Pilot Knob–East Peak Fire Trail, 3 sights is a 12.1-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Stinson Beach, CA. The route reaches Pilot Knob at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It climbs 2,855 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 60/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi830 – 2,300 ft · steepest grade: 31%12.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.91443, -122.60996
Nearest town Stinson Beach, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Pilot Knob–East Peak Fire Trail, 3 sights
12.1 mi · ▲ 2,855 ft · 5 hr 28 min
Elevation 829–2,299 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
Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading S.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Rock Spring Trail, heading NE.
- 1.5 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Miller Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Collier Spring Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Northside Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Pilot Knob Stub, heading NW.
- 0.1 miReach Pilot Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Pilot Knob Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Lakeview Fire Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto East Peak Fire Trail, heading SW.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Northside Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miTurn left onto Collier Spring Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Miller Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Rock Spring Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 400 ftBear left, heading S.
- 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% dirt26% 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 8:36 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Old Mine Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 369 ft
- Mount Tamalpais West Point–Nora Trail, 4 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 667 ft
- Bootjack Trail–Old Stage Road, 3 sights 7 mi · ▲ 863 ft
- Mount Tamalpais West Point–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights 10.2 mi · ▲ 2,958 ft
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