Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip
A 2,570-ft Marin peak with trails and a summit view over the whole Bay Area.
The call
Worth it if you are watching the budget and you only have one day.
Why
- 01
Drive or hike up through redwoods to a summit that sees the ocean, the bay, the city skyline, and on clear days the Sierra — the definitive Bay Area panorama, often poking above the fog.
Our read - 02
The catch: you really need a car, the roads are winding, and weather flips fast at the top.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are watching the budget
Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip.
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip is an easy yes.
You are traveling solo
Solo, Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip is an easy yes.
Think twice if
You are traveling with kids
With kids, Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip needs the right timing and tolerance.
You want the trip to feel easy
Mount Tamalpais Day-Trip offers some relaxation, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
Plan it well
- Cost
- $ (parking ~$8; mostly free)
- Timing
- Clear mornings, especially when the lower Bay Area is foggy.
- Booking
- Parking (~$8) at the summit lot; arrive early on weekends.
- Allow
- Half day
- Accessibility
- A short paved path at East Peak; most trails are unpaved and steep.
- Getting there
- Drive into Marin via the winding Panoramic Highway; a car is essentially required.