Little Carson Falls–Carson Falls Trail, 3 sights is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route reaches Little Carson Falls. It climbs 1,286 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi528 – 1,450 ft · steepest grade: 31%4.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Pine Mountain Fire Road 37.96398, -122.62519
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
Directions
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Little Carson Falls–Carson Falls Trail, 3 sights
4.7 mi · ▲ 1,286 ft · 2 hr 13 min
Elevation 527–1,449 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Pine Mountain Fire Road · 37.96398, -122.62519
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
- Start on Pine Mountain Fire Road, heading SW.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Oat Hill Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Carson Falls Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miPass Little Carson Falls.
- 0.7 miReach Little Carson Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miBear left onto Oat Hill Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Pine Mountain Fire Road, heading N.
- 1.1 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
46% dirt54% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:12 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Pine Mountain Fire Road Trailhead
- Pine Mountain Fire Road 7 mi · ▲ 1,173 ft
- Little Carson Falls–Kent Lake, 5 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,398 ft
- Lily Gulch Trail & Oat Hill Fire Road 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,267 ft
- Pine Mountain Fire Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 376 ft
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