Fern Creek Trail & Hogback Road via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road is a 2.8-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. It climbs 1,296 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 39/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,020 – 2,349 ft · steepest grade: 28%3.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Plank Walk Trail 37.92786, -122.57925
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Fern Creek Trail & Hogback Road via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road
2.8 mi · ▲ 1,296 ft · 1 hr 35 min
Elevation 1,020–2,348 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Plank Walk Trail · 37.92786, -122.57925
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 91°F / low 73° · precip 0% · wind 3 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 S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left onto Fern Creek Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Hogback Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hogback Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miReach Fern Creek Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hogback Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading W.
- 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
24% dirt5% paved71% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 91°F73°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity38%
Hourly temperature
95°70°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue
79°64°
Wed
74°49°
Thu
65°47°
Fri
69°46°
Sat
69°45°
Sun
61°45°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:58 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:19 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:48 PM.
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 Plank Walk Trail Trailhead
- Mount Tamalpais West Point via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road 3.1 mi · ▲ 998 ft
- Miller Trail & Old Railroad Grade Fire Road 3.6 mi · ▲ 1,401 ft
- Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Fern Creek Trail Loop, 5 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 1,283 ft
- Dawn Falls–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 4 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 1,907 ft
- Pilot Knob–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 3 summits 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,997 ft
- Temelpa Viewpoint–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 5 sights 5.8 mi · ▲ 2,547 ft
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