AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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 Watershed

Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 10 sights

12.9 mi · ▲ 3,417 ft · 6 hr 1 min

Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 10 sights is a 12.9-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route passes Bon Tempe Lake and Verna Dunshee Viewpoint before reaching Mount Tamalpais East Peak at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It climbs 3,417 ft, with sections as steep as 35% grade. It scores 67/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi197 – 2,546 ft · steepest grade: 35%13.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Alex Forman Trail 37.95340, -122.60080
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 10 sights

12.9 mi · ▲ 3,417 ft · 6 hr 1 min

Elevation 199–2,546 ft

Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Trailhead: Alex Forman Trail · 37.95340, -122.60080

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 · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Alex Forman Trail, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Bon Tempe Lake.
  3. 0.8 miBear right, heading N.
  4. 300 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading N.
  5. 0.2 miBear right onto Elliot Trail, heading E.
  6. 0.3 miSharp right onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NE.
  7. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Concrete Pipe Road, heading S.
  8. 150 ftBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading SW.
  9. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading NE.
  10. 150 ftBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NE.
  11. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
  12. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Filter Plant Road, heading E.
  13. 100 ftTurn left onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading S.
  14. 1.3 miContinue straight onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading W.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading NW.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
  17. 0.3 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading W.
  18. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading SE.
  19. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.3 miTurn right onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading SE.
  21. 350 ftPass Verna Dunshee Viewpoint.
  22. 0.1 miSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading S.
  23. 300 ftSharp right onto Plank Trail, heading W.
  24. 0.1 miReach Mount Tamalpais East Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.1 miSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading SW.
  26. 300 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  27. 300 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading SE.
  28. 0.1 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading S.
  29. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading E.
  30. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading NE.
  31. 1.1 miTurn right onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
  32. 0.3 miTurn right onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading W.
  33. 50 ftTurn right onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading W.
  34. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading NE.
  35. 1.3 miTurn right onto Filter Plant Road, heading S.
  36. 150 ftContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
  37. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
  38. 0.4 miBear right onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading N.
  39. 150 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
  40. 0.4 miBear right onto Concrete Pipe Road, heading NW.
  41. 150 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
  42. 0.1 miSharp left onto Elliot Trail, heading SW.
  43. 0.3 miBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading NW.
  44. 0.2 miBear left onto Alex Forman Trail, heading S.
  45. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/mount-tamalpais-east-peak-verna-dunshee-viewpoint-out-back-11-sights

Trail surface

49% dirt2% paved1% boardwalk48% 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 5.5 mi in (~195 min). Leave by 4:43 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Alex Forman Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Fairfax, California