Dawn Falls–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 4 sights is a 3.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route passes Verna Dunshee Viewpoint before reaching Dawn Falls at the turnaround, 1.9 miles in. It climbs 1,907 ft, with sections as steep as 53% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi525 – 2,405 ft · steepest grade: 53%4.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Plank Walk Trail 37.92786, -122.57925
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA
Directions
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Dawn Falls–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 4 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 1,907 ft · 2 hr 11 min
Elevation 523–2,405 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
No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Verna Dunshee Viewpoint.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Indian Fire Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Indan Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading W.
- 400 ftReach Dawn Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftSharp left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dawn Falls Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Blithedale Ridge Fire Road, heading S.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Indan Fire Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Indian Fire Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 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
81% dirt11% paved8% 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 0.1 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:57 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- 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
- Fern Creek Trail & Hogback Road via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road 2.8 mi · ▲ 1,296 ft
- 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
- 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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