Naga makes my walks, my nights, my life, and the world better…read more It's best to approach him at night. The Golden Mile might feel creepy in the dark, but once you've walked it a few times, especially on weekends, you realize that there are people coming and going, on foot and on bikes. Just breathe in and out. Just amazing.

Strolling through Golden Gate Park today had so many fun activities and views but the absolute…read morestandout was NAGA the sea dragon at Rainbow Falls! This magical art installation BREATHES BUBBLES! And with the epic waterfall in the background just under prayerbook cross, it's like a scene out of a movie. Totally worth the visit!

Used to come here often growing up and watching the motorized boats zoom across the Lake. In my…read moreteens, I would bring bags of grass clippings from our yard and dump them in the lake to watch the Mud Hens aka the American Coot scurrying to eat the clippings. There was no such thing as compost bins back then and the houses had one large round metal garbage can to dump everything. The Lake is still maintained really nice and was able to go inside the Spreckeks Lake Clubhouse where members who race their boats come to gather.

I took a side quest stroll around Spreckles lake today, and though the weather didn't permit the…read morebest photos, it was nevertheless a peaceful and pleasant experience. There are exercise bars for stretching and a few beautiful massive eucalyptus trees. The only area for improvement here is the pavement is too uneven. This is definitely not a safe place to roller skate.

Such a beautiful lake and park, with a grassy field ideal for picnicking, and a few ducks on the…read moreday I visited. There are several benches set up along the border of the lake for visitors to relax and admire the views. A rough trail on the far side of the lake made for a somewhat challenging hike, climbing over giant rocks and weaving through trees and debris. It wasn't too bad though. The sandy beach area of the park is fenced off and only open seasonally, with a small fee to enter ($5 for adults, $3 for kids and the disabled, free for babies). But the beach cafe can be accessed from outside the gates and offers various menu items like coffee, tea, hot cocoa, smoothies, lemonade, pretzels, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and ice cream. Lake Anza is free to visit, and offers free parking in a sizable lot. Restrooms are seemingly well kept too. I enjoyed my time here this past weekend.

This is an idyllic place to hike and picnic in Tilden. There is a lake (pond?) that has a swimming…read morearea, but I personally don't think it is especially clean for that. But there are lots of turtles and birds to watch. For picnics, there are tables and a large grassy expanse for laying down a spread and also playing frisbee. For a hike, the loop around the lake (pond?) is perfect for kids and adults who are able to climb rocks and scramble comfortably along a few narrow strips of the trail. There is a bridge and an area where kids like to explore the creek. There are other paths off the lake, but those do tend to have more mountain bikes. This is an especially nice park when we have our late summer weather in September and October. Plenty of parking.

Beautiful well maintained area for hiking with easy to more challenging levels of difficulty. Mid…read moreweek, afternoon parking was no problem and I scored a small, personal victory by checking out a parking pass for free from the public library. It was amazing to be in such a peaceful place, so close to our urban area.

A post on NextDoor.com caught my attention. Someone had just moved to the neighborhood and was…read moreasking how they could hike without paying the $8 parking fee they'd noticed in some areas. The deluge of responses made it clear: if you're paying to park in Marin County, you're doing something wrong. With only a single exception in memory, I don't think I've paid to hike anywhere in the county and these days all I do is hike. But, if you want to hike the grounds of the Mount Tam Watershed it is true that there's a $8 cost to that. You can get around this by purchasing an annual parking pass or checking a pass out from the Marin County Library system. Bon Tempe Lake is my favorite hike within this area of the Mt. Tam Watershed. With an easy to follow, well-trod, 4.8 mile path around the lake's perimeter, and situated only minutes from downtown Fairfax, Bon Tempe is a quintessential Marin experience. You're in nature, beside a gorgeous, placidly serene lake yet only 10 minutes from a good brunch or latte. There's nothing difficult about the hike around the lake and though it isn't flat, it's elevations are quite gentle. If you need more, add a loop around Lake Lagunitas (the two paths intersect) to increase your hike by another 1.2 miles. Fishing is allowed here (but no swimming) and the parking area - for Bon Tempe in particular - fills up early on weekends. All the more reason to make time for Bon Tempe on a weekday. There's lots of hiking options here in the Watershed but for my money, the half-shaded-half-sunny path around Bon Tempe is the loveliest of them all.

Connie is our go-to person at Ducey's on the Lake. She is awesome and provides great service every…read moretime we go up there. We are going up again Memorial day 2026 to stay in one of the suites overlooking the lake. We love this place. -Randy & Carol

Great place to go if you like noisy, trashy hicks who scatter their trash everywhere and try to…read moreoutdo each other on the obnoxiousness level. Stayed here once and can't see any reason to ever, ever, come back.

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.

Overall B: Bootleg Jack trail, great views, easily accessible, neighborly hikers, and of course…read moreMarin weather exquisitely mild. About 10% elevation gain.

What a pleasant place to be after hanging out at the mall across the street…read more This was a quiet very peaceful Park with a lake. It is behind an office building. You can easily come here to have a quiet picnic. We walked around and it was actually a pretty big lake area. Probably about 20 minutes to 30 minutes walk. There were a lot of small gray color fish in the water and they would chase us as we walked around. A charming place to get away from the bustle and hustle of the mall across the street where we just had a nice udon lunch.

I didn't know this area is called Annabel Lake! My husband and I walk around the lake, about a…read moremile around with our doggos. It's got dog poop stations, facts about the lake, lots of places to sit and relax and there's a coffee shop open on the weekdays. We usually park near the Target, Super Duper Burgers and then just walk over. It's a nice relaxing stroll.

Such a pretty area in GG Park. It's a paved loop trail that goes around the lake and I believe it's…read morea few miles total. Plenty of parking, but do come early as it gets quite busy. There's a gift shop and little boat rental place. Bathrooms in the parking lot near the boathouse. Lots of birds here- please give them space so they keep coming back to this special oasis in the city. They add much of the charm here!

One of my favorite lakes in Golden Gate Park to walk around. I believe it used to be called Stow…read moreLake. There are a couple of the circular loop paths to take and the outer path takes around 30 minutes to complete one look. Along the way, you get great views of birds, fishes, and boats. You can rent the paddle boats to circle around the lake. After the outer loop, you can walk over a bridge to do the inner loop which offers great views once you walk to the top. There are plenty of small attractions to see including a Chinese Pavilion. Parking does get kind of difficult at times.

Went for a short hike here. Not long, refreshing and enjoyable. Lovely scenery with a nice little…read morelake. There's a pool area not far. Also seen different kinds of birds playing in the water. There's a bench along the water to sit and enjoy. When I went, no fees were collected and there's ample parking. I definitely will come again.

Fantastic park one of the best places to chill relax and swim. I come here normally when I want to…read morefeel away from everything but it only takes 5 dollars the most.

Phoenix Lake holds an extraordinary place in my heart. For over ten years, my wife and I brought…read moreour beloved chocolate Lab, Max, to this peaceful haven in Ross. It was hands-down his absolute favorite spot on earth to soak in the fresh air, take in the breathtaking views, and enjoy every step along the water. Whether listening to the quiet rustle of the trees, watching the reflection on the lake, or just walking the trail together as a family, Phoenix Lake created countless unforgettable memories for us. Max loved every second of being out here, and those years spent exploring the trails with him make this spot truly timeless. A absolute gem of a park, a sanctuary for nature lovers, and a deeply meaningful place that our family will treasure forever.

Phoenix Lake in Ross is one of my favorite places to hike and has become part of my regular…read moreroutine. It's easy to get to, and if you arrive before 9:30 am, you usually have a good chance of finding a parking spot. Even if the lot is full, it's worth waiting a few minutes because spaces often open up as hikers finish their walks. My friends and I love hiking here, and we also enjoy mountain biking on the trails from time to time. The trails are well maintained, the scenery is beautiful, and the peaceful atmosphere makes every visit enjoyable. During the week, it's especially quiet, making it the perfect place to relax, get some exercise, and enjoy nature. We are fortunate to have such a beautiful outdoor destination in Marin. I highly recommend Phoenix Lake to anyone looking for a peaceful hike with stunning surroundings.