AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Phoenix Lake–Bald Hill Trail, 7 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,565 ft · 3 hr 43 min

Phoenix Lake–Bald Hill Trail, 7 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route reaches Phoenix Lake. It climbs 1,565 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi180 – 774 ft · steepest grade: 17%9.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Bullfrog Fire Road 37.96638, -122.60510
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Phoenix Lake–Bald Hill Trail, 7 sights

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,565 ft · 3 hr 43 min

Elevation 180–776 ft

Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Trailhead: Bullfrog Fire Road · 37.96638, -122.60510

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 95°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 150 ftTurn right onto Alex Forman Trail, heading SE.
  3. 0.3 miBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading E.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Alex Forman Trail, heading E.
  5. 200 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Alex Forman Trail, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  8. 250 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading N.
  9. 0.2 miBear right onto Elliot Trail, heading E.
  10. 0.4 miTurn right onto Bald Hill Trail, heading N.
  11. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading SE.
  12. 100 ftBear right onto Bald Hill Trail, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yolanda Trail, heading SE.
  14. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Yoldanda Cutoff, heading S.
  15. 0.2 miPass Phoenix Lake.
  16. 50 ftBear right onto Worn Spring Road, heading NW.
  17. 250 ftContinue straight onto Diblee Road, heading NW.
  18. 0.1 miTurn right onto Bill Williams Trail Fire Road, heading SE.
  19. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Harry Allen Trail, heading SW.
  20. 0.1 miSharp right onto Tucker Trail, heading SW.
  21. 1 miReach Phoenix Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  22. 1 miSharp left onto Harry Allen Trail, heading NE.
  23. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Bill Williams Trail Fire Road, heading N.
  24. 0.5 miTurn left onto Diblee Road, heading N.
  25. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Worn Spring Road, heading NW.
  26. 250 ftBear left onto Yoldanda Cutoff, heading NW.
  27. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Yolanda Trail, heading NW.
  28. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Bald Hill Trail, heading NW.
  29. 50 ftBear left onto Hidden Meadow Trail, heading NW.
  30. 150 ftContinue straight onto Bald Hill Trail, heading NE.
  31. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  32. 450 ftContinue straight onto Elliot Trail, heading W.
  33. 0.3 miBear left onto Shaver Grade Road, heading S.
  34. 0.2 miSharp right onto Alex Forman Trail, heading W.
  35. 100 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading W.
  36. 50 ftContinue straight onto Alex Forman Trail, heading NW.
  37. 200 ftContinue straight onto Shaver Grade Road, heading W.
  38. 50 ftBear right onto Alex Forman Trail, heading NW.
  39. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  40. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/phoenix-lake-phoenix-lake-out-back-10-km-c0d6

Trail surface

74% dirt2% gravel24% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 95°F56°
Precip0%Wind11 mphUV8Humidity42%
Hourly temperature
95°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue 85°55°
Wed 81°51°
Thu 93°53°
Fri 98°54°
Sat 99°51°
Sun 93°52°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Bullfrog Fire Road Trailhead

Hikes near Fairfax, California