AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

French Ranch Open Space Preserve

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 5 sights

5.6 mi · ▲ 1,235 ft · 2 hr 29 min

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 5 sights is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in French Ranch Open Space Preserve near Forest Knolls, CA. It climbs 1,235 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 51/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi269 – 1,234 ft · steepest grade: 18%5.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Top Flight Trail 38.01690, -122.67841
Nearest town Forest Knolls, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Barnabe Mountain Fire Road–Dixon Ridge Fire Road, 5 sights

5.6 mi · ▲ 1,235 ft · 2 hr 29 min

Elevation 268–1,235 ft

Out & Back · French Ranch Open Space Preserve

Trailhead: Top Flight Trail · 38.01690, -122.67841

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 92°F / low 58° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM

Transit-accessible: Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Lagunitas School Road stop 186 m from the trailhead

  1. Start on Top Flight Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.3 miContinue straight onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading NW.
  3. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Barnabe Mountain Fire Road, heading N.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading N.
  5. 50 ftBear left onto Fr Road, heading N.
  6. 1.8 miReach Top Flight Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 1.8 miBear right onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Barnabe Mountain Fire Road, heading S.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto French Ranch Fire Road, heading S.
  10. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Top Flight Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.3 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-5-sights-9-km

Trail surface

38% dirt62% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 92°F58°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity48%
Hourly temperature
95°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue 75°56°
Wed 74°55°
Thu 82°54°
Fri 89°52°
Sat 88°52°
Sun 84°52°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~71 min). Leave by 6:48 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Lagunitas School Road stop 186 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Top Flight Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Forest Knolls, California