Mount Tamalpais State Park - California

Address:801 Panoramic Highway
Mill Valley, California

Mount Tamalpais State Park literally has thousands of acres of oaks, redwoods, and rocky ridges for your recreation! The amazing view of the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay area, from the highest peak around, shows iconic images of the city in miniature below. This park is provides both top-notch scenery and activities to boot. By day, hikers and bikers can explore over 50 miles of trail within the park, which connect to a larger 200-mile trail system, or check out the horseback riding and historic landmarks. By night, one can enjoy a moonlit hike amongst the redwoods or gaze at the stars during the monthly astronomy nights offered here, complete with lectures and stargazing parties! Whether you're a night or day owl, all can take advantage of the great cabins and campsites that are available, and soak in the hours of activity this park has to offer.

Just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate is Mount Tamalpais. It has redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak. On a clear day, visitors can see the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin County hills, San Francisco and the bay, hills and cities of the East Bay, and Mount Diablo. On rare occasions, the Sierra Nevada's snow-covered mountains can be seen 150 miles away. Coastal Miwok Indians lived in the area for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. In 1770, two explorers named the mountain La Sierra de Nuestro Padre de San Francisco, which was later changed to the Miwok word Tamalpais. With the Gold Rush of 1849, San Francisco grew and more people began to use Mount Tamalpais for recreation. Trails were developed and a wagon road was built. Later, a railway was completed and became known as "The Crookedest Railroad in the World." It was abandoned in 1930 after a wildfire damaged the line.