Can you die without walking? Trip to American National Parks (18) A Californian-like hiking trail Mount Tamalpais State Park
Written by Sayaka Kato
The good thing about California is that you can go hiking easily even in the middle of winter and sweat thoroughly!
Mt.TAMALPAIS is a hiking trail that allows you to enjoy the sea and mountains connected to highway one along the coast, with its beautiful scenery.
A beautiful beach and Mt Tam, the highest peak in Marine County, is located in an area about an hour and a half from San Francisco. The local is Mount Tam! I often call it this.
And it's an outdoor mecca where you can enjoy the great nature of the sea and mountains.
Hiking in the mountains, mountain biking, wildlife observation, and more. At the sea, we do windsurfing, hang glide, kayaking, and more. Just a little stretching out of San Francisco gives the illusion that you've suddenly entered another world.
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"Mt Tam" is the pinnacle of Marine County
This is exactly what California Beauty is about. The area is home to large redwood trees and oak forests, Douglas fir forests, open hills and grassland areas, and on the other side the Pacific Ocean spreads out and the scenery is diverse. It is also a treasure trove of wild flora and fauna, including endangered species. (I actually came across coyotes, deer, and Jack Rabbit while walking this time.) This time, we will introduce a hiking route where you can enjoy the California landscape woven together by the sea and mountains.
Here we will introduce the route from the trailhead in the beach area along Highway 1 to the summit of Mount Tam and the beautiful scenery around it.
Hiking information for Mount Tamarpais Trail from Stinson Beach
First, we'll summarize the Stinson Beach to Mount Tamalpais via Matt Davis Trai from Stinson Beach.
Good things to carry on hiking
As with all your belongings, just like before, prepare the same equipment as a typical American hike.
- Drinks (More in the summer, about 2 liters)
- Cold weather wear that can adjust the temperature
- hat
- sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Snacks and more for eating while hiking
- If you have a regular medicine, first aid such as medicine or band-aid
- Other things you prefer with your regular hiking equipment
Trail data
- For intermediate and advanced users and above
- Season: It is possible throughout the year, but you can climb more comfortably in winter than in summer when the temperature rises.
- Mount Tamalpais elevation: Eastern peak approx. 784m
- Round trip: Approx. 27.5km (17mile)
- Elevation difference: Approx. 720m
- Course time: 6 to 8 hours round trip (including breaks)
Access (car to the trailhead)
Trailhead Address: Matt Davis Trail, Stinson Beach, CA 94970 (1 of the above map)
Put this in your GPS and you'll reach the trailhead.
You can either find a spot where you can park on the trailhead and park, or enter paid parking in the Stinson Beach area. (Stinson Beach, California 94970)
*In the early hours, there is space for parking around the trailhead, but depending on the day and time of the week, the area may be filled up quickly.
When you head to the trailhead, cross the famous Golden Gate Bridge north in San Francisco and find a town called Mill Valley, where you will be passing through Highway 1, a road called the "Dream Drive Route" that runs along the California coastline, and as the name suggests, you can enjoy a spectacular view overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Depending on the season and time of year, this foggy art will welcome you. It's so beautiful that I can't help but park my car.
Many parts of Mount Tam are protected on government-controlled public lands such as Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marine Municipal Water District Basin, and Muirwoods National Monument, but Mount Tam is a state park and not a national park, so there is no entrance or need to pay.
Nearby is Muirwoods National Monument, where many large redwood trees are gathered, and several trails extend to Mount Tamalpais State Park. *Murwoods National Park is charged.
Hiking departure from the trailhead (trailhead)
Pick up the car and head straight away. (The bathroom is not available at the trailhead.)
We headed over a small bridge.
There will be several branches along the way, but always make sure to move towards Matt Davis Trail. The trail is easy to understand, and the first half is a walk through the forest, with plenty of shade. A bridge appears along the way.
This area is home to many different types of trees, including redwood groves, oak groves, and Douglas fir. There are many birds, and you can enjoy bird watching while listening to the birds chirping. The sunlight shining through the trees is also mysterious. A moderate slope continues.
About an hour after I started walking through the forest, my vision changed and I began to see the grassland area (hill). Around this time I came across two coyotes.
And the sparkling sea was also visible in the back to the right. It's a completely different sight than before. If you go further, you will see another branch. (The map 2 mentioned above)
This will be a sharp turn to the left and a fork in the direction of travel, but head towards the Matt Davis Trail (1.7 miles) in the direction of travel (photo below).
As you go a little further, you'll see more trees. There are flat roads around here, making it very relaxing!
It rains in California during the winter, so the trees that had just sucked in the rain were lively and the greenery was very beautiful. It's truly a season of fresh greenery. (Photos are from January.)
As you go further, you will hear the sound of cars nearby, proof that the road is close. There is a campsite nearby (Pantol Road), so if you continue, you will find a parking lot (see Map 3, Pantoll campground). There is another trail across the road, so continue on to the trail.
As you walk along the trail that leads along the road, you will see a second campground. (The aforementioned map 4, Bootjack campground)
This place is perfect for a break as it has a bathroom and a table where you can eat.
Once we've finished our break, we'll leave again.
The altitude has risen, and it's very beautiful, as it can even see the surrounding mountains and the views in the distance.
If you continue further, you will see a second large fork leading to the finish line. This is a loop-shaped point that connects West Point, the Mount Tam summit, to the East Point, further back, which is today's goal. (The map 5 branched as mentioned above)
It's fine to either clockwise or counterclockwise, or you can use the same trail to and from the train, but I went in a clockwise direction with a nice view.
As you go clockwise, you will soon be able to find the West Point campground and the West Point Inn. (The map 6 mentioned above)
From here, you can enjoy a spectacular view and tables are set up in the same area, so you can also take a break.
It takes about three hours from the start to West Point, including a break.
The slopes of the slopes are getting tighter from this area, but I'll do my best while being soothed by the beautiful scenery. In the distance, the fire lookout at East Point, the goal you'll be heading to later, appears small on the top of the mountain. That's the last sprint!
We went up the hill, about 45 minutes after West Point. Arrived at East Point. There is a parking lot and a bathroom.
The highlight here is the fire lookout! There is a trail that opens from just behind the parking lot to the Fire Lookout, and you will be climbing it. I've arrived, but I'll try harder. At the end of the climb. .
A fire lookout (observation deck that keeps track of whether a fire or something has occurred) that was actually used before. And here is the view from there (photo below).
It's the best.
Here at Mount Tam's summit (784m elevation peak) you can see sparkling waters, San Francisco Bay, Marine County Hills, Mount Diablo, East Bay and the Faralon Islands 40km away. On sunny days, you can also see the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 240km away.
Of course, you can drive this far, but if you want to take your time and enjoy the nature while walking, we highly recommend hiking.
This time, we have deliberately selected the longest distance (for intermediate and advanced users) from the trailhead beach to the summit, but the trail can be adjusted to suit each level and the mood of the moment. You can reduce the distance and time by parking your car in several parking lots along the trail and starting from there.
You can also use the same trail you have returned to West Point on the way back, or you can continue clockwise and use the new trail to return to the fork.
After that, there are many different trail options, and you can freely change the journey back to the trailhead (it's a relief to have your destination in advance using GPS to avoid getting lost).
Also, the hike here is a different view than the one you'll be heading to. The sunset illuminates the sea and the forest, and is truly mysterious. The colour, sound, and space change again.
We were able to make it to the sunset time in time.
It is a hiking route that takes you to walk for a very long time, but it is a hiking trail where you can enjoy sweating even in the middle of winter while looking at the various landscapes. It's only California that you can enjoy hiking casually even in the middle of winter.
Notes regarding the spread of COVID-19
As of February 2021, various countries are likely to experience a variety of situations, including entry restrictions due to the strengthening of quarantine systems, restrictions on admission to national parks, and restrictions on travel within the country. These conditions may change without notice, so when traveling, be sure to obtain local information such as embassies and consulates of each country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas safety website (infectious disease risk information) and national park websites, and check the information about the transfer location, the countries where you plan to travel, and the area around the destinations you plan to visit before making any effort to plan and take reasonable steps.
Kato Sayaka
Leave your California hiking and travel plans to us. Due to my father's influence, I have always loved outdoor activities, and since I was in Japan, I was captivated by the great nature of America and Canada, and as a result, I arrived at the United States, which I had longed for. We currently run ANAMI TOURS, which offers local optional tours that can be created with customers, including completely private hiking tours with Japanese guides. We will introduce you to some special options that you can find out because you are a local resident. If you are interested, please visit the website below.
