Marin County has approximately 70 miles of open coastline and many convenient destinations within the Point Reyes National Seashore on the northern coast, which encompasses the Point Reyes Peninsula, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) on the southern coast. This land is rich with wildlife, beautiful beaches, rugged terrain, and dramatic views. Four of the most popular Marin Continue Reading
Hiking with Madeline on Christmas Tree Hill
Christmas Tree Hill in Corte Madera A walk up Christmas Tree Hill starts at the Old Town Square (Menke Park) in the oldest part of Corte Madera. Like many of the older neighborhoods in Mill Valley and Sausalito, there are stairs that were installed to take visitors from nearby train stations up the hills to the good life and spectacular views. One of Madeline’s favorite Continue Reading
Olompali State Historic Park: A Window into Marin’s Past
Olompali State Historic Park is located in northern Marin County. The name of the park comes from the Coast Miwok people who lived here from about 6,000 BC until the 1850's. This peaceful park of 700 acres looks east over the Petaluma River and San Pablo Bay, at the northern end of San Francisco Bay. Looking out to the tidal flats and the bay, you can imagine what Mill Valley and Corte Madera Continue Reading
China Camp State Park: Escape to Nature in East San Rafael
China Camp State Park is in east San Rafael, CA along the shores of San Pablo Bay, at the north end of San Francisco Bay. The park spans 1,514 acres of grass-covered gentle hills and beaches. China Camp offers many opportunities for hiking, camping, mountain biking, picnics, and running. The park is maintained and managed by the friends of China Camp, which also provides an informative Continue Reading
Madeline Hikes to Carson Falls
Carson Falls on the north side of Mount Tamalpais is at its best after the winter rains with good flow through early spring. The walk is fairly strenuous, but worth the trip on a sunny day. The stream feeding the falls flows through a meadow at the top, then down a rocky canyon into three pools. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVAc-lsUqPg Finding Carson Falls From downtown Fairfax, Continue Reading
Aerial View of Marin County in the 1920’s
Marin County was a different place before the Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, when most of Marin was undeveloped and unpopulated. The bridge made Marin easily accessible to residents of San Francisco looking for warm, fog-free recreation and summer homes. The Second World War brought an influx of residents to work in the Sausalito shipyards. After the war, rampant development permanently Continue Reading
Bay Trail a Plus for Tiburon Homeowners
A favorite walk in Marin is along the Tiburon Bay Trail, which follows the edge of Richardson Bay from Blackie's Pasture to downtown Tiburon. The constantly changing views include Richardson and San Francisco Bays, the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sausalito peninsula, the Tiburon Hills, Mount Tamalpais, and Belvedere Island. You can enjoy this path on foot, bicycle, or Continue Reading
Marin Waterfall Adventure With Madeline at Cascade Canyon
The best and most reliable waterfalls on Mount Tamalpais are in Cascade Canyon, which descends from the top of the mountain to the end of Cascade Drive in Fairfax. This year, after one of the heaviest rains, Madeline made the easy walk (about 1.5 miles round trip) up Cascade Creek in Mill Valley to see torrents of water coming down every valley and wash. The trail ends at the high Cascade Canyon Continue Reading
Two of Our Favorite Marin Hikes
Enjoying Ring Mountain in Corte Madera and Tiburon One of our favorite neighborhood walks in Corte Madera is the Ring Mountain Nature Preserve that separates Corte Madera and Tiburon. The view of the Bay, Mt. Tamalpais, and San Francisco are spectacular, particularly after a rain has washed the air clear. You can start your Continue Reading