In brief:
3.1 mile loop traversing oak woods above the College of Marin Indian Valley
campus.
Distance, category, and difficulty:
This 3.1 mile loop hike is short, but there are several very
steep segments of trail, and so I consider it moderately easy. Total elevation
change is about 750 feet. Preserve elevation ranges from about 135 to 1000
feet. There is one flat easy trail, and a handful of trails that climb up
and down the canyons. One trail climbs to the preserve's highest spot.
Exposure:
Mix of sun and shade.
Trail traffic:
Moderate-heavy.
Trail surfaces:
Dirt fire roads and trails.
Hiking time:
1 1/2hours.
Season:
Nice in late winter for wildflowers and waterfall.
Getting there:
From US 101 in Marin County, exit Ignacio Blvd. Drive west on Ignacio Blvd.
about 2.2 miles, through the gate into the Indian Valley campus of the College
of Marin. Continue about 0.4 mile to parking lot 7, on the left side of
the road (the campus is small, so you can park and walk from elsewhere,
if need be).
GPS coordinates* for trailhead:
Latitude
38° 4'36.83"N
Longitude 122°34'52.16"W
(* based on Google Earth
data, shown as degrees, minutes, seconds)
Gas, food, and lodging:
Gas, stores, and restaurants back near 101 on Ignacio Boulevard. No camping.
Trailhead details:
Pay the $4 parking fee at one of the automated boxes. There are no maps
provided at the preserve. Bathrooms alongside the sports fields are sometimes open,
sometimes locked. Drinking water is available near the restrooms. There
must be pay phones somewhere on campus, but they are none near the trailhead.
There are no designated handicapped parking spots close to the trailhead,
and to get to the trail you must walk/roll on the street. Golden Gate Transit's
#1 bus stops at Indian Valley College. Visit the Transit
Info website for details.
Rules:
Most trails are open to hikers and equestrians only. A few trails are multi-use,
and some are signed hiking only. Dogs may be off-leash on fire roads only if kept under voice control. Leash must always be readily available.
Dogs are allowed on signed trails and must be leashed. Leash must not exceed 6 feet in length. Off-fire road and off-trail use prohibited.
Individuals accompanying dogs are required to clean up and remove pet waste. A maximum of 3 dogs per person is permitted.
No commercial dog walking permitted in this preserve. The College of Marin trailhead is open from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The Official Story:
MCOSD's
Indian Valley page
MCOSD field office (415)473-28165
Map Choices:
• Download the pdf map from the MCOSD website.
• Trails of Northeast Marin County is my favorite map (available
from Pease Press).
• Hiking Marin by Don and Kay Martin (order this book from Amazon.com) has a detailed map and brief preserve descriptions.
• Barry Spitz's Open Spaces has a good map and trail descriptions
(order this book from Amazon.com).
Go to Bay Area Hiker Home page