren't permitted though nobody appears to be checking. If you've also been driving by this trailhead for a long time know that crossing it off your own bucket list won't eat up too much of your day so you might as well. Pretty, easy, and short make this a worthy place to work off a few calories before heading further north for, perhaps, that platter of Hog Island oysters that's got you on this road in the first place.