Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Colier Spring, 11 sights is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route passes Alpine Lake, Bon Tempe Lake, Colier Spring and 2 more before reaching Plank Walk Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 2,299 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade. It scores 79/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi666 – 2,569 ft · steepest grade: 30%12.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Bon Tempe Dam Road 37.95929, -122.60997
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Colier Spring, 11 sights
11.3 mi · ▲ 2,299 ft · 4 hr 55 min
Elevation 666–2,568 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Bon Tempe Dam Road · 37.95929, -122.60997
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 90°F / low 59° · precip 0% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Bon Tempe Dam Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Alpine Lake.
- 50 ftPass Bon Tempe Lake.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Rocky Ridge Fire Road, heading W.
- 1.8 miSharp right onto Lagunitas-Rock Spring Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Lower Northside Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miPass Colier Spring.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Collier Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lower Northside Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miSharp right onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading S.
- 350 ftPass Verna Dunshee Viewpoint.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading W.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Plank Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftPass Plank Walk Viewpoint.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Mount Tamalpais East Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Plank Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Plank Walk Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Northside Trail, heading NE.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Lower Northside Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Collier Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Northside Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Lagunitas-Rock Spring Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Rocky Ridge Fire Road, heading N.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Bon Tempe Dam Road, heading NW.
- 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
26% dirt2% paved1% boardwalk71% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 90°F59°
Precip0%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity51%
Hourly temperature
90°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue
80°59°
Wed
80°54°
Thu
93°53°
Fri
98°54°
Sat
99°51°
Sun
93°52°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~81 min). Leave by 6:37 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:30 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Bon Tempe Dam Road Trailhead
- Colier Spring–Alpine Lake, 9 sights 7.7 mi · ▲ 1,440 ft
- Helen Markt Falls–Alpine Lake, 7 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,933 ft
- Serpentine Point–Alpine Lake, 8 sights 10.1 mi · ▲ 2,044 ft
- Alpine Lake–Bon Tempe Lake, 11 sights 12.9 mi · ▲ 2,002 ft
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