Weekend 2-Hour Hike: Climb a Redwood Ladder Over a Waterfall (Mt. Tam)
Pantoll Campground Parking Lot | 6456 Panoramic Hwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Free / Learn More
Here’s a great free weekend hike idea from SFGATE’s Eric Brooks.
California redwoods just hit differently in the rainy season.
Throw in gushing waterfalls, stairs that were carved out of canyon walls and a wooden ladder surrounded by moss-covered rocks, and this 4-mile hike at Mount Tamalpais State Park is the best two hours I’ve spent on the trail in a long time.
Getting There:
There are many ways to do the hike with one loop starting at Pantoll Campground parking lot at Mt. Tam (Parking is $8). Get an early start, especially on the weekends to avoid parking issues and crowds.
I decided to work my way around the loop clockwise, heeding the advice of a ranger at the campground who recommended avoiding the climb down Steep Ravine loop’s famous 14-step ladder backwards.
The short Old Mine Trail is under the canopy of cool, redwood shade, with only a small portion at the start of the Dipsea Trail providing views of the rolling hills and blue Pacific Ocean waves and then descends into the forest over patches of exposed rocks and roots on the path.
About halfway back up the mountain, the legendary ladder awaits. It’s in a fixed position over the creek and neighboring rock, so hikers do not have the option to go around it. You must climb it to continue the loop. (If ladders aren’t your thing, this isn’t your hike.)
For more hikes in the Bay Area and around California, check out SFGATE Outdoors.
- San Francisco’s easiest and prettiest hike ends at a waterfall
- This Bay Area park was at the center of California’s other gold rush
- An hour from SF, Rock City is the Bay Area’s answer to Joshua Tree
- Most drivers miss the turn to this ‘hidden’ Bay Area black sand beach
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
Cost: FREE*
