Pirates Cove–Coastal Fire Road, 5 sights is a 3.9-mile out-and-back in Marin Headlands near Tamalpais Valley, CA. The route reaches Pirates Cove at the turnaround, 2.1 miles in. It climbs 762 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi79 – 869 ft · steepest grade: 21%4.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Tennessee Valley Trail Trailhead 37.86036, -122.53634
Nearest town Tamalpais Valley, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Pirates Cove–Coastal Fire Road, 5 sights
3.9 mi · ▲ 762 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 78–870 ft
Out & Back · Marin Headlands
Trailhead: Tennessee Valley Trail Trailhead · 37.86036, -122.53634
Weather Aug 3: Fog, high 62°F / low 53° · precip 1% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:18 PM
Horses allowed on the whole route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Tennessee Valley Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Coastal Fire Road, heading NW.
- 1.8 miPass Pirates Cove.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Coastal Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Tennessee Valley Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 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
83% dirt17% paved
Weather
FogTemperature 62°F53°
Precip1%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity100%
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:18 PM
Tue
58°54°
Wed
66°55°
Thu
73°54°
Fri
76°53°
Sat
76°52°
Sun
69°53°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 6:57 PM for the 8:18 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Horses allowed on the whole route
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Tennessee Valley Trail Trailhead Trailhead
- County View Trail & Miwok Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 682 ft
- Coyote Ridge Viewpoint & Miwok Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 845 ft
- Hill 88–Marin Headlands Viewpoint, 4 sights 5.1 mi · ▲ 986 ft
- Tennessee Beach–Coastal Trail Tennessee Cove shortcut, 4 sights 6.7 mi · ▲ 1,752 ft
- Muir Beach–Coastal Fire Road, 3 sights 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,652 ft
- Scotty's Bluff–Tennessee Beach, 5 beaches 7.5 mi · ▲ 1,741 ft
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