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

A really lovely hike around a small reservoir that is pretty family friendly. While you can't make…read moreit around with a stroller we did made it around with a 6 year old on foot and a 2 year old on my back. The main issue here is the parking as there are less than 20 spots and the rest of the potential overflow spaces are marked tow away. The nearby very fancy neighborhood has marked everything permit only and/or tow away, so we had to backtrack about 1.5 miles to town to park and then walk back in - NIMBYs be damned! Others just idle in their cars in the tiny lot and hope for a space to open up. Minus one star for not being more visitor friendly in the neighborhood.

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.

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 .

This is by far our favorite camp site. We booked 6 months out. There was 12 of us in our group so…read morewe reserved 2 camp sites next to each other. Each site can accommodate up to 8 people. It's $35/night + $8.25 reservation fee. 1 free parking per site and $5/day for each additional car. We had 8 tents set up and there was still room to put up more. There was so much space. I was afraid as we've never done a walk in camp site before but the parking lot was so close. There was plenty of garbage totters to help carry stuff to the camp site. We did it in just 1 trip. Bathrooms were ok. The toilet seats have seen better days. There are coin operated showers. $1 for 10 mins. The sign for firewood says sold between 4-6pm but when we arrived after 6pm we could still get some from the camp host. Bring cash. We appreciated the food storage cabinets as they were all in great condition. We did run into raccoons at 5:45 in the morning. Just had to make sure all the food was put away in the cabinets. Saw a cat and a family of deers too. There are some yellow jackets but also traps for them at each site. We didn't do any hikes this time but we went to China Camp beach. It's only 8 minutes drive from camp. The location of the camp site is great too. Just 15 minutes drive from the nearest Safeway and restaurants too. Yet far enough to be with nature. Note, even though there was lots of trees we were told that hammocks were not allowed.

A great place for hiking and mountain bike riding is just a few miles from our home and from many…read morein the Bay Area. China Camp State Park has a number of trails that we enjoy. These are primarily single track trails that take you through the oak woodlands. One of our favorites is the Shoreline Trail. It winds around the campground and then rides like a roller coaster as you follow the terrain of the hills beside the Bay. You'll often see black tail deer, grey squirrel, and if you're lucky - a flock of Turkey. If you're adventurous and have the energy, pedal (or hike) up to the ridge of . You can travel up either Powerline Trail or Oak Ridge Trail and the views at top are beautiful. In 2012, the State of California suspended funding for 70 state parks including China Camp State Park. Locals founded a. Non-profit called Friends of China Camp who keep the park maintained and in good shape. Be sure to purchase a Day Pass (or an annual pass like we have) to support the park and ensure it will be here for us to enjoy in the future.

An awesome place to hike! This open space has good trails featuring views of the Civic Center and…read moreMt. Tam. Some of the trails connect to China Camp State Park and Harry Barbier Park. The preserve is pretty heavily forested by oaks, bays, madrones, and a few redwoods, which keeps it nice and cool while you're working up a sweat. The trails are not heavily trafficked in my experience, and dogs (on leash) and horses are allowed on trails and the fire roads. Bikes are not permitted on some of the trails, but it's not uncommon for mountain bikers to come bombing down the hill with no warning, on trails where they're not supposed to be. Other than that occasional surprise, hiking here can be quite peaceful. If you're looking for a good workout out in nature, San Pedro Ridge is a nice option. I wouldn't recommend hiking here for absolute beginners, as some of the trails can be a little challenging even for experienced hikers.

Outdoors lovers like me look at that big hill west of 101 in the Dominican area of San Rafael, and…read morethink "I wonder what is up there." Thankfully, you can find out. Why? Because it's there. When I lived in San Rafael, I did find out. I started at the trailhead near Dominican University, and did the slow incline up the fire road. It's a dense wooded forest of oaks, very shady. If I remember right, I made it to the top a few times. The big surprise: I looked down the hill, and saw the remains of a car that didn't quite get the curve right, and now it's rusting 40 feet down from the fire road! I don't know if it's there anymore, but it was in the last millennium. Today, I found out more. This time, I started at a trailhead near the Civic Center. Now there is manzanita along with the oaks, alternating between shade and open space. And views, first of the Terra Linda area, then of the neighborhood west of downtown SR and also Mt. Tam. Names of parkland, depending on where you are: Harry Barbier Memorial Park, City of San Rafael; San Pedro Mountain, Marin Open Space; China Camp State Park, Land of Fruits and Nuts. You don't just happen upon the trailheads, you need to know how to get to them. This is not an easy place to hike. If you get winded on hills, you'll have trouble on these trails. It's enough of a challenge to give experienced hikers a good workout. Dogs love it too. Several single-track trails, and mountain bikes are allowed on them. NO WATER. San Pedro Ridge is not a unique place, but it is a very nice getaway when you're tired of being cooped up in your too-expensive Marin shack. The big thing about San Pedro Ridge is not the destination, but the journey. And what a good little journey it is.

"Me and my, me and my, me and my, me and my, me and my friends"…read more---Red Hot Chili Peppers Me & my friends left the City aka San Francisco for Fairfax for a hike. Deer Park has lovely trails. It is truly a choose your own adventure as some trails are more challenging than others. The Deer Park Trailhead is a short drive from lovely downtown Fairfax. One thing I love about this hike is it has a densely forested mountainous vibe to it. For those that like trees & hills this hike is for you. Two thumbs up!

This is really an unusual Trailhead. There's an old school nearby, and you have to take the trail…read moreto the left of the school. When I came out of the open space, it wasn't clear where the trail went. The trail goes beside the old school and Childcare Center. There are two restrooms as well as a drinking fountain. I counted about four picnic tables as well. If you are on a bike the trail beside the school is skinny and steep but just for a short while. So just be careful about the other hikers.

Highly recommend King Mountain for the best hiking trails! It could be a bit steep in some places…read morebut overall it's not super challenging, you will definitely get a great workout that will be rewarded with the best views. You can bring your puppies to walk through the fairytale woods. It's never too crowded so it's very peaceful and will 100% help you to recharge! You can plan your hike to include downtown Larkspur. This way you can enjoy pre or post work out coffee/lunch/drink, etc. Overall, it's a must if you love peaceful breathtaking hikes!

Beautiful hiking, waterfalls in the winter, wildlife galore and peacefulness close to bustling townsread more

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.