Marshall, California

This road provides one of the most scenic views of the pacific from north of the Golden Gate. It's a little bit of a windy drive or ride along Highway 1 or Panoramic Highway (depending on which way you choose) to get to East Ridgecrest. But, if you remembered to pack a picnic, brought your friend...

Annadel State Park is located in the historic Valley of the Moon, just 60 miles north of San Francisco, in Sonoma. This popular 5,200 acre park features a wonderful variety of options to explore, boasting views of the Sonoma Valley, rolling meadows of wildflowers, and direct access to 26 acre Lak...

The endlessly scenic Trojan Point can be reached by taking the Panoramic Highway to Pantoll road from Stinson Beach to the west, or Mill Valley / Highway 1 to the east. It can also be reached by taking West Ridgecrest Boulevard from the north from the Fairfax-Bolinas road.  Park at the large par...

Mt. Tam is a large park with plenty of amazing viewpoints, but the East routes and the East Peak are best for sunsets. Once you're at the top, it's an amazing spot to view a large number of Marin trails, which can help you can get a head start on planning your next adventure. At 2,570 feet, this ...

Park at the lot in the China Camp State Park. Hop onto the Bay View trail to gain to begin the loop trail. Switchbacks take you up to a long and easy path passing through shaded and open areas. Enjoy the grasslands speckled with oak trees and coyote brush. You can see the San Rafael bay and bridg...

Bootjack Campground is located within California's Mount Tamalpais State Park. There are a couple of campsites within the park, but if you are driving on the Panoramic Highway from Mill Valley, this will be the first campground you pass.  The fee is $25 fee to camp, but they have bathrooms and ru...

This hike is best done in the winter and spring in order for the creeks and waterfalls to be flowing. Park at the Bootjack Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park. Cross the road to reach the Bootjack trail. Continue on this until you reach the Alpine trail. Go right towards the Pantoll Ranger ...

Getting permits into Muir Woods can be hard, but if you want to work for it, there's a much better way to visit the National Monument. To do this loop into Muir Woods National Monument, first drive to the Bootjack Parking Area in Mt. Tamalpais State Park.  The Bootjack Parking Area should be fou...

This is definitely a worthwhile short hike, with views of the Bay Area, Marin Headlands, Golden Gate, and the San Mateo coastline. It's a 3.8 mile loop which takes you through forests of Redwoods and out to the coastline, even above the clouds on a lucky day. The trailhead begins at the Pantoll ...

The trailhead Pantoll Station is easy to find on GPS and there are friendly rangers there as well to answer questions.Maps: Paper map are available at the trailhead Pantoll Station in Marin, CA.   For a moderate hike, I suggest going the one and a half miles down the trail to the ladder and retu...

Gain access through a private locked gate, and descend about 1 mile down to the bluff's edge. There is only parking for 1 car per site and also several cabins that can be rented. A camp host is on site and there are bathrooms and water spigots throughout the campground. Each site has a fire ring...

Take the Dawn Falls trail down into the Baltimore Canyon for an in-depth exploration of northern California nature. Rather than the usual dry, hardy vegetation that speckles the hills of many nearby trails, this trail is bursting with lush ferns and mossy trees as it meanders along next to Larksp...

The Mt. Tam Hill Climb via Temelpa Trail is an iconic, "best-of" climb in the trail running community, drawing some of the world's greatest athletes to experience its breathtaking views and technical downhill. Surprisingly though, outside of locals and the running community, the trail remains lar...

While there are other, less crowded redwood groves in the Bay Area, Muir Woods National Monument is easily one of the best. It is a beautifully maintained site, with wooden footpaths meandering between towering redwoods that are between 600 – 800 years old. It’s home to some true giants, with its...

The Pony Gate-Canyon Loop within Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a new favorite of mine on my list of family and kid-friendly hikes. Our little girls did great with this hike and loved it. If you can get moving early in the day and begin your hike around breakfast time, you might find there are few...

The Parson Jones Tree is the tallest tree in the reserve, measuring more than 310 feet (94 m) in height. This is longer than the length of a football field!  Named after a lumberman who chose to preserve this portion of the park in the 1870s, the Colonel Armstrong Tree is the oldest tree in the ...