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It was absolutely beautiful. The trails were all cleared off very well lots of trees, outstanding view. Dogs and horses are welcome. It was my first time here and they do have a map at the beginning but I would've liked a few more signs along the way or trail markings. Not a lot of people so probably obvious good to bring someone with you. Great hike can't wait to go again!
I went on a hike w/ Greenbelt Alliance to Indian Tree OSP in Novato. First time there and I really enjoyed it. It's about 1hr10min from Fremont. No water so bring your own. No toilets - there is a grocery store and Starbucks off the freeway that is convenient. No bikes allowed I think because it's mostly single track trails and horses are on the trail along with hikers. Dogs allowed on leash. Limited roadside parking on Vineyard Rd. We started on the Upper Meadow Trail - Big Trees Trail, lots of gradual uphill on switchbacks - had lunch with a nice view near the Big Trees - then we took the Deer Camp Trail & Deer Camp Cutoff back to Upper Meadow Trail and the cars. I think it was about 5-6 miles total. We saw a snake, not much else. Worth a day trip if in the area or wanting to explore something new.
It's a real shame mountain biking isn't allowed. This area attracts only a handful of hikers and equestrians--it is sure beautiful. The grade couldn't be lovelier, it's always interesting with diverse flora: irises, ferns, Oak, California Bay, Buckeye, Redwood. Loop is about 2.5 hours hike. Midway up you hit chaparral with manzanita, madrone, and a view south, it's breathtaking. The coast redwood at the summit is a specimen that will leave you in awe every time.
To get to this trail you must exit city life as you know it, then cross over to the dirt road. The preserve features a path which meanders through Oak and Redwood trees, a diversity of ferns and moss. After walking a little ways on the trail, you'll come upon a sign post. One direction says 'trail' the other says 'Big Trees'. I wanted to see what the Big Trees looked like so I took this path. I'd say it's a good 5-6 mile hike. It's not loop so you come back the way you came. There is a fire road that continues the trail, making it a 10 mile hike start to finish. After speaking with local hikers at the end of my hike, that I found I should have continued on this road. But it is at this junction where the Big Trees live. Like something out of a movie where upon exiting the forrest you step out to a verdant clearing, then BAMM! a group of gargantuan redwoods are in your sight. Not many people on this trail, in fact it was probably every 30 minutes before I saw other hikers. So your company are the Ravens, the Gray Squirrels, Salamanders and the trees. At one point you're fully surrounded by Oak, then the floor turns a bright red from the leaves of the Redwood, then you're with the Oaks again. Surrounding the preserve are rolling hills, which when not in drought would undoubtedly be lush with tall grass. This is a very easy hike with lots of switchbacks. Only at the very end is there a push in elevation, no doubt easily accomplished by anyone with a few extra deep breaths. Once you make it to the top you will be rewarding with an amazing view of Novato, San Pablo Bay and Petaluma off in the distance.
I realized I have not been on this hike in several years and decided today was the day to revisit. I've enjoyed this area in the past and I certainly remembered how pretty it was once we got going. Most of this hiking trail is shaded, which is helpful on the warmer days- however a few parts are out in the open. The trails are very well maintained, which is much appreciated. The views of Stafford Lake on one side of the hill and then looking towards the East Bay & Mount Diablo on the other side are both sensational. Dogs on leash are permitted. read more
This hiking trail is located pretty far out down Vineyard Road which goes on forever and in an area that many Novato locals don't even know exists. There is a horse stable at the end of the road and people horseback ride through the trails. Be ready to dodge lots of horse poop. It's very calm and peaceful up here, it's not nearly as busy as many other Marin hiking trails. Parts of the trail look out to views of Mount Burdell and Stafford Lake. The main loop (Upper Meadow with Big Trees) is about 4 miles and takes about 2 hours. It isn't too difficult, but it does have about a 650ft steady elevation gain so you are constantly going uphill until the top where you loop around and descent. Most of it is shaded, but I'd still skip it in the summertime, unless going early in the morning. There are a couple of trails where you can branch out more at the top. I've tried the Ships Mast which ended up on the residential Rebo Drive. I wouldn't recommend that unless you had sturdy boots or hiking poles. When it turns into Indian Tree fire road there are parts that are STEEP. This is actually good if you want something rigorous for your calves on the way up but for the descent there were some parts I thought that were downright dangerous for slipping even with running shoes. There are a couple of trails on the AllTrails app that in person are overgrown and closed with signs saying 'H Ranch keep out'. Still can't figure out who owns H Ranch but I've seen signs like that at the Fairway waterfall and Indian Valley Preserve. read more
Listen, if you're tired of constantly escaping the paparazzi, as most of us experience, then you may want to drive out to the isolated western part of Novato and hike the trails in this heavily wooded preserve. Trust me, nobody will find you here, and frankly I had trouble finding the open space since there was no parking lot and a small sign hardly visible from the road. In fact, I found myself on a gravel road in the middle of a horse stable. Once I finally found the Big Trees Trailhead, I began a slow and steady walk that became a gradual ascent through a wide variety of trees. It was quite manageable through a series of lengthy switchbacks. This pattern lasted for a couple of miles before I reached the first directional sign. What a welcome sight as I was growing weary of looking at the same foliage over and over again. Here I diverted myself to the Deer Camp Trail which turned my hike into a more circuitous path where I felt the prospect of seeing my car again increased significantly. My major challenges during this stretch were piles of horse manure and indeed the occasional equestrian where I had to yield perilously on a ledge since the trail became quite narrow. I made another right onto the Upper Meadow Trail where yes, civilization felt imminent. No autographs please. RELATED - Exploring north of San Francisco? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU read more
It was absolutely beautiful. The trails were all cleared off very well lots of trees, outstanding view. Dogs and horses are welcome. It was my first time here and they do have a map at the beginning but I would've liked a few more signs along the way or trail markings. Not a lot of people so probably obvious good to bring someone with you. Great hike can't wait to go again! read more
I went on a hike w/ Greenbelt Alliance to Indian Tree OSP in Novato. First time there and I really enjoyed it. It's about 1hr10min from Fremont. No water so bring your own. No toilets - there is a grocery store and Starbucks off the freeway that is convenient. No bikes allowed I think because it's mostly single track trails and horses are on the trail along with hikers. Dogs allowed on leash. Limited roadside parking on Vineyard Rd. We started on the Upper Meadow Trail - Big Trees Trail, lots of gradual uphill on switchbacks - had lunch with a nice view near the Big Trees - then we took the Deer Camp Trail & Deer Camp Cutoff back to Upper Meadow Trail and the cars. I think it was about 5-6 miles total. We saw a snake, not much else. Worth a day trip if in the area or wanting to explore something new. read more
6 years ago
It's a real shame mountain biking isn't allowed. This area attracts only a handful of hikers and equestrians--it is sure beautiful. The grade couldn't be lovelier, it's always interesting with diverse flora: irises, ferns, Oak, California Bay, Buckeye, Redwood. Loop is about 2.5 hours hike. Midway up you hit chaparral with manzanita, madrone, and a view south, it's breathtaking. The coast redwood at the summit is a specimen that will leave you in awe every time. read more
12 years ago
To get to this trail you must exit city life as you know it, then cross over to the dirt road. The preserve features a path which meanders through Oak and Redwood trees, a diversity of ferns and moss. After walking a little ways on the trail, you'll come upon a sign post. One direction says 'trail' the other says 'Big Trees'. I wanted to see what the Big Trees looked like so I took this path. I'd say it's a good 5-6 mile hike. It's not loop so you come back the way you came. There is a fire road that continues the trail, making it a 10 mile hike start to finish. After speaking with local hikers at the end of my hike, that I found I should have continued on this road. But it is at this junction where the Big Trees live. Like something out of a movie where upon exiting the forrest you step out to a verdant clearing, then BAMM! a group of gargantuan redwoods are in your sight. Not many people on this trail, in fact it was probably every 30 minutes before I saw other hikers. So your company are the Ravens, the Gray Squirrels, Salamanders and the trees. At one point you're fully surrounded by Oak, then the floor turns a bright red from the leaves of the Redwood, then you're with the Oaks again. Surrounding the preserve are rolling hills, which when not in drought would undoubtedly be lush with tall grass. This is a very easy hike with lots of switchbacks. Only at the very end is there a push in elevation, no doubt easily accomplished by anyone with a few extra deep breaths. Once you make it to the top you will be rewarding with an amazing view of Novato, San Pablo Bay and Petaluma off in the distance. read more
10 years ago
Gorgous space, well worth the drive from San Francisco to explore. It is an easy hike and the trail is well-maintained. I appreciated that the people that brought their dogs were good about keeping them on a leash. GPS location on Google maps is a bit off; it says to drive past the horse stables, which you cannot do. Park once the paved road abruptly turns into a dirt road. If you want to see a ferns and Redwoods, use the trail on the left. read more
10 years ago
13 years ago
More info about Indian Tree Preserve
Vinyard Rd
Novato, CA 94947
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https://www.marincountyparks.org/parkspreserves/preserves/indian-tree
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