Beautiful open space preserve. I had no clue this place existed (new to the area) and discovered it…read morebecause our photographer recommended it for photos. I'm so glad she did! There's street parking nearby, beautiful easy hikes, and lots of nature. My son loved the open space too. It's not crowded, clean, and I look forward to checking out / exploring more.

I visited this Open Space Preserve by accessing the area near the Bay Club Rolling Hills in Novato…read more On this day, I was on my mountain bike and had only hiked here one time prior as I'm new to the area. I would say this park is better for hiking than mountain biking unless you live nearby. But there are better destination mountain biking choices in the area. For that reason I only give it 4 stars. That said, its a lovely regional park for wildlife viewing, stunning vistas of the bay and just being in a well preserved swath of oak lined rolling hills of Northern California. I really had a nice time exploring the paths on my bike and may have missed one of the better single track sections to the southeast side of the park. Next time!

Great place to walk and bike. Right next to the bay. Can watch sunrise, sunset and moon rise.read more

Popular and scenic trail along the Richardson Bay in the Spinnaker Point neighborhood. The view of…read moreMt. Tam are breathtaking and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is off in the distance. There are all sorts of birds throughout the year and sometimes squirrels will make an appearance along the rocks. I have seen people fishing sometimes on my walks. It can get crowded in the mornings and evenings. There are people riding their bicycles, running, and walking. I like to go for walks here when I can. It is all flat, but it's a great distance for me. My walks are about a half hour which is perfect since it is the recommended amount of time we should walk every day.

This scenic drive is pretty neat. You can see the whole city from the top of this hill. The walk…read moreisn't long but the view is worth the hike. The drive is short, not much to see but trees. It's the hike that counts.

What a great find. I was driving along the Robert Dollar scenic drive enjoying the beautiful view…read moreand saw a fire road so I decided to explore. This hike is only about 25-40 minutes down and back so it's great if you don't have a lot of time but incline levels are good so you'll definitely still get a workout. What amazed me was the numerous views. It was so beautiful, you saw Mt Tam, the bay, San Rafael, Dominican Hills, Sleepy Hollow hills, the city, even the Transamerica Pyramid at the top of the hike. I would come for the view and glute workout. I didn't see too many people either but there were a couple of benches here and there where you could enjoy the view and chill out.

If I can find any silver lining in this whole Covid crisis/Shelter-in-Place period, it's that I'm…read moregoing on more hikes and exploring/appreciating more of my backyard. One of my favorite, recent discoveries is the Camino Alto Open Space Preserve. I've lived in Marin County pretty much most of my life, and I had never been down this path before. It's located near Scott Valley at the end of Overhill Road. There's plenty of street parking by the fire trail. There are plenty of paths to choose from for folks of all fitness levels, so you can pretty much choose your own adventure. The paths here are immaculate and well maintained. There are plenty of Redwoods and shade along the way to keep you cool on those hot summer days. You'll find everyone from bikers to hikers to joggers. Everyone seems to play well in the same sandbox. The views of Mill Valley are hard to beat. And it's just so damn peaceful here. With the exception of folks wearing masks, you'd almost forget we were living in the middle of a global pandemic. Best of all, Camino Alto Open Space Preserve is dog-friendly. But please make sure you pick up after your pet. Remember: if they poop, you scoop. Don't be "that guy" who forgets to bring a doggy bag. The trail I've been taking as of late is just a three mile trek, all of which is flat. I'm looking forward to exploring some of the other longer trails. One trail will connect you to Horse Hill, one will take you over to Larkspur/Baltimore Canyon, and there's another one that'll take you to Mill Valley Golf Course. So many wonderful options! When I'm here, I can't help but be reminded of the Robert Frost quote: "Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Happy trails, my friends!

This is a pretty small open space, but it's still very popular with the locals. The parking is easy…read morenear to residential streets. The trailhead is very close by. If you want to take a jog or walk your dog this is a great place to come. Some of the routes have a lot of cover and are very beautiful. Keep in mind that the trail could be very rough if you choose to go down towards the Corte Madera Ridge Fire Road.

Came here with a birding group and was very impressed! Such a peaceful, abundant wetland area with…read moreso many birds. The trail is not a loop, but it's nice to walk to one end and then in the other direction. I did see a lot of dogs off leash, so long as they're friendly -and also that they don't endanger the wildlife- I suppose that's okay. Plenty of cool stuff from the airfield days in the neighborhood, too.

Since it's a wetland are there is a good amount of birds and other wildlife, I've seen some coyotes…read morehere as well. The trail is level, so this is more for a walk or a bike ride. I used to live around here and would come often. It was a great place for a walk after work but now if visiting Novato I rather go to Indian Valley, Indian Tree, or Mount Burdell because they are better. Hamilton is more suited for a hike if you live around here. No shade whatsoever, I wouldn't do this in summertime unless it was night. The parking is at Hamilton Landing or there's another entrance at Hangar Avenue. At the southern end of the trail there is a little area to stop and turn around or you could technically continue to go farther to do the Las Gallinas pools which is another 1.5 mile there. On the northern end you can walk all the way to Bel Marin Keyes Blvd.

I never knew of this place until I went to Target which is the most scenic Target I've ever been…read more The path is very smooth, with no inclination so it's good or even better for biking or running. It's about a mile to Jean & John Starkweather Shoreline Park and back which has a parking lot, bathrooms, and a little beach. This is worth it for the views of the bay and there is a creek on the right side for part of the way which has some birds, maybe a few pelicans. Many benches are on the path to sit and look out.

Gorgeous trail at the tip of San Rafael!…read more Hubs and I wanted to have a change of scenery and chose this park to explore. We ended up parking at a community center, walking through a strip of land surrounded by water and residential homes and ending up in Target, which was a great halfway point since I needed to use the bathroom. The walk itself along the water was beautiful and you can see the Richmond Bridge from a distance. There were several people walking, biking, hanging out along the trail which speaks to its popularity. The trail goes further than Target but we ended up turning back because our bellies were growling. We got some grub downtown- highly recommend the sandwiches and salads at Magnolia Park Kitchen!

Going to this park is a lot of fun. There's so many activities going on, especially on the…read moreweekends. I usually will frequent McGinnis Park to walk along the jetty's near the bay. You can really get several miles in and it's completely flat so it's not difficult. But on a hot day it can be a little uncomfortable due to lack of shade, but there is ample parking and restrooms. I enjoy watching the birds, too.

Who would've thunk that this park has public tennis courts?! What a wonderful, unexpected…read morediscovery! Similar to Granada Park in Corte Madera, the John F Mcinnis Park courts feel like a tennis speakeasy. First rule of this tennis club - "you don't talk about this tennis club." The blessing and the curse of these courts is that they're kind of hard to find and get to (especially now, during this Coronavirus lockdown). But once you walk up the steep hill and get there, you'll be rewarded with four beautiful, well-maintained courts. There's no charge to play, nor proof of residence or membership. It's a total tennis lover's oasis! Not sure what's it like in the non-Coronavirus age, but players have to adhere to public court rules (no more than 2 sets or an hour's worth of play if others are waiting to hop on). All in all, this park was a major find! Beautiful, hidden location... but not too far away. Game on!

We have lived in Novato for 41 years and have enjoyed Miwok park for all of them…read more Our daughter's birthday parties and barbecues. The Tot Lot toddler park on the San Miguel side. BBQ's, picnic tables, real bathrooms. Grassy areas, play structures, the creek! Bocce pits! It always smells like a forest. Plenty of parking. Ample trash cans and room to run!

This park is beautiful and unique! It has a playground that's great for 5-12 year olds, swings, and…read morea sandbox for all ages. There's an American Indian museum that you can walk through, and such friendly staff! Clean bathrooms, and lots of tables and seating to bring your own lunch, snacks and enjoy. There's a stream/creek that is surrounded by trees and so peaceful to sit and watch. Lots of trails to walk, some folks bike riding, parking lot and just an overall forest vibe.