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Marin County  Every once in a while, the air gets crystal clear with visibilities over 50 miles. When that happens, drop everything and head for the peaks. The map left shows view locations. The reference to hikes at the end of each description refers to the book, Hiking Marin, 141 Great Hikes in Marin County, ©2006 by Don and Kay Martin. |
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1. Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands at 920’ Not only do you get a classic view of the Golden Gate, but in the fall, as many as 2000 hawks a day pass overhead.
2. East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais at 2751’ The top of Mt. Tamalpais is the premier viewing point in the Bay Area with incomparable views in all directions. On superclear winter days, you can the snow-covered Sierra 160 miles away. Directions from Hwy 101: Near Sausalito, W on Hwy 1, R on Panorama Hwy to Pantoll, R on Pantoll Rd to Rock Spring, R on Ridgecrest to the East Peak parking lot. Fee. From the parking lot, you can take the 0.7 mile level loop trail or climb 0.3 miles to the top. See Hike B20. 3. O’Rourkes Bench on Mt. Tamalpais at 2040’ There are dozens of great view spots on Mt. Tam. O’Rourkes Bench, carved out of stone and located on the western flank of Mt. Tam., is one of the best. Directions from Hwy 101: Near Sausalito, W on Hwy 1, R on Panorama Hwy to Pantoll, R on Pantoll Rd to Rock Spring parking lot. Fee. From the parking lot, cross the street and head southwest on the ridgetop towards the ocean. The bench is 0.3 miles away and tucked under a bay tree. See Hike B13. 4. Mt. Livermore on Angel Island at 781’ There is no more centrally located peak in the Bay Area. Great views in all directions. Directions from Hwy 101: Near Mill Valley, E on Tiburon Blvd for 3.8 miles, R on Main Street. Park in various fee lots. Call about ferry times and fees. The hike to the top is about 6 miles roundtrip. See Hike A12. 5. Ring Mountain on the Tiburon Peninsula at 602’ Although Ring Mountain is only 600’ high, it has glorious views south across the bay to San Francisco. Also great wildflowers in the spring. Directions from Hwy 101: In Corte Madera, E on Paradise Drive for 1.5 miles, past Westward Dr to parking area and trailhead gate. Take one of many trails to the top. See Hike A11. Note that this hike is also one of the Top 7 Hikes in Marin County and is online. 6. Chimney Rock on Point Reyes at 205’ Chimney Rock has great coastal views, spectacular wildflowers, colonies of elephant seals, whalewatching and some of the windiest, foggiest weather on the West Coast. Directions from Hwy 101: In Greenbrae, W on Sir Francis Drake to Olema, R on Hwy 1 for 200 yds, L on Bear Valley Rd and follow signs to the lighthouse. Be sure to turn left 0.5 miles before the lighthouse. On weekends from Jan to April, the Park Service runs a bus from the South Beach Parking lot. Fee. See Hike G13. Note that this hike is also one of the Top 7 Hikes in Marin County and is online. 7. Mt. Burdell in North Marin at 1558’ Mt. Burdell is the tallest mountain in North Marin and offers an entirely new perspective from on high. Directions from Hwy 101: In Novato, W on San Marin Dr for 2.4 miles, R on San Andreas. Park at the open space gate at the top of the hill. There are several routes to the top which is about 2.5 miles away. See Hike E12. Options: Return to Marin Trails Home Page |
