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.

Went here with a friend and her dog and had such a great time. Such a beautiful, peaceful hike and…read moredefinitely one of my favorites on Mount Tam. The drive in was beautiful too, the views of Alpine Lake along the way made the whole trip feel extra special before we even got to the trail. Be prepared for a lot of stairs, so it can definitely get your legs working, but the waterfalls make it completely worth it. Hearing the water and being surrounded by all the greenery made the whole hike feel so calm and relaxing. The views throughout the hike are gorgeous, and it's such a nice escape if you're looking for something peaceful and scenic. Definitely recommend checking out Cataract Falls if you're up for a little workout with a really rewarding payoff. Definitely will be coming back :)

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.

I've loved coming to Phoenix Lake since I moved to Marin in the 70's…read more I used to ride my bike from my house in San Rafael hitch up my bike when I got to the lake and then do a run around the lake and then ride my bike home. Trust me, I only hike it now! Today I added in a few new to me trails including the Yolanda Trail, 5 Corners & Shaver Grade. A mix of open exposed trails to a gorgeous canopy of redwoods & terrific views of Mt. Tam

We live close by and hike here often. It's beautiful and you can access hundreds of miles of…read moretrails. Some are pretty easy and others are very challenging. Things to consider: there is no water; no rest rooms; regular bikes and off-leash dogs are allowed on fire roads. Some trails allow bikes and some allow dogs. There are signs that alert you to what is allowed. Rangers patrol the area and enforce the rules (warnings and fines). If you have a dog, please pick up after your dog and take the poo bag (tickets for littering are expensive). Also, while not allowed, there are some people on very fast e-bikes who ride in groups, sometimes recklessly, and have hit elderly people. The majority of people are delightful and friendly. It's been my favorite hiking spot for almost 30 years.

What a gorgeous spot for a hike! There were so many options of trails to choose from. Stunning…read moreviews all along the way- Mount Tam in the background & views of the bay. Most trails were wide and I never saw any trash left behind. Looking forward to returning and giving some other trails a try!

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.

This is actually just one of several reservoirs that make up the Mount Tamalpais Watershed. There…read moreare also creeks and a dam that add to the features. One of the main roads to get up there is just above the town of Fairfax in Marin County. It is a windy road but short, like 10 minutes or so. There are also a lot of bikers who like this area, so watch out on those narrow roads. Once you get closer to the park, the pavement stops and you will have to drive on large gravel for quite a bit, so don't be bringing your high end luxury car here. Lol Once there, an $8 parking fee through a kiosk awaits. I did a 6 mile loop starting at the dam and starting on Alpine lake. Easy start for the first mile or so, with most of it being lakeside. Then the middle 3 miles goes deeper into the forest cover and is more strenous, a constant climb that will speed up the heart rate. Love doing this amongst forest air. Deep in city confines...not so much. The descend will bring you back to where Alpine Lake and Bon Tempe Lake meets, by the dam. The top of hike is exposed and rocky but still gorgeous. Actually reminded me a bit of Tahoe with rocky trails and exposed blue skies. There will be a view of the lower elevations of Southern Marin County. There will also be many glimpses of neighboring Mt. Tam. And after that great morning workout, I was able to have a nice relaxing outdoor meal at one of the many charming independent restaurants in Fairfax, just 10 minutes down the road. Great way to start my stay-cation.

Hidden gem sandwiched right between Fairfax and San Anselmo! The trail has a good amount of…read moreclimbing into the hills. You can also reach the cemetery on an off-shoot trail. Great place for bringing your pup on a leash. There's a variety of shady / open parts of the trail. Watch out for the poison oak! Parking is a breeze as there is a small dirt lot, but if it's full, street parking is nearby as well. Right the beginning of the park, there's a very small and short shaded trail along the creek with a couple picnic tables and benches. Lovely place for lunch on a hot day. Watch out for the poison oak! The trail is sometimes wide enough to walk side-by-side someone, but at other times, I'd recommend single file due to the healthy poison oak.

Such a peaceful vibe hiking here. It was a pretty easy hike…read moretoo although I didn't make it all the way up since I locked eyes with the .

There are a few open space preserves in Fairfax: Loma Alta, White Hill, and Cascade. This one is…read moretechnically Loma Alta. There are many trails that go up in the hills and intersect or if you go to the other side of the street it is the White Hill Preserve. These preserves are really popular with mountain bikers in Marin. During the winter there is a waterfall, it's not as great as some others in Marin but it's also not as crowded. The waterfall is located on the Old Railroad Grade trail. For a shorter hike that's about 2.5 miles I do a loop Of Old Railroad Grade-Hunter Creek Court-Baywood Canyon. Parking is 2 turn outs. I like the closer one (to Fairfax) because you go under the bridge and there's always some graffiti.

Okay, so here's my story. Film Night In The Park was showing "Rocky" one Saturday night in…read moreSeptember. Neither the Hunny nor the girl wanted to see it, so it was just me going to Central Marin to see this cheapo movie that became one of the most inspirational and biggest moneymakers of the 1970s. But I got there early so I could get some hiking in. The goal: White Hill. I drove down Glen Drive to the end, hiked for roughly half a mile, and at the fork in the trail, took the wrong fork: I went right instead of left. And ended up on this sharp uphill fire road that took me to some big, wide views of Fairfax. Nothing really special here, if you don't count the reservoirs as special. What you do have is a place to work those quads, build that cardio, and test your endurance as you attempt to get to the top of those hills to the north. And the trail does take you to the top, if you can make it. An unobstructed view of Mt. Tam, several neighborhoods of Terra Linda and San Anselmo, and the open space of San Geronimo Valley can all be seen from this trail. So really, it's typical Marin County outdoors, more unshaded grasslands than dark forest. This could be a good picnic area. Either you or your special someone can go for a few hundred feet, then down a narrow trail to your left, to come to a dense flat forest where you can spread out the blanket, pour the wine, and enjoy your vegan sandwich and organic fruit (hey, this is Marin County). Or you can huff and puff for as far up as you want, and then put out the blanket and eat something more substantial as you two enjoy the view. Fairfax Open Space Preserve is another option for outdoors lovers, but there are better choices out there. BTW, I had to turn around after an hour, the movie was about to start. But I did have that famous Bill Conti song on my mind. Because going up that hill is tougher than the staircase leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Dawn Falls Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back trail near Larkspur, California. It's considered to…read morebe a moderately challenging route. It will take about an hour to walk through this beautiful redwoods round trip to the Dawn Falls. This is a very popular area for birding, hiking, and running. The best part of the Dawn Falls trail is that it's not crowded but you may still see a few other people while exploring. This trail is open year round but the best time is from January through November. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. However, I do see local dogs roaming without their leashes. Only a few parking spots deter many visitors. However, if you will be willing to be patience, there will on a parkingspot for you. This trail is maintained so clean here, so please no littering! Enjoy!

*****pay attention *****…read more Word, to the ignorant drivers who have never been on switchbacks DO NOT come here. As you blast down the very single car lane, not paying attention and laughing away isn't cute. Be mindful of cars and pediatricians. Believe it or not its not all about you! The road to the trail is all kinds of messed up. It's a single lane through a neighborhood with very little turnouts. Believe it or not, there are huge redwoods along this road. If you have never been on a road like this, please park at the bottom of the road!!! PLEASE! Even the folks who were walking up the road to the trail aren't alert. It's sooo fun to be surrounded by people who believe it's all about them yes, im being harsh, but it was that bad!

It was absolutely Beautiful. We hiked around the lake. It was an easy hike and so fun. They have…read morelots of picnic tables and so many trees. You have to pay for parking and it's at the station a little before you actually park I gave the lake five stars but the road to get up there two stars. It's a very skinny road and only one car can pass with two way traffic. Yikes.....But we made it and it was worth the trip!

Such a cool place -- and it's one of those locations that not too many people go to unless they are…read morein the area. Somewhat of a "locals" spot for hiking, biking, and trail running. In addition, it's also a beautiful drive up! The road eventually becomes one-lane, so drive slowly when the road bends. People like to drive a little faster than they should on it, unfortunately. The parking is ample. After you pay the entrance fee, you'll see several opportunities to park on your way down the road. The main Parking lot is all the way at the end where the bathroom and shelter/picnic area is. There's also a neat creek and man-made waterfall over here as well that comes from the reservoir up top. The hike itself is really fun. We hiked up to the top where the reservoir is and really loved the view. My Apple Watch says that our walk around the perimeter of the reservoir was roughly 2 miles. I wouldn't call it a hike, per se, but it was a nice, leisurely walk in a beautiful place which is just as nice! There are tons of redwoods, oak trees, and wild flowers here, but also poison oak. The trails seem pretty well-maintained, so there isn't much need to worry about poison oak as long as you don't wander too far off the trail. Great for kids, as there isn't much incline on this trail. I would definitely come back and try more of the trails here.

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.