This was my 3rd time hiking here and each hike has been beautiful and different from one another…read more There are different trails you can take which is awesome as depending on the time you have you can opt for one over another. We start at the Spencer Avenue entrance although there are numerous other entry points. With this route, be prepared to start uphill immediately. The wood steps and stunning views help with the climb. Once at the top is where you make your choice of what route you'd like to hike. Each one is beautiful. There are incredible views and many excellent photo ops. No restrooms so be prepared.

This is a half mile connector trail to other hikes in the headlands. I like it because you don't…read morehave to go through that creepy tunnel to get to the Marin Headlands. Parking can be limited since it's a commuter parking spot for the bus if you walk under the overpass across the highway, it's not so bad. It's a fairly trail steep surrounded by eucalyptus and oak trees. On a clear day can see all the way to Mount Diablo, the East Bay, and Angel Island.

Loma Alta Ridge. I keep going back for more!!!…read more https://youtu.be/zPq7GUQO7uw https://youtu.be/Urm8R-MALw0

There are a few open space preserves in Fairfax: Loma Alta, White Hill, and Cascade. This one is…read moretechnically Loma Alta. There are many trails that go up in the hills and intersect or if you go to the other side of the street it is the White Hill Preserve. These preserves are really popular with mountain bikers in Marin. During the winter there is a waterfall, it's not as great as some others in Marin but it's also not as crowded. The waterfall is located on the Old Railroad Grade trail. For a shorter hike that's about 2.5 miles I do a loop Of Old Railroad Grade-Hunter Creek Court-Baywood Canyon. Parking is 2 turn outs. I like the farther one because you go under the bridge and there's always some graffiti.

They're really not kidding about this being an open space because I'm not sure what makes this area…read moregeologically unique. A lot of trees and a lot of rocks. That pretty much summarizes my informed opinion of Loma Alta. Marked by an overpass bridge, it's off Sir Francis Drake Blvd just past Fairfax - though you need to slow down to turn off on the broadened shoulder to park comfortably. Don't let the speed-obsessed morons behind you feel bad about wanting to stop here. The underbelly of the bridge is saturated by graffiti, which actually makes it a visually interesting start to your hike. Now you can be adventurous and hike up Sunrise Fire Road almost right away and get to Loma Alta peak that much faster. That ain't me. I just followed the relatively flat, somewhat circuitous Old White Hill Grade to the Fox Hollow Trail. Very woodsy and on the edge of Marin suburbia, but you can get back to nature by following another fire road on Smith Ridge. Yes, your thighs get a workout during this uphill stretch, but it's not nearly as traumatic as the Sunrise route. The views were nice but truthfully not that extraordinary as Loma Alta felt a bit more enclosed than other similar open spaces in Marin like the adjacent Big Rock area. One unexpected treat occurred when I got back to the car and noticed there was a path aptly named the Sherwood Forest Trail. Here I was surrounded almost cocoon-like by a grove of big redwoods. Lovely. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Fantastic place for a hike, but do not try to follow the trail maps. There is private property…read morepeppered throughout this preserve. Trails end at Gates that threaten law enforcement action if you passed through. Scenery is quite pretty, and be sure to learn a little bit about the geology of the area.

Carson Falls are epic! Carson Falls drops about 80 feet…read more along Carson Creek. In the winter after storms: totally amazing! The creek swells and the falls roar. You don't just see it, you feel it in your mind and heart! I love the power of water falls! In the summer, the water falls are quiet, delicate, still stunning. Your peaceful serenity moment with zero crowds makes your heart melt with smiles. Bring your lunch. Or a book. Or just simply enjoy the magic of living! It's about 3 miles round trip. 2 hours. Steady but happy climb, totally doable! The kind of "easy enough for any day of the week, rewarding enough to brag about hike. Chase this one right after a huge storm must be spectacular! Trust me. You'll see why Marin locals try to keep it quiet. Who's adding this to their hiking list?

This is a case where the journey is more important than the destination…read more Carson Falls is located in a remote part of Marin County. When I was into mountain biking, I read a book about the biking trails in Marin. On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the toughest, the Pine Mountain area is a 6! Pine Mountain Road is not only remote, it's rocky. If you get in trouble out here, you're REALLY in trouble. I'll stick to hiking, thankyouverymush. First stop: Carson Falls. I went in March, there had already been a few showers that year, so I wasn't worried about the lack of water. I was spectacularly underwhelmed. I think the falls are around 25 feet tall, and it wouldn't take much for the creek to run out of water. The rock where you can gaze at the falls while eating lunch is nice, and the immediate area is home to an endangered yellow-legged frog. Oh well, so much for this destination. The journey - the acreage surrounding the falls - truly is spectacular. Especially in Spring, when the grass is still green. Forests alternating with low manzanita. The last quarter mile before Carson Falls is deep redwoods. Views of canyons, ridgelines, the Meadow Club Golf Course, both Alpine and Kent Lakes, and Marin suburbia in the distance. You can even see Mt. Diablo and Mt. Tam in the same shot. I made it up to Pine Mountain, which requires bushwhacking to get to the actual summit, and found two mysterious rockwalls hidden among the manzanita. If camping was allowed here, there are plenty of nice backpacking spots, but this is an area for storage of Marin drinking water so camping is out. The Carson Falls and Pine Mountain area is really nice if you're looking for a different outdoors jaunt. It's not undiscovered by any means, but it does offer an experience that's different from most in Marin County - or the entire Bay Area, for that matter.

a good hike down the Coastal Trail and great views of the bay entrance and marin headlands. The…read morerock was painted white so that before the trees came up ships could use it to determine their location (using angles to that rock plus another beacon somewhere else is what I was told). Just stay out of the nearby closed area or you might get a ticket from a park ranger...

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.

Cascade Falls in Cascade Park, Mill Valley is different from Cascade Falls in Fairfax which are…read moreclose together. The Cascade Falls in Cascade Park still have water unlike the Falls in Fairfax in July 2025. The road to get there is cascade drive would take us all the way to the park. There aren't many parking lots for spaces around the area. We're lucky to find one right in front of the Cascade trail. People parked along the Cascade Drive and walk up to the trail. It's a very short hike to the Falls, on the right hand side by the little bridge. The trail is really nice, you can walk up hills pass the Falls. In the rainy season, we can see the water running along the creek on the right hand side. From here we can take a drive to Muir Beach or Muir Woods National Monuments which is very beautiful but we need to book a parking permit in advanced. It's always booked unless we book a week in advance. This Summer we're trying to visit all the beautiful places in Northern California.

This hike is easily accessible from the parking lot and has gorgeous falls and streams straight…read morefrom the beginning. There is a bigger, more challenging loop if you want more exercise and is the quintessential hike to see redwoods and falls in their splendor.

Sky trail is a peaceful escape from the crowds at Point Reyes. While you can access it via several…read moretrails that climb up from Bear Valley, the actual trailhead is along the road Limantour Road, about 3.5 mile mark. There's a small dirt lot on the left hand side. On Labor Day, the lot wasn't full and the trail itself was very peaceful. I followed Sky Trail towards Sky camp but turned off prior to the camp on to Horse Trail, then Z Ranch to the Mt Wittenberg spur. On the return trip turned right on the Mt Wittenberg trail which loops back to Sky and takes through the rest of the loop past Sky Camp and back down to the trailhead. Mt Wittenberg is the highest point in Pt Reyes but don't expect sweeping or epic views. It's a quiet woodland trail where you can get some peeks out at the bay. Taking Sky Trail here involved less elevation gain than if you climbed up from the trails near Bear Valley. NPS has a good description of the trail here: https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-to-mount-wittenberg-from-sky-trailhead.htm The hike along Sky Trail is about the journey as it meanders through lush forest and occasionally offers some ocean or bay views. It was impacted by the 2020 Woodward fire and a few sections lack shade due to the canopy burning but overall, the forest seems to be recovering nicely. I enjoy this trail for the quiet and to be in the forest. Late summer, there were a few wildflowers and things have stayed amazingly green. Although my loop was shy of 5 miles, Sky trail connects with many others. The visitor center at Bear Valley offers decent maps and guidance from rangers if you're looking for any other ideas. Point Reyes has so many options for hikes and lesser known park trails-after 12 years of visiting, I'm still finding new adventures to enjoy. Sky Trail will now be a regular for me.

When it comes to local hiking trails, there are three elements that will steal my heart away just…read moreabout every single time; a heavily wooded forest, lush green foliage, and beautiful coastal views. The Sky Trail has all of this. So naturally, I fell in love with this trail right off the bat. The Sky Trail is a lightly trafficked hiking trail that runs through Point Reyes National Seashore. You can connect to this trail from a few different trails within the park. I started my hike from the parking lot near the Bear Valley trailhead and made a right onto the Mount Wittenberg trail. From here, it's about 2 miles until you reach the Sky Trail. The hike from Mount Wittenberg to the Sky Trail is pretty intense, and starts off immediately inclining through the forest. It's mostly uphill until you reach the Mount Wittenberg summit. Once you've made it to the summit, you'll see a few trailhead signs and a trail split. From here you'll continue on the Mount Wittenberg trail for about a half mile until you reach the Sky Trail. You'll start to decline as you get closer to the trail. And my oh my is this trail gorgeous! This section of the Sky Trail is surrounded by a plethora of tall trees. As you continue down the path, you'll start to notice a break in the trees and the stunning views of the coastline will hit you like a ton of bricks. There are also sections of the trail that are plant heavy and vibrantly green. Once you pass this, you'll end up descending down a steep and narrow pathway until you reach the Coast Trail. It's about a 3 mile trek until you reach the connecting trail, and about another mile or less if you want to get down to Kelham beach. So, roughly 6 miles from the parking lot to the beach via the Sky Trail (and that's one way). Going down the Sky Trail can be tough because it's super steep on the way down, but coming up is a real challenge. If you want to skip the treacherous hike all the way back up the hill, you can take the Coast Trail back to Bear Valley, and this will loop you back to the parking lot. It's also a more scenic trek along the coastline, and you'll get to walk amongst pretty Redwoods and a beautiful stream along the Bear Valley trail on the way back. Point Reyes has so many incredible hiking trails, but because the Sky Trail requires some additional trekking to get to, it's far less traveled. Would highly recommend the Sky Trail for people who are looking for a challenging hike without much foot traffic.