Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route passes Bon Tempe Lake, Lake Lagunitas and Verna Dunshee Viewpoint before reaching Mount Tamalpais East Peak at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 2,088 ft, with sections as steep as 38% grade. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights
4.8 mi · ▲ 2,088 ft · 2 hr 39 min
Elevation 729–2,560 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.
- 0.1 miPass Verna Dunshee Viewpoint.
- 400 ftSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miReach Mount Tamalpais East Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading N.
- 1 miTurn left onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~69 min). Leave by 6:50 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:10 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
- Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,910 ft
- Pilot Knob–Colier Spring Loop, 11 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,676 ft
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