The New Year would not be complete without a hike to beautiful Mt. Tamalpais. The air is brisk, the fog is clear, the sun is shining, and the trail is deserted. Leaving early gets you clear freeways, quiet serenity, and an abundance of wildlife. The trail begins with a steep drop, the wind is fierce and this early the trail is mostly in shade. The hike is an up and back 7-mile hike on Bolinas Ridge Trail and the hike starts where Willow Camp Fire Road crosses it. You can find a map on the parks.gov page.
As the trail levels off I can see the beautiful Pacific Ocean and in the distance Devils Teeth know as the Farallone Islands. Finally out of the shaded area I make my way to the rolling hills that face away from the ocean and in the distance a coyote sunning himself. Thoughts of wildlife losing their space make me sad as a view of the coyote gets closer, he seems playful and happy. I give him space to make his way towards the forested area on the left. I feel relaxed and lay down on the side of the trail soaking in the sun when I notice a tick resting on my pant leg and quickly jump up and continue on the trail through the rolling hills. Up ahead in the distance on the trail is another coyote, he looks intimidating and is a lot larger than the playful coyote I saw 15 minutes earlier. I stop looking and don’t engage in eye contact and walk slower so the coyote doesn’t feel threatened. The coyote finally makes his way to towards a hole in the ground off the trail and I continue on the trail. Check out the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website on Keeping Coyotes Wild.
The trail makes its way through some redwoods closer to the Recreational Area, the trail ends at the road this is the turning around point as you make your way back Hang Glider Site #3. In total the hike is approximately 7 miles, 3.5 in and back.
