Mt. Tamalpais. View down to the northwest from the East Peak, showing the Marin Municipal Water District watershed, featuring Bon Tempe Lake (the larger one) and Lake Lagunitas (smaller, closer). - panoramio.jpg
Richard Wood · CC BY-SA 3.0

Plank Walk Viewpoint & Miller Trail via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road is a 3.5-mile out-and-back in Mount Tamalpais Watershed near Kent Woodlands, CA. The route reaches Plank Walk Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1.7 miles in. It climbs 1,814 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade. It scores 61/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,562 – 2,569 ft · steepest grade: 33%3.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Lakeview Trail 37.92853, -122.58994
Nearest town Kent Woodlands, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Plank Walk Viewpoint & Miller Trail via Old Railroad Grade Fire Road

3.5 mi · ▲ 1,814 ft · 2 hr 4 min

Elevation 1,563–2,568 ft

Out & Back · Mount Tamalpais Watershed

Trailhead: Lakeview Trail · 37.92853, -122.58994

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 91°F / low 72° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:19 PM

No dogs on part of this route

  1. Start on Lakeview Trail, heading SW.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left onto Miller Trail, heading SE.
  3. 0.6 miBear left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading E.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Fern Creek Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.6 miBear right, heading E.
  6. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Plank Walk Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.2 miReach Plank Walk Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  10. 350 ftBear left onto Fern Creek Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.6 miTurn left onto Old Railroad Grade Fire Road, heading SW.
  12. 0.1 miBear right onto Miller Trail, heading SW.
  13. 0.6 miTurn right onto Lakeview Trail, heading N.
  14. 0.1 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

16% dirt4% paved3% boardwalk77% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 91°F72°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity38%
Hourly temperature
95°70°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:19 PM
Tue 79°64°
Wed 74°49°
Thu 65°47°
Fri 69°46°
Sat 69°45°
Sun 61°45°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:58 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:19 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:48 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Lakeview Trail Trailhead