Miwok/Old Springs/Marincello/others GGNRSA

Above: A view of the multi-layered Bay Area ridges surrounding the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This view is from the Bobcat Trail.

And so, this week, Maria and I set off to explore further the trails within the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. I have been there a few times before, so I was anxious to explore some new trails on such a great weather day.



We started off parking at the Rodeo Beach lot, and then we walked past the lagoon and set off down the Miwok Trail (above), a fire road that winds up through the rolling hills of the park. It's a multi-use trail, used by runners, hikers, horses, and bikers. We saw plenty of bikers, a few other hikers and runners but no horses (although plenty of evidence of healthy horse digestive systems).

The trails are a mixture of fire roads and single-track-all of which are exposed with little shade. The hiker-only trails are the least crowded, it seemed, and possibly the most picturesque. They were also single-track--a nice change from the dry dusty fire roads that seemed to be biker-friendly.

Below: The Old Springs Trail offered us a much appreciated break from the dry dusty fire roads of the Miwok Trail. Here you can see an interesting wooden bridge integrated into the trail.



Below: GGNRSA trails are generally well-signed, but it's very helpful to have at least the park map with you (from the Visitor Center). I much prefer to bring the MapAdventures map series for Marin hikes, however; they're more detailed and contain mileage for each section of the trail. You can find these online or at the Visitor Centers in Point Reyes and GGNRSA.

I'm getting the hang of using maps and compasses now that I'm using them more and more on my hikes. Identifying exactly where you are on a map can really add another dimension to any hike.

Below: Some of the trails in the park are part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail--currently 330 miles long or so, but ultimately, the goal will be around 550 miles of interconnected trails. It seems like it could be a great resource for spring or fall trails.


Below: From the Old Springs Trail, we walked up the relatively steep and long Marincello Trail on way to the Alta Trail and ultimately the Rodeo Valley Trail.


Below: we lunched on a granite vista, looking down on the Gerbode Valley, on the Hawk Camp Trail.


Below: The lunch view: In the background, you can just about see the tips of the Golden Gate Bridge peeking out through the hills.


Below: the more we hiked, the more I understood how interconnected (and closely wound) the trails within the GGNRSA really are. As we walked, using the map and the views ahead and around us, we could see and identify trails we had walked earlier in the day.

It was fun to see trails that we were eventually going to walk on the far off hills. The park designers have packed many miles of trails into a relatively compact area.

This area had at some point in the past been designated for development; we're grateful the people back then had the foresight and the fortitude to protect the land for hiking today.

Below: More views of the Bay Area ridges surrounding the north-eastern part of the park. That might be Diablo in the far regions.


Stats:
Weather: stunning--cool breeze on many hills, warm sunshine, blue skies. 80's.

Driving: 90 mins or so from home.

Trails:

• Most trails are well-worn and popular, so expect some company throughout. Not crowded, however, except at the Miwok Livery/Marincello trailhead where it was packed. The crowds weren't on the Marincello trail, however, so they must have chosen other trails to walk on. Perhaps they preferred the paved trail, down to the Tennessee Beach.


• Take water--no water anywhere on the trail or at the trailheads (except for bottle water in the Visitor Center). I took my 3 liter camelback and drank most of its contents on the hike. It's a mostly exposed hot hike on fire roads, so be prepared with more water than you think you'll need.


• The trails are fairly steep in places; many are rolling. Few are flat. Most trails are exposed; take a hat and sunscreen.

Trail Stats:

Miwok to Old Springs Trail: fire road: 2.4
Old Springs Trail to Marincello trailhead: single track 1.3
Marincello to Bobcat: fire road, dry: 1.5

Bobcat to Alta: fire road, dry: 0.5
Alta to Rodeo Valley: eucalyptus trees, fire road: 0.7
Rodeo Valley to Miwok: double single track: 1.9
Miwok: fire road, dry: 1.5

Plus miscellaneous explores: 1.0
Total: 10.5 miles or so.

Below: Google Earth image of Gerbode Valley--the area within GGNRA for our hike.

More info?
Link to MapAdventures site
Link to GGNRA official site
Link to downloadable trail GGNRA Map from National Parks site