Dawn Falls–Bon Tempe Lake, 7 sights is a 7.4-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route passes Bon Tempe Lake and Lake Lagunitas before reaching Dawn Falls at the turnaround, 3.7 miles in. It climbs 3,102 ft, with sections as steep as 40% grade. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi525 – 2,100 ft · steepest grade: 40%7.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.95066, -122.59795
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Dawn Falls–Bon Tempe Lake, 7 sights
7.4 mi · ▲ 3,102 ft · 4 hr 1 min
Elevation 523–2,100 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: 37.95066, -122.59795
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 94°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 0 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Bon Tempe Lake.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Lake Lagunitas.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left onto Indian Fire Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Indan Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading W.
- 350 ftReach Dawn Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftSharp left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Indan Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Indian Fire Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
43% dirt57% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 94°F56°
Precip0%Wind0 mphUV8Humidity36%
Hourly temperature
95°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue
87°55°
Wed
82°52°
Thu
71°53°
Fri
74°51°
Sat
74°51°
Sun
67°51°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 6:47 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Pilot Knob–Bon Tempe Lake, 4 sights 1.5 mi · ▲ 455 ft
- Bon Tempe Lake–Lake Lagunitas, 4 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 382 ft
- Bald Hill Trail–Hidden Meadow Trail, 3 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 694 ft
- Alpine Lake–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 234 ft
- Colier Spring–Bon Tempe Lake, 7 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 1,283 ft
- Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,910 ft
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