Mt. Tamalpais. View down to the northwest from the East Peak, showing the Marin Municipal Water District watershed, featuring Bon Tempe Lake (the larger one) and Lake Lagunitas (smaller, closer). - panoramio.jpg
Richard Wood · CC BY-SA 3.0

Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Fern Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 2.9-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Mill Valley, CA. The route reaches Mount Tamalpais East Peak at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It climbs 1,436 ft, with sections as steep as 36% grade. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi1,093 – 2,546 ft · steepest grade: 36%3.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.91381, -122.58025
Nearest town Mill Valley, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Fern Creek Trail, 3 sights

2.9 mi · ▲ 1,436 ft · 1 hr 41 min

Elevation 1,094–2,546 ft

Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Trailhead: 37.91381, -122.58025

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 94°F / low 64° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: Panoramic Highway & Edgewood Avenue stop 461 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hogback Road, heading N.
  3. 250 ftTurn right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftSharp left onto Hogback Road, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading W.
  6. 0.3 miSharp right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
  8. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftBear right onto Plank Walk Trail, heading E.
  10. 400 ftSharp right onto Plank Trail, heading NE.
  11. 0.1 miReach Mount Tamalpais East Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.1 miSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading E.
  13. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 350 ftBear left onto Fern Creek Trail, heading NW.
  16. 0.6 miSharp left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
  17. 0.3 miTurn right onto Hogback Road, heading SE.
  18. 0.3 miSharp right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading E.
  19. 50 ftTurn left onto Hogback Road, heading E.
  20. 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

23% dirt5% paved4% boardwalk68% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 94°F64°
Feels like82°Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity33%
Hourly temperature
95°60°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue 87°69°
Wed 82°54°
Thu 70°51°
Fri 73°50°
Sat 73°49°
Sun 66°49°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~70 min). Leave by 6:48 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Transit-accessible: Panoramic Highway & Edgewood Avenue stop 461 m from the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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