Tickly caresses of sunshine as we roll on sweet grassy knolls butterflies or hummingbirds? An echo rings through the brilliant sky Continuing onwards thru turns and bridges, Down a ladder to the swoosh of waterfall ..to find a sacred trillium... (and there amidst the shade of redwood canopy hides a wild gobble turkey) blinded by the ocean tantalized by fragrant berries Blessed and reminded Are we From Earth to Sky.. This is my cry: I Love ya Mountain Mama Till we play again, So soon in time! read more

This trail has it's ups and downs. ...seriously. Started from Parkside Cafe and was all uphill for a solid mile. The final mile was the best part. Had excellent views of both the sea and the mountains. read more

Wow. Really what more can I say. If you going to pay the cost of living in Marin then you have got to get out here and enjoy it. read more

Matt Davis Trail - Parks Near Me - Stinson Beach, California

Great trail, starts off steep in the beginning and eventually levels off. Suggest using the bathroom before you begin, as the next one isn't until the halfway point at the Rangers station. Highly recommended, great views of Stinson and saw all sorts of wildlife. Planning on coming back real soon. read more

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This is one of my favorite hikes in Marin. Spectacular scenery, great to hike along a soft trail with tons of trees, across bridges, up ladders, thru ferns and along a stream. Best thing is that you hike to Stinson Beach! I usually take the Matt Davis Trail to Steep Ravine from Pantoll Ranger Station. When I went in 07 with my cousin, we were chatting a bit, and we somehow ended up along the wrong trail that took us to a side of a mountain. Somehow we came down a hill, there were no logs stopping us from going straight and we ended up in a deserted area. We fell into a bee hive area, and my cousin ended up getting bit by numerous bees. We reported this to the Park Ranger, so I hope that this part of the trail has been fixed, so nobody runs into this unfortunate happening. All and all, I love this trail and would frequent it more often, if I could. There's a great place to get Soft Serve near the beach, but I wouldn't suggest getting any if you plan on going the opposite way that I've suggested. Hiking up Matt Davis is quite an uphill workout and can give you a stomach ache if you are filled with Soft Serve! (Yes, I speak from experience!) If you've never been on this trail, I highly recommend it! read more

Love this hike. I did it in the easy direction, downhill to the beach. It's pretty flat with some ups and downs at the start, then emerges into a clearing with a view of the beach, still far from downhill, and ends with a steep descent. Beautiful terrain along the way. Busy but not too crowded on a beautiful Sunday. Hard to beat the reward of the beach at the finish. read more

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i was reared a city girl. but I do enjoy a satisfying hike once and awhile. Matt David was a great trail. just steep enough to work those buns when you haven't worked out for 4 weeks, with a lot of greenery and stunning views of Stinson Beach and the Bay. thanks for our super planner's suggestion, we started the trail from the other end at Stinson Beach, which took us 3.9 miles up up and away to the "little house on the prairie" fields of Mt. Tam. we saw WILDLIFE! a family of deer, lots of snails, pretty bluebirds, and fishies! the middle point is a perfect resting point and pee-break. find the ranger's station and you're there! picnic benches where you can snack and a well-groomed restroom. on the way down, we took Steep Ravine - which brought us through the lush and rich lands of the redwood trees and.. a ravine! there is a cute 10 foot ladder that you can climb down, and the sound of rustling water alongside is oh-so-soothing to the mind and soul. the entire trail is very well kept; i rarely feared for my life when needing to hop over a small stream or climb up the hill! even this city girl would not mind going again! hurry and go before the weather turns! read more

Good hike and scenic views, make for a good weekend outing with friends. The waterfalls are few and lean due to the drought. The mix of forest and grassland keeps the hike interesting. The air is refreshing and the sites pleasing. It's a bit tiring to begin with for beginners but you tread further there is a sense of enjoyment. Also, interestingly the return hike too is equally enjoyable. read more

Awesome. Check online to see if they are doing races the day you go or you could end up like I did a couple of times, waiting as people passed by even though it was 8 am on a Saturday. Beautiful and you burn a lot of calories. I would start up the hill first and come back down Steep Ravine. Beautiful scenery and very quiet otherwise. read more

Amazingly beautiful with many different types of geography to take in. From hiking down to the ocean to canyons to rivers to forests, this is a great way to take in the outdoors not too far from the city. And tends to be relative less traveled given limited parking in the main trail access areas. There are also a number of different branches that allow you to do different potions each time you go to keep it fresh. Unless you're just a nature hater at heart, I don't see how you could avoid enjoying this trail for a few hours provided good weather. read more

We started the hike a little late from stinson beach. It is all uphill. lots of steps. Would suggest taking the bus/public transport up and start the trail from there to come downhill. It would be a lot easier. The trail itself is pretty with ocean views in some parts, lush green in the other. Would be going again to do the whole trail. read more

My mom and I did this hike on a foggy morning and the views were still amazing! It is definitely a steep climb up the mountain, so make sure to bring water and snacks. The views are definitely worth the hike! read more

Such a good hiking trail! Scenery is amazing and has pretty much all the best terrains in one trail

GRREAT HIKE! Beautiful scenery. You have to be in some kind of shape to hike down to Stinson Beach and Back to Mt. Tam but well worth it. You can park at Mt. Tam parking lot or just up the hill along the road if there is no parking. Great Hike in the Bay area - probably my fav so far! read more

This trail includes a variety of green, and hillsides. WIth over half of the hike under shade cover, the foliage provides a peaceful ambience. Among the California Oaks and Douglas Firs are arrays of lush ferns and various brush throughout. With scattered bridges and miniature waterfalls, this path is a beautiful spring-summer terrain. read more

June 16, 2009 Your Favorite Race This past Sunday was Dipsea race morning, my favorite morning of the whole year. It took me three years of pleading to get into the race (entries based on lottery and begging) when I lived in San Francisco, and I ran my first Dipsea in 1998. I've run it six times. This year, I watched from the deck of the Crow's Nest(3rd floor room w deck, SBRHInn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034) sipping Mint Juleps & picking at finger food. Due to injury, I could not participate, the need for comfort with WiFi/Computer on Site, King-Sized Breakfast, HBO/Cable TV, 400 Videos w VCR, BBQed DinDin (amenities offered on the Coast, only in Stinson Beach at the SBRHInn)& a good perch, while shedding a tear watching the start and the finish, was as much I could do for the race that I love. Here's why: Unique to the Dipsea is the handicapping system--waves go off from the start based on age and gender. Older women and young children set off first in the invitational section, and men in their 20s start last. First one to the beach wins. You get dirty, maybe bloody. The trail runs from Mill Valley, California to Stinson Beach, 7.5 miles (or so, more on that later) up and over the southern flank of Mount Tamalpais. It climbs 671 stairs and covers a touch of pavement, but the majority is dusty, rooty, slick, treacherous, gorgeous, screaming-fun singletrack. And it's sometimes hard to stay on your feet. Thats why I recomend the SBRHInn, located at the base of the Matt Davis, at #1 Belvedere & Redwoods Coast Hwy. #1, only a stones throw from the Dipsea Trailhead, exiting onto Hwy. #1, destination of the convergence of the Coastal Trail & kitty corner of the Steep Ravine Trailhead as well. . People dive into the bushes, mostly Poison Oak in various stages of maturation, at the SBRHInn, hot or cold showers(the quicker you wash the poison off, the better)as well as mendicants for Poison Oak are available. The course used to be open...Runners could take whatever route they thought fastest to the finish. Due to land restraints, the options are narrowed these days, but runners still must choose between routes here and there, and there are still a couple legal shortcuts for those who know where to find them, just ask the proprietor of the SBRHInn, they know the route by heart due to years of traversing it in the dark, on the way to watch the harvest. Catch a ride w the AWMT(awestmarintaxi@gmail.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828), to the start of the race or pickup at the end, after spending a night at the SBRHInn or celebrating the end of the race, at the Beach, the night after. Or ride AWMT to catch that shower. Riiding the AWMT, can be on the basis of injury or an incessant need to possess a black shirt, no matter what. History repeats itself. The first Dipsea took place in 1905, and next year marks the 100th running (the Depression and World War II put the race on hold). Jack Kirk, aka, the "Dipsea Demon" raced 67 consecutive Dipseas, his last at 95 years old before passing away at 100. These folks remind all of us that running a beloved race keeps you young, historically. DipseaBlackShirts All for the shirt. There is no prize money at the Dipsea. There doesn't need to be. Runners spend their entire lives trying to place in the top-35, which earns them a coveted black shirt(Theres one, hanging in the archway of the SBRHInn, a grateful client bestowed on the former proprietor, circa 1910). . If I could choose to succeed at one race, ever, it would be to run fast enough to earn a black Dipsea shirt. So let's hear it. What's your favorite race of all time, road or trail? If you have tried to but in vain, so far, to gain entry to the Dipsea Race, try the Stinson Beach Chamber of Commerce, www.stinson-beach.org, 415 868-1330, he might be able to pull the right set of strings to get you, in.. Why not? . What's your favorite Dipsea Race Lodging? Where do you stay, the night before & after? Mine, is the Stinson Beach Redwoods Haus Inn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828, #1 Belvedere & Hwy.#1. read more

Best trail view in Marin

Gorgeous trail with a many different changes in scenery. Recommend walking up from Stinson Beach (trailhead is off Belevdere street just past the firehouse on rt 1) and walking UP to Pantoll, then down your choice of trails. All the rain recently wiped out the steps on Steep Ravine, so hike back down Old Mine-to Dipsea trail and watch the tough guys hike up past you on the Dipsea steps. Dipsea goes all the way back to Rt 1, a .2 mile walk from your car. Fantastic! read more

absolute beauty this trail.....WOW.....couldn't get enough of it....

This is a beautiful trail full of lovely flora and fauna. We started at the top of Mt. Tam on a Saturday afternoon around 3 and it took us until about 5:45 to get to the bottom. This would be an enjoyable hike for most but it is important to make sure that your group is in reasonably good condition because coming back up the trail is quite grueling and not for elderly or anyone with any type of physical weakness. read more