Little Carson Falls–Kent Lake, 5 sights is a 9.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Stinson Beach, CA. The route passes Alpine Lake and Kent Lake before reaching Little Carson Falls at the turnaround, 4.8 miles in. It climbs 1,230 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi518 – 1,398 ft · steepest grade: 16%9.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Kent Pump Fire Road 37.94069, -122.63887
Nearest town Stinson Beach, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Little Carson Falls–Kent Lake, 5 sights
9.7 mi · ▲ 1,230 ft · 3 hr 51 min
Elevation 519–1,399 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Kent Pump Fire Road · 37.94069, -122.63887
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead
- Start on Kent Pump Fire Road, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Alpine Lake.
- 2.2 miTurn right onto Old Vee Fire Road, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Kent Lake.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Oat Hill Fire Road, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miReach Little Carson Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miSharp right onto Old Vee Fire Road, heading S.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Kent Pump Fire Road, heading W.
- 2.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:12 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.4 mi in (~133 min). Leave by 4:40 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Kent Pump Fire Road Trailhead
- Kent Lake–Alpine Lake, 3 lakes 4.5 mi · ▲ 112 ft
Get outside more
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