Blithedale Ridge Fire Road–Concrete Pipe Road, 9 sights
13.1 mi · ▲ 2,737 ft · 5 hr 44 min
Blithedale Ridge Fire Road–Concrete Pipe Road, 9 sights is a 13.1-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. It climbs 2,737 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 60/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Blithedale Ridge Fire Road–Concrete Pipe Road, 9 sights
13.1 mi · ▲ 2,737 ft · 5 hr 44 min
Elevation 199–1,518 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Bullfrog Fire Road · 37.96638, -122.60510
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Alex Forman Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Alex Forman Trail, heading E.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Elliot Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading N.
- 200 ftBear left onto Elliot Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftSharp right onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Concrete Pipe Road, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Filter Plant Road, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
- 2.3 miTurn right onto Indan Fire Road, heading E.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Indian Fire Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Indan Fire Road, heading NE.
- 500 ftSharp right onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miReach Shaver Grade Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Indan Fire Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Indian Fire Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Indan Fire Road, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
- 2.4 miTurn right onto Filter Plant Road, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Concrete Pipe Road, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Elliot Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Shaver Grade Road, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Elliot Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Alex Forman Trail, heading SW.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Alex Forman Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.4 mi in (~134 min). Leave by 4:38 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
- 3.6 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 4 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 4 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 4.4 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 6.3 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 7.4 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 13 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
- 14.3 mi · out & back · via Eldridge Grade Fire Road
More from Bullfrog Fire Road Trailhead
- Pine Mountain Tunnel Road & Taylor Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 205 ft
- Alex Forman Trail–Pine Mountain Tunnel Road, 3 sights 5 mi · ▲ 205 ft
- Arturo Trail–Concrete Pipe Road, 11 sights 16 mi · ▲ 3,187 ft
- Phoenix Lake–Bald Hill Trail, 7 sights 8.8 mi · ▲ 1,565 ft
- Alex Forman Trail & Meadow Club Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 116 ft
- Mayor's Lookout–Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, 9 sights 15.5 mi · ▲ 3,366 ft
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