Gardner Lookout plaque, wide view.jpg
Harry Cutts · CC BY-SA 4.0

Mount Tamalpais West Point–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights is a 10.2-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Stinson Beach, CA. The route passes Mount Tamalpais West Point and Verna Dunshee Viewpoint. It climbs 2,958 ft, with sections as steep as 48% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 48/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi837 – 2,405 ft · steepest grade: 48%10.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.91443, -122.60996
Nearest town Stinson Beach, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mount Tamalpais West Point–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights

10.2 mi · ▲ 2,958 ft · 4 hr 53 min

Elevation 837–2,405 ft

Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Trailhead: 37.91443, -122.60996

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 92°F / low 73° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  3. 450 ftSharp left onto Rock Spring Trail, heading NE.
  4. 1.5 miBear left onto Old Stage Road, heading SE.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftPass Mount Tamalpais West Point.
  7. 0.9 miTurn right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
  9. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  10. 250 ftPass Verna Dunshee Viewpoint.
  11. 150 ftContinue straight onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.2 miBear left onto Indian Fire Trail, heading N.
  13. 0.3 miSharp right onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading NE.
  14. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Wheeler Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.5 miTurn left onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Fire Road, heading SE.
  16. 0.3 miBear left onto Tamelpa Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.3 miBear left, heading SE.
  18. 0.1 miReach Mount Tamalpais West Point, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.4 miBear right onto Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Fire Road, heading W.
  20. 0.3 miTurn right onto Wheeler Trail, heading NE.
  21. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Eldridge Grade Fire Road, heading NW.
  22. 0.2 miSharp left onto Indian Fire Trail, heading N.
  23. 0.3 miBear right onto Verna Dunshee Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  25. 350 ftBear left onto Fern Creek Trail, heading NW.
  26. 0.6 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading SE.
  27. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Old Stage Road, heading W.
  28. 50 ftBear right onto Rock Spring Trail, heading W.
  29. 1.5 miSharp right, heading NW.
  30. 400 ftBear left, heading SW.
  31. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

74% dirt6% gravel5% paved15% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 92°F73°
Feels like79°Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity28%
Hourly temperature
95°70°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue 81°65°
Wed 67°50°
Thu 66°48°
Fri 70°47°
Sat 70°46°
Sun 62°46°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 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

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

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

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead