AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

French Ranch Open Space Preserve

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 4 sights

5 mi · ▲ 1,097 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 4 sights is a 5-mile out-and-back in French Ranch Open Space Preserve near Forest Knolls, CA. It climbs 1,097 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 57/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi407 – 1,234 ft · steepest grade: 18%5.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Top Flight Trail 38.02040, -122.67653
Nearest town Forest Knolls, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 4 sights

5 mi · ▲ 1,097 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Elevation 407–1,235 ft

Out & Back · French Ranch Open Space Preserve

Trailhead: Top Flight Trail · 38.02040, -122.67653

Weather Sep 20: Fog, high 74°F / low 51° · precip 2% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:58 AM · sunset 7:12 PM

Transit-accessible: Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Lagunitas School Road stop 434 m from the trailhead

  1. Start on French Ranch Fire Road, heading NW.
  2. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Barnabe Mountain Fire Road, heading N.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading N.
  4. 50 ftBear left onto Fr Road, heading NW.
  5. 1.8 miReach French Ranch Fire Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 1.8 miBear right onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Barnabe Mountain Fire Road, heading S.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading S.
  9. 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/barnabe-mountain-fire-road-dixon-ridge-fire-road-out-back-4-sights-8-km

Trail surface

30% dirt70% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 74°F51°
Precip2%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity81%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:12 PM
Mon 72°56°
Tue 79°51°
Wed 88°54°
Thu 75°53°
Fri 79°53°
Sat 73°51°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~65 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Lagunitas School Road stop 434 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Forest Knolls, California