MTB Trail: Miwok Trail – Tennessee Valley to the Marin Headlands

Posted on September 6, 2015 by weliketobike

If you are up for a challenge, the Miwok Trail adds a degree of difficulty to your ride with its technical climb out of the Tennessee Valley back towards the Marin Headlands. With its horse trail stairs and deep ruts, this is no trail for beginners. Conquering this trail gives you appreciation for your front shock and builds your climbing prowess.

Distance: 5.75 miles (9.3 km)

Elevation Gain: 1068 feet (325 meters)

Difficulty: This trail has a technical assent with stairs and a fast descent back toward the Marin Headlands. This is definitely an intermediate ride.

Starting at the Tennessee Valley parking lot, walk your bike through the Miwok Stables until you see the trail on the right next to the manure pit.

This is the beginning of the Old Springs Trail.

The Old Springs Trial has a series of stairs and bends as you climb the 1.3 miles to the Miwok Trail.

This trail can get technical in spots where the dirt gets larger rocks and the pitch increases.

Continue to follow the Miwok Trail as it continues to roll over the wooden bridges before turing onto the Miwok Trail.

At the top of Old Springs Trail, make a right onto the Miwok Trial and start the descent.

The descent is fast, so check your brakes and stay in control. Watch out for the deep ruts and hikers on the descent as well.

As the descent flattens out, watch for a turn to the left to return to the Bobcat trail and the Marin Headlands. The left turn is 2.75 miles from the start. If you make the left, watch for a quick right just after a set of stairs. Follow this trail for a few hundred feet to the bridge and make a right, then a left on the other side of the bridge to return to Bunker Road.

Or…

If you miss the turn (like I did on this particular run), continue straight on the Miwok Trail and you will end up in a parking lot along Bunker Road.

Make a left on Bunker Road and follow it to the entrance to the Coastal Trail on your right, the same trail you came down on our Bobcat Trail route.

Follow the Coastal Trail as it climbs its way back to the roundabout in the Marin Headlands.

Go through the gate and start up the trail.

As you experienced on the way down, this trail narrows in places and has loose rock in others.

Continue winding your way back up the trail and through the narrow single-track.

At the top of the climb, you’ll be back at the parking lot next to the roundabout and will be able to see the familiar red paint on the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.

While challenging, the Miwok Trail is rewarding not only for the views, but also the sense of accomplishment once you realized what your mountain bike and you can do! Enjoy and stay safe.

MTB Trail: Bobcat Trail – Marin Headlands to Tennessee Valley

Posted on July 31, 2015 by weliketobike

Mountain biking was invented in Marin County and there are numerous trails you can ride as you get deeper into Marin County. However, if you live in San Francisco, don’t have a car, or just don’t want to drive your bike to the trail, then there are a few trails just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge that you can ride to from the City. The first of these is the Bobcat Trail. This is a beautiful, but steep route which takes you up and down the Marin Headlands and then winds its way to Tennessee Valley.

Distance: 6.3 miles (10.1 km)

Elevation Gain: 943 feet (287 m)

Difficulty: The loose terrain and ruts in the single track portion of the ride is a bit difficult, but the remainder, while steep, is wide and smooth. This is a good ride for intermediate cyclists.

Starting at the roundabout on Conzelman Road, about halfway up the Marin Headlands route, head past the restroom and to the dirt trail. Follow the trail as it winds down the back of the headlands to Bunker Road.

Make a left at Bunker Road and follow it a few hundred feet to the next dirt trail which heads toward a parking lot on along Bunker Road.

Continue following the trail and make a right to cross over the bridge.

After the bridge, make a left at the intersection to continue on the trial.

The trail merges with the Bobcat Trail at a tight intersection, watch for oncoming bikers and hikers as you turn right onto the Bobcat Trail.

Follow the Bobcat Trail as it winds its way up and over the hills for the next two miles to the next trail intersection.

Continue along Bobcat Trail to the left down the deep descent.

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Continue climbing until the Bobcat Trail turns into the Marincello Trial and continue toward the right as the trail crests.

After the crest of the hill, check your brakes, take the fork to the right and get ready to descend then next 1.5 miles to the Tennessee Valley trailhead parking lot.

Where this route ends, your next choice begins. You can either head back to Sausalito via Tennessee Valley Road and the Marin Crossroads. Option 2 is to ride the Tennessee Valley trail to Tennessee Beach or the Coastal Trail. The final option is to ride back to the Marin Headlands via the Miwock Trail after walking your bike past the stables. Stay tuned to for future installments and trails.

MTB Trail: West Point Inn to East Peak, Mt. Tam, Part 2

Posted on May 1, 2015 by weliketobike

Reaching the peak of Mt. Tam is an achievement for any biker, road or mountain. The second part of the ride from West Point Inn to East Peak is relatively tame, but worth the additional time for the wonderful views and sense of accomplishment.

Length: 1.7 miles (2.7 km)

Elevation Gain: 534 ft (163 m)

Difficulty: The second part of the climb is very tame with an optional steep grade at the entrace to the parking lot at the East Peak.

At the West Point Inn you will encouter the interstection with Old Stage Road. Old Stage Road is the trail that will take you back to the ranger station at the intersection of Panoramic Highway and Pan Toll Road as seen in the road bike trail …

From the West Point Inn, continue climbing and go toward the right past the interstection with Old Stage Road.

The climbing continues for just under two miles.

The trail ends at the “saddle” of Mt. Tam. The “saddle” is the dip between the Middle Peak and East Peak.

The top of the trail is marked by a gate.

Past the gate is East Ridgecrest Drive. From the gate, make a right and onto the road. Follow the road another hundred feet and your big decision of the day presents itself. There is a bike and pedestrian walking path on your right and the road to the parking lot straight ahead and the entrance to Eldridge Grade Trail to your left.

Eldridge Grade Trial will take you down the backside of Mt. Tam toward Ross and Fairfax. Following East Ridgecrest you will encounter a short, 18% climb leads directly to the parking lot and panoramic views all around. Taking the path winds you below the parking lot directly to the picnic table and bathrooms. It’s a much easier way to reach the top and just a quarter mile long.

To your left, just past the picnic benches is a short path that leads you up to the parking lot, which have sweeping views of the Bay Area. At this point you’ve reached one of the pinnacle climbs in the Bay Area.

Enjoy the view and get ready for the 8.5 mile descent just ahead of you.

MTB Trail: Old Railroad Grade – Mill Valley to West Point Inn, Mt. Tam, Part 1

Posted on April 1, 2015 by weliketobike

Mount Tamalpias (aka Mt. Tam) is the highest peak in Marin County and can be seen from all around San Francisco Bay. Making it to the top on your road bike is a feet as you conquer stage after stage of steep, leg-busting climbs.

However, on a mountain bike the climb to the top is a bit more gentle. It still includes a significant and lengthy climb, but the trail was carved by using the old railroad bed from “The Crookedest Railroad in the World” which took passengers and timber to and from the top of Mt. Tam from 1896 to 1930.

This first part of the trail takes you to the West Point Inn, a stop that has been open since 1904.

The total route is 8.25 miles long with gradients ranging from 4%-7%, and an average grade of 5%. While the significant uphill section is long and winding, the downhill is also steep and fast as the original trail was meant for a gravity train.

Length: 6.51 miles (11 km)

Elevation Gain: 1,704 feet (519 m)

Difficulty: The major challenge to this route is the constant climbing along with some rocky ground. While the pitch doesn’t go above 7%, breaks may be necessary just to keep you moving. This trail is not for beginners, but it can be conquered by mountain bikers with some pretty minimal experience.

Route

This route starts in downtown Mill Valley at the intersection of Throckmorton and Miller Avenue.

You’ll recognize this intersection from our route, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. This time, make a right on to Throckmorton and then another right onto Corte Madera Avenue.

Next, make a left on to West Blithedale Ave.

Follow West Blithedale for the next mile to Old Railroad Grade.

Make sure to make a left to follow West Blithedale at the intersection with Woodline Road.

Continue along West Blithedale for another half mile.

You’ll see the path entrance on your right through a gate.

Cross over the bridge just past the gate.

The climbing starts now. If you’re lucky, you’ll have the opportunity to see mountain biking pioneer and legend Gary Fisher as he swoops past you.

Continue climbing through the wooded fire road as it climbs higher and higher.

The tree cover will open as you continue climbing. Watch for the sweeping views.

You’ll then encounter a gate with a bench and then Fern Canyon Road, which is a public road open to cars. Keep right and continue climbing.

Another mile or so along Fern Canyon Road and you’ll be back on the trail after going through the gate.

A short way down the path you will wind around a couple of 180 degree turns and pass Gravity Car Road. These are the start the next twisting climbs.

The Gravity Car Road leads back to Panoramic Highway right at the Mountain Home Inn. If you’re done climbing for the day, this is a good bail out option.

If you are ready to continue climbing, make a right where the trail intersects with the Gravity Car Road to continue climbing as Old Railroad Grade twists and winds around the mountain.

The climbing will continue for another mile or two until you reach the West Point Inn.

This is a great place to stop, use the “facilities” and take a well-deserved break.

We’ll pick up from here to take you the rest of the way to the top of Mt. Tam in the next installment. Stay tuned and have a great ride!

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Category Archives: Trails

MTB Trail: Miwok Trail – Tennessee Valley to the Marin Headlands

MTB Trail: Bobcat Trail – Marin Headlands to Tennessee Valley

MTB Trail: West Point Inn to East Peak, Mt. Tam, Part 2

MTB Trail: Old Railroad Grade – Mill Valley to West Point Inn, Mt. Tam, Part 1