Colier Spring–Alpine Lake, 9 sights is a 7.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Fairfax, CA. The route passes Alpine Lake, Bon Tempe Lake, Lake Lagunitas and Colier Spring. It climbs 1,440 ft, with sections as steep as 35% grade. It scores 84/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi666 – 1,854 ft · steepest grade: 35%8.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Bon Tempe Dam Road 37.95929, -122.60997
Nearest town Fairfax, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Colier Spring–Alpine Lake, 9 sights
7.7 mi · ▲ 1,440 ft · 3 hr 17 min
Elevation 666–1,853 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
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.
- 100 ftBear left onto Shadyside Trail, heading S.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Lagunitas-Rock Spring Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miPass Lake Lagunitas.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.1 miReach Colier Spring, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Lake Lagunitas Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miPass Colier Spring.
- 250 ftSharp right onto Lower Northside Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Lagunitas-Rock Spring Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Rocky Ridge Fire Road, heading W.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Bon Tempe Dam Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
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 (~88 min). Leave by 6:31 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Bon Tempe Dam Road Trailhead
- 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
- Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Colier Spring, 11 sights 11.3 mi · ▲ 2,299 ft
- Alpine Lake–Bon Tempe Lake, 11 sights 12.9 mi · ▲ 2,002 ft
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