Without a doubt, Marin is one of the best places for hiking and biking in all of California, if not the world. Over 500 miles and hundreds of park and open space trails attest to walking and cycling's decades-long popularity here, with Mount Tamalpais acting as the nexus of this outdoor, vertical universe. Legend has it that this is where mountain biking was first invented, pioneered by both Joe Breeze (I kid you not) and Gary Fisher, both who make their own bikes now. The great thing about biking on Tam is the variety of the terrain. You can enjoy a leisurely, wide flat trail from the east end of Crown Road in Kentfield that takes you around the mountain for a couple miles or take a hard right halfway down that road.

There are also dozens of popular less challenging, paved level walking routes for those who prefer walking shoes over boots or skinny tires over knobbies. Two of the best are the Tiburon Bike/Walking Path, which starts at Blackie's Pasture. There is a huge parking lot that takes you past a statue of Blackie (and his grave), through McKegney Green and into Tiburon. Round trip is about three miles. There is an equally good one at the Mill Valley Bike/Walking PathMt. Tam over the many years I've lived here and have some road-biking also, as you can see from the photos which starts near Bayfront Park in Mill Valley and heads south towards Sausalito, ending at (or even across) the Golden Gate Bridge. I have personally walked or biked many of the trails on and around

The strenuous, but spectacular (especially in spring) seven-mile hike, starts out on the coastal hills at the Pantoll Ranger Station, descends to Stinson Beach and returns along scenic Steep Ravine. Pantoll has a good-size parking lot with no fee to park. Also note, they say you can't bring dogs on the trails, but everybody does. The East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais is an elevation of 2,751 feet and is a premier viewing area in the Bay Area with incomparable views in all directions.

The Marin Municipal Water District's Kent Trail is an exhilarating five-mile hike along the conifer shores of Alpine lake. You walk through a redwood forest and emerge onto a ridge with great views. The trail is steep and rocky in some places.

The Point Reyes National Seashore area has three exceptional hikes: Sky, Lighthouse, and Chimney Rock Trails. The Sky Trail is about seven miles and is considered the easiest hike to Inverness Ridge. The trail provides great views, forest vegetation, and berries and flowers in the spring. The Lighthouse and Chimney Rock Trails are short hikes. Both trails provide great views, and wind and fog. The Lighthouse Trail offers whale watching in the early spring. Chimney Rock Trail offers coastal wildflowers, colonies of elephant seals, and whale watching.

A winter hike to Tomales Point at the northern tip of the Point Reyes peninsula offers opportunities to see elk, sea lions and whales.

The trek to Tomales Point, a round trip of 9.5 miles, is moderately strenuous. The terrain isn't difficult. In fact, most of the journey is a comfortable walk on dirt roads. But there are sandy sections near the tip, and those parts require considerable effort with each footstep sinking deep into loose sand.

Beginning at Upper Pierce Ranch, follow the Tomales Point Trail across the rolling landscape to the site of Lower Pierce Ranch. Walking along the ridgeline provides panoramic views of the ocean and Tomales Bay.

I was hiking on this trail when a well-traveled member of the group commented that she'd seen whales on trips to Alaska and elsewhere, but never along Marin's coast. We stopped at the top of a dramatic cliff to examine the coastline and at that very moment, a whale spouted in a cove directly below us. We all laughed at the coincidence and enjoyed the show as two whales frolicked beyond the surf line. From our vantage, we could see the dark shapes of the humpbacks against the blue-green of the ocean. The whales' frothy spouts acted as white signal flags.

Looking east from Windy Gap, much of Tomales Bay is visible. The bay is long, narrow and shallow. Its protected waters provide excellent growing conditions for oysters. If you have binoculars, you can see oyster beds, rows of sticks in the water, across the bay near the community of Marshall. Looking west along the coast, watch for harbor seals and sea birds near shore and whales about a quarter-mile out to sea.

The elk graze in ravines and on open hillsides and are usually in groups. They might be near the trail. If so, do not attempt to approach them. Give these large animals a wide birth. Only a cluster of trees marks the site of the Lower Pierce Ranch. The road narrows to a trail that becomes paths in the sand that weave around large lupine bushes.
Tomales Point is a jagged cliff carved by pounding surf. The view is spectacular. The community of Dillon Beach is visible across the mouth of Tomales Bay and Bodega Headlands straight north. Sea lions inhabit the rocks below the point.

The Ring Mountain Trail on the Tiburon Peninsula is popular with hikers and bikers. The trail is only about three miles but is rocky and rutted in areas. The climb is up grassy slopes and provides views across the bay to San Francisco and wildflower displays.

Just off highway 101, behind the Marin Civic Center is Santa Margarita Island, definitely a "hidden hiking treasure". You can park at the end of Meadow off of North San Pedro Road, walk across the bridge and explore this small, twenty acre park.

Back around Pt. San Pedro are the China Camp Bay View and Shoreline Trails, considered great single-track bike rides among those in the know. The trails wind through oak-bay woodland along the hills bordering San Pablo Bay. The ten-mile trail has some narrow sections and tricky turns. The trail crisscrosses fire roads and offers much to explore through the Park. The Park's trails are multi-use and popular with hikers also. You can park at Back Ranch Meadows, which is one of the few places they allow overnight camping in Central Marin. Back Ranch Meadows.JPG

In West Marin, drive all the way down Sir Francis Drake, past my office at 511, to Nicasio Reservoir. All sorts of trails start from-and go around-this medium sized lake. You can see by the photo how beautiful it is. Keep going, almost to Olema until you see the Bolinas Ridge Trailhead. Parking is only on the shoulder of the road, but you can be rewarded by a meandering hike over low hills and coast-view trails. Very popular with the mountain bikers.

In Northern Marin, Mt. Burdell is a popular destination for both hikers and bikers. At 1,558 feet, this is the tallest mountain in the area. The Old Quarry Trail leads to the top and is a steep and rocky five and a half mile climb. The trail offers sweeping views, magnificent oak trees and an abandoned rock quarry can be a side visit.