Top Spots in and near Golden Gate National Recreation Area
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Larkspur, California
4.5
2.29 mi
/ 344 ft gain
Take the Dawn Falls trail down into the Baltimore Canyon for an in-depth exploration of northern California nature. Rather than the usual dry, hardy vegetation that speckles the hills of many nearby trails, this trail is bursting with lush ferns and mossy trees as it meanders along next to Larksp...
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San Francisco, California
5.0
1.76 mi
/ 394 ft gain
Glen Canyon Park Trail is a loop most commonly used for running or hiking in the southwestern side of San Francisco, California. Parking for the loop is street parking, so be sure to take any valuables out of the car with you.
Note: There are restrooms available at the Glen Canyon Recreation Ce...
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Mill Valley, California
5.0
3.96 mi
/ 1079 ft gain
The trailhead Pantoll Station is easy to find on GPS and there are friendly rangers there as well to answer questions.Maps: Paper map are available at the trailhead Pantoll Station in Marin, CA.
For a moderate hike, I suggest going the one and a half miles down the trail to the ladder and retu...
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Mill Valley, California
Need an escape from SF, but can't seem to find an available campground, then head to Pantoll Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park. If you get there early on friday (or even better Thursday afternoon), you should be able to lock down one of these first-come, first-serve campgrounds. Each of th...
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Marin County, California
5.0
3.97 mi
/ 1204 ft gain
This is definitely a worthwhile short hike, with views of the Bay Area, Marin Headlands, Golden Gate, and the San Mateo coastline. It's a 3.8 mile loop which takes you through forests of Redwoods and out to the coastline, even above the clouds on a lucky day.
The trailhead begins at the Pantoll ...
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San Francisco, California
Want to get out of the climbing gym, and do some bouldering in the city? Head to Glen Canyon park! After you park the car, take a short hike on a shade-covered path to the boulders. This climbing spot has history dating back to the 1930s when people first started scaling these boulders. This is a...
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Larkspur, California
This beautiful hike takes you around King Mountain and through the King Mountain Open Space Preserve. The first .5 miles is on an exposed gravel fire road that is fairly steep, but the loop itself slopes gently around the mountain and through the forest, providing lots of shade.
This is a an ea...
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Bootjack Campground, California
Getting permits into Muir Woods can be hard, but if you want to work for it, there's a much better way to visit the National Monument.
To do this loop into Muir Woods National Monument, first drive to the Bootjack Parking Area in Mt. Tamalpais State Park. The Bootjack Parking Area should be fou...
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Mill Valley, California
Bootjack Campground is located within California's Mount Tamalpais State Park. There are a couple of campsites within the park, but if you are driving on the Panoramic Highway from Mill Valley, this will be the first campground you pass.
The fee is $25 fee to camp, but they have bathrooms and ru...
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Mill Valley, California
5.0
6.66 mi
/ 2083 ft gain
This hike is best done in the winter and spring in order for the creeks and waterfalls to be flowing.
Park at the Bootjack Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park. Cross the road to reach the Bootjack trail. Continue on this until you reach the Alpine trail. Go right towards the Pantoll Ranger ...
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Stinson Beach, California
Although these cabins are bare bones, lacking both water and electricity, they couldn't put you in a better spot for views of the Pacific Ocean. From your cabin, you can enjoy amazing sunsets, possibly whale watching, and access to trails like the cabin's namesake, Steep Ravine Trail.
The cabins...
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Stinson Beach, California
Gain access through a private locked gate, and descend about 1 mile down to the bluff's edge. There is only parking for 1 car per site and also several cabins that can be rented.
A camp host is on site and there are bathrooms and water spigots throughout the campground. Each site has a fire ring...
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San Francisco, California
Billy Goat Hill Park is located in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco. The park has street parking at the top of the park on Beacon Street or at the base of the park on Ladley Street. Getting to the swing is only a short walk up or down the stairs that run through the middle of the park....
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Mill Valley, California
5.0
1.15 mi
/ 394 ft gain
Mt. Tam is a large park with plenty of amazing viewpoints, but the East routes and the East Peak are best for sunsets. Once you're at the top, it's an amazing spot to view a large number of Marin trails, which can help you can get a head start on planning your next adventure. At 2,570 feet, this ...
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Stinson Beach, California
Once you've seen The Egg, you'll understand where it gets its name. This giant, egg shaped boulder near Stinson Beach provides about a dozen routes ranging from 5.6-5.12c. There is no trad climbing, only top rope and sport.You'll find all the easier slab routes on the eastern face. These are perf...
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