Mount Tamalpais Tamalpais Mount the by Supported N O TI Rea C Re

Home , China Camp State Park, Mount Tamalpais

intermittently during the summer. the during intermittently

program, members of the San Francisco Francisco San the of members program,

poppies, lupines, Douglas irises, goldfields goldfields irises, Douglas lupines, poppies,

cabin has a small wood stove, picnic table, table, picnic stove, wood small a has cabin on weekends, and a refreshment stand open open stand refreshment a and weekends, on

and the space sciences. Following each each Following sciences. space the and

Hillsides are sprinkled with California California with sprinkled are Hillsides

primitive sites and nine rustic cabins. Each Each cabins. rustic nine and sites primitive accessible restroom, a visitor center staffed staffed center visitor a restroom, accessible

enjoy multimedia programs on astronomy astronomy on programs multimedia enjoy

alive with the vibrant colors of wildflowers. wildflowers. of colors vibrant the with alive

mile south of Stinson Beach, has seven seven has Beach, Stinson of south mile East Peak summit has picnic tables, an an tables, picnic has summit Peak East

from April through October. Families can can Families October. through April from

In spring the slopes of Mount Tam come come Tam Mount of slopes the spring In

Campground, on a marine terrace one one terrace marine a on Campground, up to 50 picnickers. picnickers. 50 to up

the Mountain Theater on Saturday evenings evenings Saturday on Theater Mountain the

fern- and redwood-filled canyons. redwood-filled and fern-

Rocky Point-Steep Ravine Environmental Environmental Ravine Point-Steep Rocky toilets. The area accommodates groups of of groups accommodates area The toilets.

Free astronomy programs take place at at place take programs astronomy Free

Douglas-fir and California laurel into deep, deep, into laurel California and Douglas-fir

first-served. has tables, stoves, drinking water and flush flush and water drinking stoves, tables, has

wildflower hike. hike. wildflower

knolls, or descend through dense stands of of stands dense through descend or knolls,

showers. Campsites are available first-come, first-come, available are Campsites showers. the Panoramic Highway northeast of Pantoll, Pantoll, of northeast Highway Panoramic the

special hikes are also scheduled, such as the the as such scheduled, also are hikes special

open grassland, chaparral and oak-covered oak-covered and chaparral grassland, open

with flush toilets are nearby. There are no no are There nearby. are toilets flush with reas— a ay-Use d Bootjack picnic area, on on area, picnic Bootjack

hikes and Wednesday Night hikes. Seasonal Seasonal hikes. Night Wednesday and hikes

be found in the park. Hikers pass through through pass Hikers park. the in found be

area. Drinking water, firewood and restrooms restrooms and firewood water, Drinking area. Gate National Recreation Area. Area. Recreation National Gate

Free guided hikes include moonlight moonlight include hikes guided Free

plant life. More than 750 plant species can can species plant 750 than More life. plant

approximately 100 yards from the parking parking the from yards 100 approximately Municipal Water District and the Golden Golden the and District Water Municipal

and merchandise. and

park support a tremendous diversity of of diversity tremendous a support park

trail system over land managed by the Marin Marin the by managed land over system trail

on the Panoramic Highway, has 16 sites sites 16 has Highway, Panoramic the on

docents. The visitor center offers displays displays offers center visitor The docents.

The varied topography and soils of the the of soils and topography varied The

trails in the park that connect to a 200-mile 200-mile a to connect that park the in trails

open all year. The Pantoll Campground, Campground, Pantoll The year. all open

programs are conducted by volunteer volunteer by conducted are programs

Association at (415) 383-1100. (415) at Association

Plant Life Plant

— iking h Hikers enjoy more than 50 miles of of miles 50 than more enjoy Hikers

Camping— Several campgrounds are are campgrounds Several

Interpretive Association, most interpretive interpretive most Association, Interpretive

information, call the Mountain Play Play Mountain the call information,

serpentine, California’s official state rock. state official California’s serpentine,

Association at (415) 383-1100. (415) at Association

Supported by the Mount Tamalpais Tamalpais Mount the by Supported N o TI rea C re

performances each season. For more more For season. each performances

tourmaline and the easily-identified green green easily-identified the and tourmaline

performances, contact the Mountain Play Play Mountain the contact performances, MS ra G Pro ve TI re P er NT I

services during the first three play play three first the during services

intertidal birds to identify. to birds intertidal

(sandstone), shale, greenstone, chert, quartz quartz chert, greenstone, shale, (sandstone),

dates and reservations of Mountain Theater Theater Mountain of reservations and dates

signed performances and descriptive descriptive and performances signed

Red-tailed Hawk Red-tailed

be made at least 48 hours in advance. in hours 48 least at made be numerous oceanic and and oceanic numerous

Common rock types here are graywacke graywacke are here types rock Common

productions of Broadway musicals. For For musicals. Broadway of productions

The Mountain Play Association offers offers Association Play Mountain The •

reservation information. Reservations must must Reservations information. reservation the coastline, there are are there coastline, the and ridges. and

theatrical company has presented outdoor outdoor presented has company theatrical

platform on the right side of the theater. theater. the of side right the on platform

Call (800) 444-7275 for campground campground for 444-7275 (800) Call the forest sounds. Along Along sounds. forest the only solid rock exposed in the highest peaks peaks highest the in exposed rock solid only

since 1913, the Mountain Play Association Association Play Mountain the 1913, since

The Mountain Theater has a wheelchair wheelchair a has Theater Mountain The •

troughs and corrals for up to 12 horses. horses. 12 to up for corrals and troughs hairy woodpeckers adds to to adds woodpeckers hairy from the earth’s crust, while erosion has left left has erosion while crust, earth’s the from

reserved for special events. Each spring spring Each events. special for reserved

are both accessible. both are

rings, drinking water, pit toilets, two horse horse two toilets, pit water, drinking rings, of pileated, acorn, and and acorn, pileated, of faults. Over time, the mountain has risen risen has mountain the time, Over faults.

Conservation Corps. The theater can be be can theater The Corps. Conservation

Cabin #1 and campsite #7 at Steep Ravine Ravine Steep at #7 campsite and #1 Cabin •

Highway 1 at Muir Beach, has tables, fire fire tables, has Beach, Muir at 1 Highway night. The hollow drilling drilling hollow The night. Andreas Fault, one of the world’s most active active most world’s the of one Fault, Andreas

natural stone in the 1930s by the Civilian Civilian the by 1930s the in stone natural

parking are available at Pantoll Station. Pantoll at available are parking Muir Woods Road about one mile north of of north mile one about Road Woods Muir and screech owls fill the the fill owls screech and

was created due to its location near the San San the near location its to due created was

Memorial Amphitheatre, was built of of built was Amphitheatre, Memorial

the beginning of this beautiful trail. beautiful this of beginning the

An accessible campsite, restroom and and restroom campsite, accessible An • Frank Valley Group Horse Camp, on on Camp, Horse Group Valley Frank horned, spotted, barn barn spotted, horned, geologists believe that Mount Tamalpais Tamalpais Mount that believe geologists

Mountain Theater, officially the Cushing Cushing the officially Theater, Mountain hikers must climb a steep ladder to return to to return to ladder steep a climb must hikers

for tents. tents. for the sounds of great great of sounds the miles of the McKennan Trail. McKennan the of miles the remnant of an extinct volcano. However, However, volcano. extinct an of remnant the

Mountain Theater— Mountain The 3,750-seat 3,750-seat The over the rocks. Alongside the cascade, cascade, the Alongside rocks. the over

have tables, barbecue grills and a large area area large a and grills barbecue tables, have grasslands by day, while while day, by grasslands Mine Trail from Pantoll Station and .25 .25 and Station Pantoll from Trail Mine Many people think the 2,571-foot peak is is peak 2,571-foot the think people Many

form a canopy above the water cascading cascading water the above canopy a form

25 to 50 people. Both sites sites Both people. 50 to 25 and turkey vultures soar over the open open the over soar vultures turkey and Geology an accessible .4-mile portion of the Old Old the of portion .4-mile accessible an

ferns along the creek’s banks. The redwoods redwoods The banks. creek’s the along ferns

be seen from the Verna Dunshee Trail near East Peak. East near Trail Dunshee Verna the from seen be

sites for organized groups of of groups organized for sites park. Red-tailed hawks, northern harriers harriers northern hawks, Red-tailed park.

Spectacular vistas may also be seen from from seen be also may vistas Spectacular •

ory IST h L ra TU a N

fragrance of damp earth and the sight of of sight the and earth damp of fragrance

Spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay area can can area Bay Francisco San the of views Spectacular

Mountain Home Inn, has two two has Inn, Home Mountain species of birds within or very near the the near very or within birds of species

fountains are nearby. nearby. are fountains

of rushing water prepares visitors for the the for visitors prepares water rushing of

Panoramic Highway near the the near Highway Panoramic Birdwatchers can view more than 150 150 than more view can Birdwatchers Area on the northwest and south. and northwest the on Area

Accessible tables, restrooms and drinking drinking and restrooms tables, Accessible

a stand of tall redwood trees. The sound sound The trees. redwood tall of stand a

Group Camp, located on the the on located Camp, Group was established. established. was and by the Golden Gate National Recreation Recreation National Gate Golden the by and

Trail at East Peak has fantastic bay views. views. bay fantastic has Peak East at Trail

leads hikers along Webb Creek through through Creek Webb along hikers leads

The Alice Eastwood Eastwood Alice The park the before ranching and hunting of Municipal Water District land on the north north the on land District Water Municipal

The accessible half-mile Verna Dunshee Dunshee Verna half-mile accessible The •

Mount Tam’s legendary Steep Ravine Trail Trail Ravine Steep legendary Tam’s Mount

recommended. wandered the land, but vanished as a result result a as vanished but land, the wandered Monument, the park is bordered by Marin Marin by bordered is park the Monument,

S re TU ea F e SSIBL e CC a

edwood Forest edwood r The

Reservations are highly highly are Reservations mountain slopes. Bears and elk once once elk and Bears slopes. mountain surrounding Muir Woods National National Woods Muir surrounding

details on events and hiking. hiking. and events on details and water faucets are nearby. nearby. are faucets water and shade of the forest. the of shade mountain lions sometimes roam the the roam sometimes lions mountain park has grown to 6,300 acres. Completely Completely acres. 6,300 to grown has park

www.mttam.net www.mttam.net Visit Visit for updates and and updates for running water. Restrooms Restrooms water. running among the plants that hide in the deep deep the in hide that plants the among coyotes, black-tailed deer, and, occasionally, occasionally, and, deer, black-tailed coyotes, units of the California State Park System, the the System, Park State California the of units

their telescopes for stargazing. for telescopes their outdoor barbecue, but no no but barbecue, outdoor adder’s tongue and Pacific trillium are are trillium Pacific and tongue adder’s Raccoons, gray foxes, squirrels, bobcats, bobcats, squirrels, foxes, gray Raccoons, Now one of the oldest and most popular popular most and oldest the of one Now

Amateur Astronomers allow visitors to use use to visitors allow Astronomers Amateur sleeping platforms and an an and platforms sleeping nimal Life nimal a and shooting stars. Spotted coralroot, fetid fetid coralroot, Spotted stars. shooting and e Park Today Park e T a T S The

Our Mission orth of San Francisco’s Golden Gate In 1770 two explorers, Captain Pedro Ridgecrest Boulevard in 1922. A gravity The mission of California State Parks is N Fages and Father Juan Crespí, named the car replica is displayed at the new Gravity he panorama from to provide for the health, inspiration and Mount Bridge, Mount Tamalpais State Park T education of the people of California by helping rises majestically from the heart of Marin mountain La Sierra de Nuestro Padre de Car Barn on East Peak. the 2,571-foot peak to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological County. Mount Tamalpais captures our San Francisco. This was later changed to the Conservation efforts diversity, protecting its most valued natural and Tamalpais attention with its sweeping hillsides cloaked Miwok word tamalpais (tam-al-pie-us), which Over the years, millions have flocked to is breathtaking. cultural resources, and creating opportunities with chaparral-covered ridges, grasslands roughly translated means “bay mountain” or the mountain, affectionately called “Mount for high-quality outdoor recreation. State Park and oak woodlands. Deep canyons filled “coast mountain.” Tam,” to relish the spectacular views and On a clear day, view the with solemn redwood groves intersect Mount Tamalpais Scenic railway hike its trails. Generations of Mount Tam these ridges and slopes to create a diverse Residents of San Francisco, whose enthusiasts have worked hard to protect the Farallon Islands out to environment for a wide array of plant and population exploded after the 1848 mountain and keep it open to the public. animal species. gold discovery, used Mount Tamalpais The oldest of these citizen groups is the The breathtaking panorama from Mount for recreational purposes. Trails were Tamalpais Conservation Club, organized sea, the Marin County Tamalpais’s 2,571-foot peak includes the developed, and a wagon road was built to in 1912. In 1928 William Kent, an ardent California State Parks supports equal access. Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the the top of the mountain in 1884. Marin County conservationist, and his wife hills, Mount Diablo, San Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who Marin County hills, San Francisco Bay and The Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway, donated 200 acres of land in Steep Ravine to need assistance should contact the park at the east bay, and Mount Diablo. completed in 1896, carried visitors to the help create Mount Tamalpais State Park. The Francisco, and the hills (415) 388-2070. This publication is available Spring and summer temperatures are scenic mountaintop and the Summit Tavern, park was later enlarged through the efforts in alternate formats by contacting: warm, with average highs in the 70s and a hotel and restaurant. The slope from Mill of several hiking clubs led by the Tamalpais 80s. Fall and winter can be cool, with and cities of the bay. CaLIForNIa STaTe ParkS Valley to the summit was so steep that Conservation Club. These organizations temperatures in the 50s; fog is common. P.o. Box 942896 the railroad had to negotiate 281 curves, orchestrated a grassroots campaign to Sacramento, Ca 94296-0001 CULTUraL hISTory equivalent to 42 complete circles, earning purchase additional state park land. it the title of “Crookedest Railroad in the For information call: (800) 777-0369. Native People (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. World.” In the section known as the “Double The Coast Miwok lived on or near Mount 711, TTY relay service Bow Knot,” the track paralleled itself five Tamalpais for thousands of years before times within 200 yards. In 1907 a gravity car www.parks.ca.gov Europeans arrived, living near water sources line was designed to transport visitors from Discover the many states of California.™ throughout present-day Marin County. the top of the mountain to the redwood- These California Indians hunted small filled canyon of Muir Woods. Requiring only tram animals and deer, collected acorns, and gravity and a brake, special open-air cars gathered flora, marsh plants and shellfish. carried passengers down the mountain to ® They made baskets and clamshell disk Muir Woods at an exhilarating 12 mph. The SaveTheredwoods.org/csp beads, trading them for locally unobtainable gravity cars allowed sightseers to travel from resources, such as high-grade obsidian from Mill Valley to the summit, down to Muir Mount Tamalpais State Park Lake County tribes. The Coast Miwok had Woods, and then back to Mill Valley. a rich culture and a complex and intricate 801 Panoramic highway The Scenic Railway’s famous gravity language. However, their way of life changed Mill valley, Ca 94941 cars were popular until the advent of soon after the arrival of Europeans. (415) 388-2070 the automobile and the construction of Gravity car on Mount Tam’s Scenic Railway, ca. 1900 © 2007 California State Parks (Rev. 2010) Printed on Recycled Paper