Climb the Sleeping Lady

After a few weeks of exploring our backyards, doing small local hikes and simply stretching our winter legs, we were in need of a big weekend adventure. What could be more worthy, satisfying and rewarding than climbing the tallest peak in Marin?

So this week hike, run, scramble, or ride your bike to the top of Mt. Tamalpais. Once at the top, be sure to walk around East Peak on the Verna Dunshee Trail and head up to the Gardner fire lookout at the very top, where you will be treated to well deserved views in every direction. There is a visitor center and snack stand at the top, which is the state park says "is usually open on weekends." Water and bathrooms are also available at the peak. 

How to get up to the top and still have energy to get back down again? At 2,571 feet tall, Mt. Tamalpais is quite a trek if you start at the bottom. So, unless you are in excellent shape, we recommend you cheat a little and drive part of the way up and hike the rest. There are really only two spots with ample parking and significant enough elevation to make the partial drive worth it. The first is Lagunitas Lake parking area and the second is at the parking area across from Mountain Home Inn.

Lake Lagunitas parking area is located just outside of Fairfax and provides access from the north side of the mountain. You start at 740' feet at the parking area and are within two miles of the top using the shortest route possible, which is the very steep Lagunitas Fire Trail. You could also take Eldridge Grade Fire Road with a much more gentle grade, but the distance increases to over four miles.  

Parking across from the Mountain Home Inn provides access to the southern facing slopes of Tam and is a few miles from downtown Mill Valley. This entry point starts at 900' at the parking area and is within two miles of the top using the shortest route possible, which are two steep trails, Hogsback and Fern Creek. However, the more gentle route is only a mile or so longer on the south side and goes by West Point Inn via Matt Davis and Nora Trails. If you want to make a loop, try going up Hogsback to Old Railroad Grade and take Fern Creek Trail to the top. On the way back, go down Old Railroad Grade to West Point and then take Nora Trail to Matt Davis Trail and back to Mountain Home Inn. 

Of the two options for driving up part of the way, we recommend starting from Mountain Home Inn. The views are better along the way, with ocean, headlands, and San Francisco visible along the route. The climb is less steep and the overall distance is a bit shorter. There is drinking water along the route if you go by West Point Inn. (And other drinks and snacks when you get back to Mountain Home Inn.)

If you decided to head up from the bottom of Mount Tamalpais, we recommend you use a bicycle. The big benefit is that you only have to work going one way and you can cover more distance with less effort. The easiest route up on a bike is Old Railroad Grade starting in Mill Valley. The slope is gradual and the trail is well graded and easy to climb, except at the very bottom where it is rutted and rocky. From the north side, starting at Deer Park or Phoenix Lake is the most common choice, with both using Eldridge Grade Fire Road to reach the peak. If you do ride your bike, bring a lock with you. Bikes are not permitted on the loop trail around the peak or on the trail up to the fire lookout, so you will need to lock it to bike racks. 

See the book "Hiking Marin: 141 Great Hikes in Marin County" for more details.  Click here to go the Marin Trails website, where you can find more information about the book.