If you manage to snag one the campsite nearest the ridge (lot 4 is my personal favorite) you'll…read morefeel as though you're floating above the ocean at night. Just an incredible, picturesque place. The cabins are popular, and book out for the year quickly, but for me the outdoor camping is the thing.

It was my first time at Steep Racine Campground. Love at first site…read more A little glamorous camp. Must bring sleeping pad, sheets, and blanket/sleeping bag. Bring lights and lots too. It gets really dark at night and you definitely need it for the cooking, reading, and toilet. There is water and a grill by the cabin. You can purchase firewood $10 per bundle. Bring your own coal if you want to grill. Bring your own cooler and lock your food. I had a little visit who loved my avocados and wanted more. Sunset watching and sunrise is amazing. Love!! I hope to come back again.

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.

Come early people take the very few picnic tables quick. Picnic tables have bbq pits but some areas…read moreare shared bbq pits. It was a bit windy but not cold during the 4th of July. Stinson market is in walking distance and have items you may need for bbq ing. Great help at the market. Thank you! Bathrooms had little to no soap. Smelled like urine from the morning time. Bring your own hand soap!

Stinson Beach is one of the more lively and crowded beaches in the bay, so definitely not down here…read moreyou'd go if you wanted privacy. There are plenty of life guards around. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes nearby where you can grab a quick bite. There was plenty of parking.

Magical coastal place. Open to the public. Educational programs available. Reservations required…read morefor overnight camp.

The three stars are for my experience at an event. It looks like a great place to take kids to…read morelearn about the environment and animals, etc. I would give it an extra star for the gorgeous views. It loses stars for the reasons stated below. For a more formal event, it's not ideal for older people especially. (those over 80 and those with any disability) There is a somewhat steep and uneven slope down to the Yurt area where the ground is flat but again, uneven and covered with hay. This caused shoes and feet to be covered in dust soon after arriving. This would be ok if wearing proper sneakers or others made for walking on that type of surface. Wearing the clothes we did, gave us no protection from ticks which the website indicated are prevalent there. In addition, the only restrooms are porta potties. This is a little rustic for a formal event and not so easy for people in wheel chairs. There is no lighting on this path back up to the parking lot. This is entirely unsafe after the sun has gone down. All of that said, I would recommend this venue for a school field trip where students are dressed appropriately and are visiting during daylight hours. I would not, however, recommend it for a formal event.

If you are here, a place of micicales, flowing water, please respect evey blade of grass, the soil,…read morethe water ways, the whole pricelss piece of nature. It will give back to you when your heart is clalm and beliefs our your own. You now have! hapiness and please return as offten as you wish. Our goverment make no promisses but God does.

I recently camped here again, so, it's time for an update…read more I'm not changing my rating, since the campground details are essentially the same. Everything I said in my first review is still true. That's where all the useful campground details can be found, so scroll down if you're looking for those. Otherwise, I have a camping PSA for everyone: Did you know that your headlamp is literally a flashlight that points at whatever you're looking at? So, if you're looking at another person or their tent while wearing a headlamp, you are flashing a flashlight at them. If you want to look around the campground, politely do it during the day, not in the middle of the night with a flashlight on your temple. So, this was my issue here. I had set up early on site 16, which is the last site at the very top of the hill. The only thing I set up on my site was my one person backpacking tent, no rainfly. This is a Backpacker's camp behind a Ranger station, so, it's theoretically supposed to be a safe enough place to do this. My first night was great. Very peaceful and quiet. My second night was not. When I came back to my tent around 11pm, the men partying on sites 14 and 15 were too drunk to notice me. About half an hour later, I sneezed. This is when a bright light pointed directly at my tent. The man continued to stare at my tent, with his headlamp on, illuminating my tent, for what felt like forever. I sat up and stared back. He looked away for a second, then looked back. I finally yelled, "Hey, could you not point your light at my tent?!" He called back, "I wasn't trying to," in an offended little boy voice, as if I had deeply hurt his feelings by accurately describing his actual behavior. He then continued to point the light at my tent almost continuously until 3am. Several times, he started to stagger towards my site, then staggered back. In order for his light to point at my tent, he had to face my site from one specific area on his site. His excuse was ostensibly needing water. 60 times per hour. In a Backpacker's Camp. Between midnight and 3am. Wtaf. I was laying there awake, ready to defend myself. In the morning, I complained to the ranger, who said he would talk to them. They should have left by noon. But when I came back around 6, they were still there. I packed up and went back to Bootjack. Here's what I wish would change-- I wish that the camping kiosk posted an after hours number to call a ranger for situations like this, where maybe you don't want to call 911 and have the cops drive out from the city when a crime hasn't been committed, but it feels like maybe a crime would be prevented by a ranger doing an extra rove. If there had been an after hours number posted other than 911, I would have called for a ranger to come educate this man on how flashlights work, and how to stop pointing his directly at me while I'm trying to sleep. My other complaint is that, around 930pm that same night, a couple of rangers had knocked on my car window to ask me if I was sleeping in my car. There is no reason for them to have done this, because my camping pass was prominently displayed in my window the entire time, and my tent was set up on my site the entire time. It was only 930pm. It was not yet quiet hours. It felt clear that other campers had called the police because it bothered them that I was sitting in my car using my phone rather than sitting in my campsite. Which I was doing because I have PTSD and I needed to be alone, and the people camping next to me were very noisy and annoying, and had even disturbed me when I had tried to go sit by myself at the PTSD bench on Cardiac. So, now, on top of that, I've got two rangers knocking on my window making sure I'm not being a bad girl. Like.... my car was so full of stuff, where would I have even slept? If they had checked then they might have noticed the volunteer campground ranger stickers on my windshield. It just felt like a micro aggression. Like, they could have just left me alone. But I still love this campground and will probably continue to try to camp here again sometime in the future.

The loop is about 7.5 miles and 3.5 hrs. All Trails says 6.7 but mine was longer. I've heard the…read morecounterclockwise version is easier. I loved this trail for all the shade and ferns it had. It was truly magical and exuded good energy from the forest. The part after Panoramic Highway (Dipsea Trai)l before you hit the Steep Ravine Trail is very sunny and you can see out to the ocean. It kinda reminded me of Southern California. This part can get quite hot on a cloudless hot day but the rest of the trail is very shaded. It goes past the famous Steep Ravine waterfall stairs. This is one of those trails that is very nice and peaceful during the week but the weekends can get crowded and you'll get a different experience. I'd highly recommend the weekdays if you can swing it.

Amazing 4 hour trail! We started at Stinson beach and had a blast! It starts quite steep but still…read moremanageable with the steps on the trail as you gain elevation. Great views as you're going up and we experienced some small pockets of sprinkles due to the fog roaming around. Not too many wet areas but we did come across some muddier patches. Pretty solid moderate trail. It can feel hard in the beginning but it gets better. I felt really hydrated with all the moisture around me. It's mostly shaded so that helps as well. Highly recommend!

Recently camped at Bootjack again…read more Scroll down to my first review for most of the technical camping specs. Read THIS review to find out how you're camping wrong. Since I was so early in the season (mid April), when I got there, I was the only one there. Having Bootjack to yourself, or to yourself with a few other very quiet people, is a blessing. Creeks run in multiple directions through this campground, so there are several spots located right next to the water. In early spring, some even have creeks on both sides. It can be so incredibly peaceful here if you come at the right time. I've watched turkeys, deer, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and butterflies cross my site. The only issue I've ever had with Bootjack is that, especially as the weather gets warmer, highly inconsiderate locals come here to party, and not just on the weekends. Sometimes it feels like, no matter what my strategy is for picking the quietest spot, the worst camper there will also use the same strategy. Or maybe people think, "That's just a woman camping alone, so she won't care or be able to do anything if we completely wreck her experience." What I've been witnessing over the past few years is just an absolute breakdown of common courtesy and campground etiquette. Bootjack is just one of many campgrounds that have been affected. As a camp host myself, I've heard all of the arguments that people should be allowed to blast music, and all of the arguments are wrong. You are in a public space. Everyone else who paid to be there has a right to enjoy the environment they paid to enjoy. Disabled people with sensitivity to light and sound have a right to not be tortured by your antics. You have a right to play music and use bright lights FOR YOUR OWN USE ONLY. If other people can hear your music, it's too loud. It's 2025. You can get a fantastic pair of noise canceling ear buds on Amazon for $15, and be entirely enveloped in your terrible music without ruining the natural soundscape for everyone else. There's just no excuse. The argument that you should have a right to infringe on everyone else's enjoyment when you could very easily just use ear buds is just dumb. If other people's campsites are illuminated by your lights, you're being inconsiderate and rude. If you are looking around the campground with a head lamp on after dark, that's rude. How would you like having a bright light pointed at your face when you're trying to fall asleep? It's really not that hard to contain your lights to your own needs. As to string lights: congratulations on figuring out the best way to attract insects to your site! They love those! Also, your light pollution is ruining the Northern Lights for the rest of us. So what I'm saying is, if you're looking for a good night's sleep in between hikes while backpacking Mt. Tam, you might not be able to find that here, even though this campground was literally built for that purpose. But it's as beautiful as can be, and the access to hiking trails could not be more ideal. Pantoll is just a .4 mile hike away. I did have a super creepy experience on my last night here. I was the only one in the campground, and someone else set up a hammock on my site in the middle of the night (and abandoned it there before dawn). I had actually woken up to a headlamp, but convinced myself that no one would be outside my tent in the rain. Maybe they were from Appalachia and thought it was normal to set up on the same site. Let's hope it was that. Because otherwise... Lastly, don't forget to lock up your food. Raccoons are very active at night, and they will rip your tent open for a Cliff bar. I have a ripped rainfly to prove it. Also (adding this based on another experience at this campground I just remembered), raccoons aren't scared of light, so please don't be that camper that leaves food in your tent and then wakes everyone else up with your flashlight because you failed to follow the rules in the first place.

I didn't camp. But I parked. In the parking lot for this campground as a starting point for an…read moreincredible hike down to Muir Woods. Day parking is $8 here. Get here early!! This area becomes packed! The boot jack trail goes down, down, down, into the redwoods. Eventually you'll end up at Muir Woods monument that requires a reservation. It is cold down there among the redwoods!! The entire area is absolutely majestic. The canopy trail loops back up towards the parking lot and then across. What happens on this trail is outstanding as you toggle between chaparral and redwoods. Watch out for the roots and steel posts leftover on the canopy trail from previous trail markers. Excellent area to explore. Can't wait to go back for more.

I had forgotten just how gorgeous this hike is--the scenery is incredible the entire way. Be…read moreprepared for a steady climb through most of the route, with plenty of wooden stairs, gnarly roots, and rock steps, but the stunning views make every bit of effort worth it. There are many great spots to stop for photos, take a break, or enjoy a picnic--we did all three. Thanks to the recent rain, there was still plenty of water flowing, which made the trail even more beautiful. The picnic area at Laurel Dell is especially serene, with a babbling brook nearby. There's even an outhouse, which is always a welcome sight. I actually found climbing up much easier than descending as one has to really pay attention to their footing. We were happy seeing Alpine Lake again knowing we were close to end of hike.

A scenic trail, the winding uphill drive to reach the trail sets the mood and makes one start…read morefeeling the adventure even before one gets on the trail. The Cataract trail is medium difficulty level so one must be geared up well especially wearing the right shoes. It's along the stream of water and is quite narrow, has nice views. We were there before the sunset and the colors around looked so pretty! Quite close to the Fairfax downtown. There was no parking near the trail so people mostly park along the road.

The campsite is quiet and pleasant, surrounded by large woods and hills, with fresh air, perfect…read morefor getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is a proper distance between the campsites, so it won't feel too crowded, and there are many flat places suitable for tents. The hiking trail is very convenient from the campsite. I especially recommend the trail to Tennessee Valley, which has beautiful scenery and you can see some wild animals along the way. The infrastructure of the campsite is relatively simple. Although there are not many modern facilities, it is also its original ecological feeling that makes people relax. The only slight shortcoming is that the water source and toilet facilities are relatively basic, so it is recommended to bring some extra supplies.

Why in the world should I have to hike to my campsite, when there is a perfectly good dirt road…read morethat can access it? Bathrooms are glorified portapotties, but better than nothing (I've had my share of backwoods camping). There are no water spigots, so pack in your water. Food can (and should) be stored in bear lockers on site. The "hike" there is about 1.7 miles and easy...if you pack light.

Book your parking before you go. So lucky we did because we saw others being turned around because…read morethey did not. We were able to find parking without any issues. Two people in our group has the American the Beautiful annual membership passes so they were able to bring 3 guests each in free. We spent about 2 hours here. Most of it was spent walking the main loop amongst the tall beautiful redwood trees. It is very peaceful there, even on a weekend. We did hike off the trail to see the hibernating lady buga. So many people walked right past them. There is a small gift shop right inside the entrance and a large gift shop plusa little cafeteria a short walk down the main trail too.

"Let me bring you songs from the woods To make you feel much…read morebetter than you ever could" (Jethro Tull) Muir Woods is 550-acres of old-growth forest with enormous redwoods wherever you look - they are the tallest type of tree in the world. We walked through their well-marked paths and over the wooden bridges and generally stared in awe at the majestic scenery. It is designated as a National Monument, and admission to the park runs $15. But if you have a National Park pass (like we did), you can enter Muir for free.