Little Carson Falls–Kent Lake, 5 sights is a 6.4-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route passes Little Carson Falls before reaching Kent Lake at the turnaround, 3.2 miles in. It climbs 1,398 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi407 – 1,450 ft · steepest grade: 26%6.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Pine Mountain Fire Road 37.96398, -122.62519
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
Directions
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Little Carson Falls–Kent Lake, 5 sights
6.4 mi · ▲ 1,398 ft · 2 hr 50 min
Elevation 405–1,449 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 miSharp right onto Kent Pump Road, heading NW.
- 0.8 miPass Kent Lake.
- 50 ftReach Little Carson Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miSharp left onto Carson Falls Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miBear left onto Oat Hill Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Pine Mountain Fire Road, heading NE.
- 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
34% dirt66% 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
- Lily Gulch Trail & Oat Hill Fire Road 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,267 ft
- Little Carson Falls–Carson Falls Trail, 3 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,286 ft
- Pine Mountain Fire Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 376 ft
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