Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route passes Bon Tempe Lake and Lake Lagunitas before reaching Verna Dunshee Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 1,910 ft, with sections as steep as 40% grade. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi728 – 2,405 ft · steepest grade: 40%4.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.94935, -122.59771
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights
4.6 mi · ▲ 1,910 ft · 2 hr 29 min
Elevation 729–2,405 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: 37.94935, -122.59771
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 94°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 0 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 S.
- 50 ftPass Bon Tempe Lake.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Lake Lagunitas.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.7 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
9% paved1% dirt90% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 94°F56°
Precip0%Wind0 mphUV8Humidity36%
Hourly temperature
95°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue
87°55°
Wed
82°52°
Thu
71°53°
Fri
74°51°
Sat
74°51°
Sun
67°51°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 6:51 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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 this trailhead
- Pilot Knob–Bon Tempe Lake, 4 sights 1.5 mi · ▲ 455 ft
- Bon Tempe Lake–Lake Lagunitas, 4 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 382 ft
- Alpine Lake–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 234 ft
- Colier Spring–Bon Tempe Lake, 7 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 1,283 ft
- Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 2,088 ft
- Pilot Knob–Colier Spring Loop, 11 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,676 ft
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