Big Rock Ridge does not dominate the landscape like Marin County's most famous and visible mountain. While Mount Tamalpais, the county's highest peak, is conspicuous for miles around (even from surrounding counties), Big Rock Ridge blends into the neighboring rolling hills. Simply part of a gorgeous bay area tableau, if you don't know where to look for Big Rock Ridge, you won't find it. This said, it's somewhat of a surprise to learn that Big Rock Ridge is the second highest peak in Marin County (if you count three-peaked Mount Tam as one mountain). The summit, elevation 1887 feet, is on private property, but the highest public peak (1640 feet) can be reached via the steep Luiz Fire Road at Lucas Valley Open Space Preserve. The eastern part of the ridge is owned by Marinwood Community Services District, and when you connect their land with MCOSD's Lucas Valley, Loma Verde, Ignacio Valley, and Pacheco Valle Open Space Preserves, you have a publicly-accessible landmass of over 3,000 acres. Despite the acreage, there are few official trails, and only a handful of fire roads, most of them quite steep. With residential neighborhoods squeezed around the base of the ridge, parking is often a difficult proposition, and any loop hikes require some time spent pounding the pavement of Novato and Marinwood's suburban sidewalks and/or bike paths.
     At the end of Marinwood's Queenstone Road, Big Cat Fire Road (also called Queenstone Fire Road on some maps) rises through Big Rock Ridge's southeastern section. This trailhead offers no facilities, but is easy to find and boasts some side of street parking. Other than the previously mentioned trailheads at Lucas Valley and Pacheco Valle, you can explore the ridge from the north via Loma Verde and Ignacio Valley Open Space Preserves, at tiny trailheads on Pebble Beach Drive, Posada del Sol, Via Escondido, Winged Foot Drive, and Burning Tree Drive. Use Barry Spitz's Open Spaces and a detailed road map to find these trailheads if you're not familiar with the area. Note that the preserves border private property, so this is not a good location to go off trail.
     Virtually every hike entails a stint on Chicken Shack Fire Road, the main trail along the ridge. If you'd like a grand tour of Big Rock Ridge, you can walk on a bike path, sidewalk, and then fire roads for a challenging 7 mile loop. Start at the Clay Court Trailhead and walk south on a bike path that parallels 101. After about 1.2 miles, the path ends at Miller Creek Road near Las Gallinas Avenue. Walk west on Miller Creek Road about .7 mile to Queenstone Road, on the right. Turn right and at the end of the one-block dead-end street, begin hiking uphill on Queenstone Fire Road. Once you've climbed to the crest at about 1400 feet, Chicken Shack Fire Road escorts you northeast, eventually ending back at the trailhead. Make sure you bring plenty of water if you choose this route.
     Big Rock Ridge's expansive views are largely wasted in the hot hazy summer season, when you'll sweat mightily traversing the steep fire roads. On clear days in late winter and spring, there are opportunities to gaze across the bay at Mount Diablo and hunt for wildflowers. Regardless of when you visit, Big Rock Ridge, although popular with mountain bikers, is not heavily used, so it's a nice place to hike when you want some solitude (especially on weekdays).
     For the featured hike, start at the Clay Court/Chicken Shack trailhead. Just to the left (but on the same side of the street) of the paved and gated fire road, a paved path heads south. Begin walking on the path, which runs along, at a slight distance, from Alameda del Prado. Coast live oaks and California bays provide partial shade. The path drops down to the street, and becomes a standard sidewalk, meandering through a quiet neighborhood. At 0.49 mile, a thin but sturdy path departs to the right, marked by a generic Pacheco Valle MCOSD sign. Ignore this trail and continue along Alameda del Prado to a gated but generally signed fire road at 0.63 mile (just before a "watch out for deer sign"). Turn right onto Little Cat (sometimes called Little Cay) Fire Road and start climbing. (Option: to extend this hike, continue on Alameda del Prado another 0.3 mile, to Curlew Way. Turn right and look for Ponti Fire Road on the right. Ascend on Ponti Fire Road, and at the crest, turn right on Chicken Shack Fire Road. Continue on Chicken Shack back to the trailhead. This will add a little over 2 miles to your hike, and a lot more elevation.)
     Coast live oaks, California bays, valley and black oaks provide partial shade on this wide multi-use trail. Little Cat's initial grade is very harsh, and although the entire trail is steep, there are a few easier stretches and even a short flat bit. As you climb up an arm of the mountain, there are sweeping views of Big Rock Ridge's backbone, the main ridge. A water tank sits on the left side of the trail. Neighborhood noise abates. At 1.12 miles, Little Cat Fire Road ends at a (somewhat) signed junction. Chicken Shack Fire Road is identified as Big Rock on an old metal sign. Turn right on Chicken Shack Fire Road.
     As the broad fire road, open to hikers, equestrians, and cyclists descends a bit, look to the left for a rough trail and opening in the fenceline. Acres of forested hillside give way to the flatlands of Novato and then the slopes of Mount Burdell. Chicken Shack Fire Road follows just below the contour of the ridgeline, with small blips in elevation. Madrone, oaks, and California bay provide moderate cover, but there's plenty of grassland where you can stop for a lunchtime picnic. This is a quiet section of the preserve, where there are quite a few casual paths and deer trails running near the fire road. At 1.70 miles, unsigned Via Escondido Fire Road departs to the left. Remain on Chicken Shack Fire Road, keeping to the right.
      Chicken Shack Fire Road turns south. Look back over your shoulder for long views to Big Rock Ridge. On a clear day you should be able to see the forested eastern section and the more open grassland portion to the west. Views to the south include San Pedro Mountain and Mount Tamalpais. A sandy trail surface retains footprints of previous human and canine visitors, as well as the deer, bobcat, and coyote that call this ridge home. After a short flat stretch, the trail begins to descend. The water tank on Little Cat Fire Road is visible to the right. Some poison oak, coyote brush, and monkeyflower accompany a tree community comprised mostly of evergreen and deciduous oaks, with madrone, California bay, and a few buckeyes making an appearance as you head downhill. Turning a corner to the east, you'll run smack into a wall of traffic noise from 101. The trail turns to pavement at an open space gate, and you'll pass a water tank fitted with a tennis court top to the right (private property). Keep alert for vehicles as you make your way down the paved trail, which ends back at Alameda del Prado.

Total distance: 2.70 miles
Last hiked: Wednesday, July 18, 2001

Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page

	Web www.bahiker.com