Pilot Knob–Bon Tempe Lake, 4 sights is a 1.5-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route passes Bon Tempe Lake before reaching Pilot Knob at the turnaround, 0.8 miles in. It climbs 455 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi728 – 1,191 ft · steepest grade: 26%1.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.94935, -122.59771
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Pilot Knob–Bon Tempe Lake, 4 sights
1.5 mi · ▲ 455 ft · 44 min
Elevation 729–1,190 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: 37.94935, -122.59771
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 94°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 0 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Bon Tempe Lake.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Pilot Knob Stub, heading SW.
- 0.1 miReach Pilot Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading W.
- 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
76% dirt24% 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 0.8 mi in (~31 min). Leave by 7:27 PM for the 8:19 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:53 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Bon Tempe Lake–Lake Lagunitas, 4 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 382 ft
- Alpine Lake–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 234 ft
- Colier Spring–Bon Tempe Lake, 7 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 1,283 ft
- Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–Bon Tempe Lake, 6 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,910 ft
- Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 2,088 ft
- Pilot Knob–Colier Spring Loop, 11 sights 6.4 mi · ▲ 1,676 ft
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