Plank Walk Viewpoint–Fern Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 3.2-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Mill Valley, CA. The route reaches Plank Walk Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1.6 miles in. It climbs 1,534 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade. It scores 40/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,020 – 2,569 ft · steepest grade: 31%3.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Hogback Road 37.91216, -122.57891
Nearest town Mill Valley, CA
Directions
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Plank Walk Viewpoint–Fern Creek Trail, 3 sights
3.2 mi · ▲ 1,534 ft · 1 hr 50 min
Elevation 1,020–2,568 ft
Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed
Trailhead: Hogback Road · 37.91216, -122.57891
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:57 AM · sunset 7:12 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: Panoramic Highway & Edgewood Avenue stop 246 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Hogback Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hogback Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Plank Walk Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miReach Plank Walk Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Fern Creek Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Hogback Road, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Matt Davis Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hogback Road, heading E.
- 450 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
30% dirt4% paved3% boardwalk63% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:57 AMSunset 7:12 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~78 min). Leave by 5:34 PM for the 7:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Transit-accessible: Panoramic Highway & Edgewood Avenue stop 246 m from the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Hogback Road Trailhead
- Hoo-Koo-E-Koo Trail & Old Railroad Grade Fire Road 3.1 mi · ▲ 349 ft
- Hogback Road–Miller Trail, 3 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,103 ft
- Dawn Falls–Verna Dunshee Viewpoint, 6 sights 6.6 mi · ▲ 3,249 ft
- Temelpa Viewpoint–Temelpa Trail, 3 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,617 ft
- Verna Dunshee Viewpoint–East Peak Fire Trail, 5 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 1,797 ft
- Mount Tamalpais East Peak–Fern Creek Trail, 3 sights 2.9 mi · ▲ 1,436 ft
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