Nice Ring to It

Hike Ring Mountain in Marin County

Hike Ring Mountain Tiburon Peninsula Marin

When wildflower season starts to wane, don’t tell Ring Mountain. The tiny but mighty open space preserve on the Tiburon Peninsula can often exhibit a wide range of wildflowers late into the season, not to mention one of the most jaw-dropping views of the bay. Take a nice, moderate 2.5-mile hike on the Loop and Phyllis Ellman trails and be glad that its 367 acres weren’t turned into McMansions, thanks in part to the Nature Conservancy.

Starting from the trailhead on Paradise Drive, the trail dips, dives, and climbs across grassy slopes, through coast live oaks, and up to a windswept ridge where you’ll find Turtle Rock, a popular boulder for rock climbers.

Take a quick breather near the rock, or climb to its top. Either way, you’ll enjoy a great vantage, with San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, Sausalito, and the tips of the Golden Gate Bridge all in view across the bay.

Directions: From Hwy. 101 in Corte Madera, take the Paradise Dr. exit. Go east for 1.5 miles. The entrance to the park is on the right side of the road. Park on a dirt pullout along the road. At the first fork in the trail, go left onto the Loop Trail. At the second fork, go right onto the fainter (and unmarked) trail. This takes you up to Turtle Rock. From there, head west on the fire road for a short distance, then turn right onto the Phyllis Ellman Trail. This takes you back to the trailhead. For more information, directions, and a map, visit Ring Mountain’s website. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Sponsored

    Tram to Cool Treks

    Elevate your fun, getting whisked from palm trees to alpine wilderness on the world’s largest rotating tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway transports you up and away on a 2.5-mile scenic route from the desert floor to the refreshing wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

    View
  3. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  4. Woman hiking down the stairs to Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

    Secluded Royale

    Panoramic coastal views and a killer leg workout combine on this 2.7-mile (round-trip) out-and-back hike to secluded Coast Royale Beach in Orange County

    View