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    Lake Lagunitas

    4.5 (26 reviews)

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    The beautiful lake!
    Dennis R.

    Such a beautiful place! Very nice and very well maintained. I went here for a hike on Black Friday to #OptOutside instead going shopping and had a great time, despite the first big storm of the season! As far as location goes, as you enter the park, you will see an automated parking ticket area to your right. There are several areas within the park that you can go to, which are labeled with signs, including Bon Tempe Lake. I chose to go to Lake Lagunitas this time. On to the hike! I parked at the Lake Lagunitas parking lot and pretty much just started walking until I saw the lake. Such beautiful scenery here! And since it was storming, I almost had the park to myself! I only encountered 3 other hikers on the 2 mile loop. I encountered several bridges on the way, and tons of puddles and mini streams due to the storm. The good thing is the trail never really got muddy, despite the heavy rains. All in all, this was a beautiful, easy hike, and I will definitely be back again when the weather is better, lol. I'll also try to add Bon Tempe to my hike next time.

    PaHoua L.

    Beautiful lake at all times of day, in all types of weather. You can walk the loop for a full 2-mike hike with some rolling hills and views of the lake. Lots of birds to see here as well. On a rainy hike, I once spotted several banana slugs, newts, and even the native redwood snail! The trail is open to dogs on leash, people on horseback, cyclists, and of course hikers. People of all ages can do this easy hike. There are some spots with stairs though, as well as a couple bridge crossings, so be prepared for that. Parking is $8 per vehicle, per day.

    Michael J.

    Great hike with my family , surrounded by Redwood Trees and friendly hikers. I'd encourage taking the loop.

    Paulina F.

    I typically give nice nature trails five stars, but this falls a bit short for two reasons: 1) The hike is way shorter than I'm used to and 2) the entrance fee, especially given the short hike, is kind of steep. If you bring food, like we did, fuck with some good herb (I ate a double dose of something homemade, so I spent the first couple hrs starring at the waterfall and munchin'), and spend time sitting around to take it all in, I feel you'll get your money's worth. The penis tree is funny, there's water to dip your feet into, and the waterfall is pretty kickass.

    Joan W.

    Very easy 2 mile walk that can be done in about an hour. Lake Lagunitas is good to walk around in all weather. It's beautiful in the sunshine where you can sit on a lakeside bench looking out but I also love it when it's foggy and misty around. It feels mysterious and kind of reminds me of Camp Crystal Lake in Friday the 13th. Sounds from birds and woodpeckers are abundant, it's really quiet and peaceful out here. The terrain changes from views right along the lake to redwood forest with running streams (in winter). There are many other options to add if one wants to make this hike longer. Bon Tempe Lake is next door and there are about 4 different trails that intersect the main loop. You can even hike to Mount Tam from here. It's very similar to Phoenix Lake in distance, difficulty, and the possibility of adding other trails to the loop. Personally I think it's worth the drive and worth paying the $8 to forego the parking hassle at Phoenix Lake.

    Redwoods
    Rachel S.

    Lake Lagunitas, how I love you. I discovered this beautiful lake by mistake one afternoon last spring. My friend and I were driving around Fairfax searching for a specific trail, which we never found. We must have spent hours looking before we picked up our map and discovered that Lake Lagunitas was close by. That afternoon we explored the hidden paths and ended up wandering along the trail around Bon Tempe. It was a lovely afternoon filled with sunshine, stories, and happy memories. I have only returned a few times, but each time I walk the trails around the lake I feel at peace. It's not a strenuous hike by any means, it's a just a simple walk with a few hills here and there (you can make it longer if you decide to walk to Bon Tempe, or take some trails off the beaten path.) I've brought my doggie, friends, family, and everyone enjoys it. I have to say that I really think that there's something about this lake that feels magical. Perhaps it's because I frequently visit Phoenix Lake and I need a change, but I'm not sure that's it. I'm just going to convince myself that this place is special. Take my advice and bring a picnic, camera, partner, yourself, a journal, or whatever you'd like and enjoy the scenery. Once you check out the lake for yourself, let me know if you love it as much as I do :)

    70 feet deep - fishing spot!
    Christine R.

    It's a great place to spend the day with family i.e., hiking, fishing, picnics, running, wildlife, etc. While strolling around the lake, look for the family circle tree & take a picture (nice keepsake). Try counting how many bridges you cross & how many creeks. See if you can find a newt & hold it in your hands (bring sanitizers). The drive is scenic through the small town of Fairfax. There is an entrance fee of $7 with plenty of parking. The park ranger gave us a nice tour and lots of information.

    Shaying U.

    This is the absolute best part of Fairfax!! We moved here only three years ago and we have loved coming here all the time!!

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    8 years ago

    Has been our go to spot for generations. Great hike for kids and a great picnic spot

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    8 years ago

    Ahhh.... one of my favorite places in the Bay Area. It is our Walden Pond. It's where I go to shake the cobwebs of stress off.

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    Ask the Community - Lake Lagunitas

    Is this a lake where we can go fishing?

    Yes, the fishing is great at lake Lagunitas. All the MMWD lakes allow fishing. Phoenix lake near the… Read more

    Is it safe to swim here?

    You are not allowed to swim here.

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Lake Lagunitas

    There are several areas within the park that you can go to, which are labeled with signs, including Bon Tempe Lake.

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    Cascade Falls - Poison oak

    Cascade Falls

    4.4(41 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    3/21/2026 On the way back from Cataract Falls Trail in Fairfax, CA, we decided to stop by the…read moreCascade Falls we visited last year with no water, all dried up. Since the Cataract Falls had water this time, we believed Cascade would too. It wasn't far from Cataract Falls, but if we drove from the East bay it would take more than an hour through 880 north 80 - 580 - Fairfax downtown. The hardest part of the trail is to find the parking space on the road to the trail. All along the street has no parking signs, we had to park almost a mile from the gate of the trail park. The hike is about 1.5 miles and uphill but not too hard. There are 2 trails to get to the Falls, on the way to the fall we used the right trail, on the way back, we used the left trail. The left trail is easier, wider than the right trail, both are on either side of the creek. This time, the water is there, very nice, although not many people there due to parking we guess. Anyhow, it's a quest that's successfully achieved for us. We had lunch at the top of the falls, all by ourselves which was nice. The next one will be Burney Falls. https://youtu.be/eHk-oivo32w

    Serenity now! Get ready for a great hike, a wonderful workout with such an incredible nature view…read moreof magnificent trees, rocks, water, ferns, birds, clean air, etc etc Cascade Fall trail is near Mill Valley, California. There are several paths from easily to moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 30 min to complete. This is absolutely my favorite trail for solitude, mindfulness. birding, hiking, and walking, Parking is a bit tough but if you can get there early, you can easily find a spot. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Enjoy!

    Photos
    Cascade Falls
    Cascade Falls - Poison oak

    Poison oak

    Cascade Falls - Beautiful place

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    Beautiful place

    Carson Falls - Parking area

    Carson Falls

    3.9(26 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Carson Falls - Super windy on a sunny day

    Super windy on a sunny day

    Carson Falls - Trailhead

    Trailhead

    Carson Falls - Posting

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    Posting

    Camp Tamarancho

    Camp Tamarancho

    4.5(35 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    I can't say anything about the camp itself but I can say the surrounding trails are just gorgeous…read moreand the Mountain biking is awesome One of the joys in life is my daily hikes up there and we are very fortunate in Fairfax do you have AJ as the Ranger

    This review is for the MTB trails on Camp Tamarancho, not the camp itself…read more It's a very challenging trail and I love it out there. Lots of bikers and not too many hikers. Beautiful scenery and mixed terrain. A lot of good people are putting in lots of hours to make this trail what it is. Especially for the Endor Flow Trail, which is awesome! Tips: - This is an intermediate/advanced trail. If you are a newbie, you'll probably have more fun at China Camp (which is also awesome). - You have to park in Fairfax and ride up. Don't try driving up the hill... it doesn't work. You can park in the neighborhood near scenic. I really like parking at Deer Park or further away and riding a bit before starting to climb, but that's just me. - Most people go in the clockwise direction. I recommend that! - Try the flow trail! Just remember to put your seat down. - Don't forget your pass. You can pick one up online or at the bike shops in Fairfax. - Be safe! I want to give it five stars, but I think I should leave that for Downieville, Northstar, Moab, Whistler, etc... when I make it to those places (eventually).

    Photos
    Camp Tamarancho - Trailhead

    Trailhead

    Camp Tamarancho - My kind of trail!

    My kind of trail!

    Camp Tamarancho - View of part of the trail through the trees

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    View of part of the trail through the trees

    Yolanda Trail

    Yolanda Trail

    5.0(1 review)
    1.4 mi

    I've always been a fan of the outdoors. But within about the last year or so, I've become a real…read moreenthusiast of the outdoors. Over that time, my favored outdoor activity has evolved from hiking to trail running. It's a matter of conditioning. It's not the trails, it's me. I cut weight, got more wind & now love the sensation running through all that beauty & splendor that is Nature. & there's a whole lot of that in Marin. In my ever-expanding quest to run the beautiful Earth, I found Yolanda Trail as a way to reach Phoenix Lake from San Anselmo. The point A was a bit out of necessity. Downtown San Anselmo has charging stations for my EV. The point B was a product of time & morbid curiosity. I hadn't been out to Phoenix Lake in a while & had read online that it was badly depleted due to our historic drought. Might as well go for a run to check it out. Going this route meant taking Oak Ave., a steeply-inclined residential road that eventually led to a gate & private community beyond. At this point, cars are a no-go but hikers, runners & bikers are OK. So long as you don't act like a total A-hole on someone else's street. Oak Ave. ends at Worn Springs Road & then the trail begins right across. Be ready for the Sun & have enough fluids. From this point to Lake Phoenix, there's partial shade in places but there's a lot of exposure to wide open sunshine too. The trail itself is mostly narrow but not technical. I ran it in regular street running shoes (rather than hiking boots or trail running shoes) & did just fine. There are decent inclines/ declines, but nothing too challenging for hiking & moderately challenging for trail running. From Worn Springs Road, the scenery stays interesting by constantly changing from valley vistas to hillside views to spread out tree canopy. Apparently, Yolanda Trail may also be a lesser-known route to Phoenix Lake as I didn't come across many other folks. All the way, out & back, from where I parked the car was almost 8 miles. From Worn Springs Road to Phoenix Lake & back was about 1/2 that. It was a beautiful day. It felt great to be outside. It was a solid workout. Yolanda Trail is a nice addition to my ever-expanding catalog of ways to run the Earth.

    Photos
    Yolanda Trail
    Yolanda Trail
    Yolanda Trail

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    Lake Berryessa Boat & Jet Ski Rentals - Fish 1

    Lake Berryessa Boat & Jet Ski Rentals

    4.3(350 reviews)
    45.3 mi

    We love Marty and his crew!! They really take the time to…read moremake sure that we were happy and would enjoy our day on the lake. They made sure we had everything we needed and really made us feel special. They are easy to use as they make it easy to book, register, and get onto the lake - way better than any other place to rent boats! Josh and Jeremy were GREAT! We highly recommend and will definitely be returning next summer!!!!

    *Great & Amazing Experience, I will come again sometime*…read more This was my first time choosing to rent from this company. I was worried that I had to rent a U-Haul pickup truck to tow their equipment. No Worries!! After making a reservation online, you show up on time. Time is important, it was quite a drive and I was 30 minutes late to my reservation. It was all good, I made it on time to enjoy the jet skis! Upon arrival, a person will brief you everything. Once completed, you follow the person towing your rental to the launch gate. Parking is $20, cash only! From there, you will enjoy your rental! Despite my experience, I did ran through a problem during my rental. I followed their rules and yet I got a warning light. Called the phone number they have given me, luckily I was with a buddy. They sent guys out to tow the jet ski, thank you! After we got back, no problems or damages were found on both jet skis. Small issue was oil overfill during the time the jet ski went through maintenance. It was understandable but I was given $25 for my next rental and refund back. We've taken it with care and hope someday to return to have fun!! S/O to the staff, thank you once again :)

    Photos
    Lake Berryessa Boat & Jet Ski Rentals
    Lake Berryessa Boat & Jet Ski Rentals - Cruising

    Cruising

    Lake Berryessa Boat & Jet Ski Rentals

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    Mt. Tamalpais Watershed/Phoenix Lake Trailhead

    Mt. Tamalpais Watershed/Phoenix Lake Trailhead

    4.6(8 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Secret Trail! This…read moreis one of my favorite areas for mountain biking. All of the lakes are are incredibly beautiful. You should know, however, that the parking is a real problem at Greene Park.. Even if you get there at 7 a.m. there are only a few spots left. Today, when I arrived promptly at 7 am, there were only two spots left. They were gone in a few minutes. The Coffin families have a great history in this area. If you get a chance you can research. It's a very interesting story. I recently discovered something unique about the Watershed. There is a secret way from this Watershed into the Cascade waterfall! Here's the secret way--please don't tell anyone else. Up above Concrete Pipe path, you can access Pine Mountain Tunnel Road. From there, there's a secret path--completely legal, to go to the Cascade Falls. There's one hitch however. You can't take your bike through Carey Camp Trail. You have to leave it there and hike in to go see the waterfall. Plan on an hour round-trip.

    Great place to come on a bright sunny day. The parking lot is small but it didn't take long to find…read morea spot. Most of the hike is pretty exposed so if you are looking for a more shaded hike this is not the one. Still it's a great beginners hike made even more enjoyable by the lake which you can follow the trails around. The views are beautiful but as Janell mentioned, not so many high elevation views.

    Photos
    Mt. Tamalpais Watershed/Phoenix Lake Trailhead - Standing up on the big 8 foot pipe

    Standing up on the big 8 foot pipe

    Mt. Tamalpais Watershed/Phoenix Lake Trailhead - This is the secret way into Cascade Falls

    This is the secret way into Cascade Falls

    Mt. Tamalpais Watershed/Phoenix Lake Trailhead

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    Natalie Coffin Greene Park

    Natalie Coffin Greene Park

    3.8(12 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Natalie Coffin Greene Park is a quiet, scenic gem that's perfect for a peaceful walk or a bit of…read moremountain biking. There's a small parking lot near the entrance and a few paths that lead you right into the park. The shaded trails make it a pleasant stroll and it was surprisingly uncrowded even on a weekend, which made for a very relaxed visit. The area is clean and has a calm, natural beauty. Definitely a lowkey scenic spot worth checking out. Just a heads-up: some of the trails aren't very well maintained and a few of the small cross bridges have been removed, so watch your step. Still, it's a lovely place to unwind and enjoy some nature away from the crowds.

    This was our first time at this particular park and we wanted to check out Phone Lake lake! We were…read moreactually out there rose garden nearby and I looked up on yelp what other good walks or trails were nearby and everyone kept boasting about Phoenix lake! Come early or prepared yourself to wait for someone to finish the hike which is about 20 minutes maybe 45 if you have a dog that wants to sniff everything along the way. Lol there's only about 20 parking spaces and the next area you can park in is a good mile away! Lol , unless you want a longer walk, be prepared to wait and politely turn off your car so you are not admitting aerosol into the park. There's actually a sign that says this which I've actually never thought of but I think it's cute and very quaint of them to add that particular sign. There are two trails you can go on a road road, our dog started off on the high road probably because horses can go on that road and my puppies liked the smell! Lol we ventured out towards the lake. My dogs got tired and we had to loop back. So sadly, we didn't get out to the lake this particular time, but we have to go earlier in the morning next time. There's also bathrooms that are regular bathrooms as well as a couple of benches in a waiting area along the way perhaps it's like a little cabin outdoor area picnic benches, but it looks like the park is used for something with a bigger group of people. We started our walk around 2 PM and this was our 6 mile walk for the day so I'm pretty sure they were tired. Since we have working dogs, they like to walk a lot but sometimes they get lazy. I was also very impressed with all the foliage coverage and the fact it was 2 o'clock in the afternoon and we weren't getting sunburned!! so I was very excited for that especially since our huskies have their own winter coats! Lol we will definitely come back here again to check out Phoenix lake and walk all the way out but probably first thing in the morning so we can get all the way there and back!

    Photos
    Natalie Coffin Greene Park - Entry

    Entry

    Natalie Coffin Greene Park - Entrance

    Entrance

    Natalie Coffin Greene Park - No fishing!

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    No fishing!

    Lake Lagunitas - hiking - Updated May 2026

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