Pantoll to Stinson Beach Loop Via Matt Davis, Dipsea, and Steep Ravine Trails - Mount Tamalpais State Park, California

We recently did the popular Matt Davis, Steep Ravine loop connecting Pantoll Campground to Stinson Beach. We chose to start at Pantoll and take a food break at Stinson Beach, but it also makes sense to start at Stinson if you want to get the hard part out of the way first (and claim a coveted parking spot at the beach which become scarce after 11 most weekends).

The parking lot at Pantoll is located off of Panoramic Highway at Pantoll Rd. about 4.5 miles west of Mill Valley and 4 miles east of Stinson Beach. It costs $8 to park there, but there are other parking options nearby (if you dislike the idea of supporting the conservation of incredible natural resources for future generations).

Named after a man who helped build many of the trails in the area back in the 1910's & 1920's, the Matt Davis Trail is about 4.2 miles long and starts across the road from the Pantoll parking lot and kiosk. This route is longer than the way back but has a nicer grade for trail running. It starts out somewhat level for the first mile or two before heading downhill via numerous switchbacks into Stinson Beach. The views along the way are stunning as the hillside alternates between being grassy and wooded with the ocean in the background.

At Stinson Beach we hit the famous Siren Canteen on the beach for some great food (nachos) and drinks (options include a variety of shakes, mimosas, kombucha, beer, wine, etc).
After that we relaxed on the beach for a bit before starting back up the hill. Going back we took the Dipsea and Steep Ravine route which was shorter at about 3 miles, but steeper (including lots of steps and a 10' wooden ladder). The redwoods and low branching oaks along the later part of this trail give the area a magical feel.

For info on more hikes in the area, explore the labels on the left or click some of the links below:
North Bay Trails
California Trails 

Matt Davis Trail Heading Towards Stinson Beach

Things to Do This Summer When Biking, Walking, or Hiking Around Sausalito, Tiburon, & Mill Valley

Every summer, as soon as the rain stops, tons of people make their way to Sausalito and Tiburon usually through some combination of biking and ferry riding. Here are some ideas for things to checkout while you are in the area!

Marin Headlands, Rodeo Beach Area: After biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, instead of cruising down the hill into Sausalito, you can turn left and go through a tunnel into the Marin Headlands. Bicyclists love biking on the roads and trails in this incredibly scenic area.
http://trailsofarkansas.blogspot.com/2016/04/rodeo-beach-to-muir-beach-marin.html
http://trailsofarkansas.blogspot.com/2016/01/marin-county-parks-trails-and-open.html

Stairs of Belvedere

Belvedere (once an island) is a beautiful town (more like a nice neighborhood) next to downtown Tiburon. Its small winding streets offer spectacular views of Tiburon, Sausalito, Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and incredible homes. On a recent stroll, we discovered that the island also has lots of steep pedestrian pathways, each with its own painted sign! If you are looking for something a bit different to do in the area, see how many of these you can do before your legs or lungs give out!

I've provided step counts, but keep in mind that not all steps are created equal. Some are steep and others are less so. Some paths had sloped sections with no steps. Also, I was walking Buddy, taking photos, and checking two mapping apps so some counts could be off by 10-20 or so. Let me know if you count a different number and I'll post averages!

The main thing to focus on here is that each route had beautiful hand-painted signs at each end. The map below shows a 2.25 mile, 1,600+ step route that takes you to most of the pedestrian paths on the island (you can zoom in or open as a larger map to get a better idea of the route). Clicking any of the photos below should open larger versions in a slideshow format.

Woodwardia - Lower 61 Steps, Upper 131 Steps

Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, Marin Headlands

JC & JK3 recently got together in California and hiked from Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, ate brunch at the Pelican Inn, and then hiked back.

This incredibly scenic hike in the Marin Headlands has two big ups and downs with 600-800 feet of elevation change. You can eliminate the biggest one by starting at the Tennessee Valley Trailhead instead.

As you can see on the map below, our route out varied a bit from the route we took back and each way had its pros and cons. The way out was a little longer and had more elevation change, while the way back involved a steep, challenging section that I don't recommend for inexperienced hikers or people with kids.

Going out: There is a big uphill from Rodeo Beach to Battery Townsley and beyond. We followed signs for the Coastal Trail, which is wide and even paved in places here, and then turned left onto the Wolf Ridge Trail which is dirt, single track, somewhat steep and can be slick due to loose grit, fine gravel. After a big downhill into Tennessee Valley, we crossed a small stream and a trail to the beach and then took a left followed quickly by a right to get back on the Coastal Trail.

From here, the trail heads up another big hill and then back down around Pirate Cove. The last stretch into the Muir Beach area is somewhat level before heading down. You can go left to the beach or right to go more directly to the Pelican Inn, which is a fantastic place to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner or grab a beer before turning around.

On the way back: After checking out Muir Beach and later along the trail accepting plastic eggs with candy from an adult wearing large bunny ears, we took a trail down to Tennessee Valley Beach, crossed the stream, and took a somewhat difficult to follow, incredibly steep and windy section of the Coastal Trail to get back up to Battery Townsley. This area has a maze of trails that wind through interesting old military buildings and tunnels. After doing some exploring, we headed down the hill to the parking area feeling tired, but accomplished.

Rodeo Beach

Old St. Hillary's Open Space Preserve in Tiburon, CA

I recently moved to Tiburon in California and am too lazy to start a new blog, so there will be lots of CA related posts on here going forward. Most people access individual articles on here directly from Google anyways, so I don't think this will be a big deal. If it gets too annoying I can hide them down in the archives. John Kester III and I will continue to post articles on Arkansas trails and issues as well.

I have a new favorite park/trail in the Bay Area and it is St. Hilary's Open Space Preserve in Tiburon! This gem of a park has INSANE views of the bay. From the top of the hill, you can see much of the East Bay, San Francisco, and Marin County; including 3 of the major Bay Area bridges (Bay, Golden Gate, and Richmond-San Rafael). From one point, shown in the panorama below you can see Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland, Angel Island, San Francisco, Sausalito, and up to Mt. Tamalpais.

This site has more information on the history and ecology of the area:
http://landmarkssociety.com/landmarks/st-hilarys/

Click to Enlarge. That is Richmond on the left and Mt. Tam area on the right! Angel Island is near the center.

Old St. Hilary's

Marin County Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces

I've been exploring the parks, trails, and open spaces of Marin County since moving here in early 2016. I've given some (like Old St. Hilary's) their own posts but am going to cram a lot of them in this one and provide more limited descriptions. If you want more info on any of these, let me know in the comments!


The Hippy Tree - Tiburon

The Hippy Tree is located off Gilmartin Dr. in Tiburon. There is parking available along the street and it is just a few hundred yards to the Hippy Tree from the road. After taking in the views from the tree, you can do a longer stroll up to and along the ridge just uphill from there. The first time I went there was a swing, but it was broken by my next visit. If you go, wear good shoes (and maybe bring a trash bin) because there is a lot of broken glass in the area. Leave a comment if you want to organize a cleanup with me!

View from the Hippy Tree in Tiburon

The Hippy Tree

Hippy Tree Views

The Old Railroad Trail - Tiburon

This trail runs along the coast of Tiburon, has great views, and is fairly flat. Lots of people use it to commute, get to school, and for recreational jogging and biking. The longer Bay Trail overlaps the Old Railroad Trail in places and if you do this section of the Bay Trail consider side-trips to the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Main Street Tiburon, and Ark Row. I also like taking the scenic route through Belvedere and taking in the views of fancy houses, San Francisco, and the Bay from Beach Rd.

Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary 

Beach Road View

Ring Mountain - Tiburon

Ring Mountain is an open space in NW Tiburon with lots of great trails. While the views may not be quite as amazing as nearby Old St. Hilary's, they are still fantastic and Ring Mountain has interesting rock features and wooded patches to boot.

Rodeo Beach and Lagoon - Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Rodeo Beach is one of my favorite spots in the area. I like to take my dog there in the morning when almost no one else is there. The beach is pretty long and nearby trails provide interesting hikes around the lagoon, up to nice viewpoints, and to old military structures. If you are lucky, you might spot an otter in the lagoon.

JK3 and I once hiked from Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach, ate breakfast (and drank a beer) at the Pelican Inn, and hiked back. I'll post a link here once we get that written up.

Make sure you stop by the Marine Mammal Center while you are nearby, but check their schedule first!

Tennessee Valley Trail and Beach - Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area

A lot of great trails intersect the Tennessee Valley Trailhead at the end of Tennessee Valley Rd. One of the easiest and most popular is the fairly flat and wide trail down to the Tennessee Valley Beach. If you get to the beach and have a little extra energy, be sure to head up the steep, but short trail to the overlook.

Mt. Tamalpais

The drive up to Mt. Tam is long but has amazing views (and other great parks and trails) along the way. You can drive most of the way to the top of both summits and there is a nice fairly flat loop trail around the east summit that gives great views without too much work.

Camino Alto Open Space - Mill Valley

Two fire roads crisscross this open space area, providing nice views of Mill Valley, San Francisco, and the Bay Bridge. The Escalon / Lower Summit Fire Road is pretty flat, while the Camino Alto / Del Casa Fire Road is steeper and in rougher shape. There are some smaller trails in here, but I haven't done any of them yet!

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