Whether you head out to the coast with its picture-perfect seaside bluffs and crashing waves, or keep inland to the oak woodlands and vineyard views, the trails in Marin and Sonoma are as enchanting for canine-kind as they are for us.
From the Marin Headlands to Mount Burdell, these seven dog-friendly trails are a howling good time.
Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands.(Courtesy of @mermaidwarrior18)
Rodeo Beach, Coastal + Miwok Trail (5.2-mile loop)
It’s never not a good day for a hike in the Marin Headlands. Most—but not all—of the state park is dog friendly and this five-mile loop has everything you and your pup could ever want: beach frolicking, ocean views, and a few heart-pumping climbs. Start at Rodeo Beach and head counter-clockwise past the lagoon and into the bluffs via the Miwok Trail. Around three miles in, you’ll pick up the Coastal Trail and follow it back to the beach. The overall elevation gain isn’t too intense (1,059 feet) and you should be able to complete it in under three hours, no problem.
// 11050 Mitchell Rd. (Mill Valley), nps.gov/goga
South Beach Trail (7.1 miles out-and-back)
Want a long hike without the climbs? Check out the South Beach Trail at the Point Reyes National Seashore. The 7.1-mile out-and-back follows the stunning coastline just northeast of iconic Point Reyes Light Station from parking lot to bluff and back again. Don’t expect anything too easy, though. Yes, the trail gains only a little more than 200 feet of elevation but because it’s soft sand, not packed earth, your progress will be slower than usual. Watch out for high tides and elephant seals, who sometimes post up near the hike’s turn-around point.
// South Beach (Inverness), nps.gov/places
Cataract Falls at Mount Tam(Courtesy of @ranger_perspective)
Cataract to Mickey O’Brien Trail (6.6-mile loop)
Just because Mount Tamalpais State Park’s trails aren’t dog-friendly doesn’t mean you and your four-legger can’t hike Marin’s tallest peak. This 6.6-mile hike in the Mt. Tam Watershed meanders from meadow to forest to chaparral passing Cataract Falls along the way. Start the lollipop loop on the Cataract Trail which, shortly after it begins to curve, turns into High Marsh Trail. You and your pup will do a fair amount of up and down as you continue on to CC Boys Trail and Kent Trail (including a steep climb around the 3.5-mile mark) before arriving at the Mickey O’Brien Trail and the turn back to Cataract. Day-use parking passes are $8/car.
// 49 Sky Oaks Rd. (Fairfax), marinwater.org
Bolinas Point Loop (2.5-mile loop)
Just because a dog is less active doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a walk on Marin’s beautiful oceanfront just as much as their speedy counterparts. This trail in Bolinas is just 2.5 miles long and almost entirely flat, making it a great choice for older or differently-abled pups and humans who love a world-class view. There’s a very slight slope down to the coast and another one on the return back up, but the loop gains less than 200 feet in elevation altogether.
// Bolinas Point (Bolinas), alltrails.com
Tennessee Beach.(Courtesy of @lizziemalay)
Muir Beach to Tennessee Beach (7.8 mile loop)
If your dog’s energy seems boundless, try this 7.8-mile hike from Muir Beach to Tennessee Beach. Go clockwise from the Muir Beach Trailhead, keeping left from the Coastal Trail onto the fire road through the hills. Pick up the Coastal Trail again and continue on to Tennessee Beach for a well-deserved break for you and a splish-splash in the waves for your pup. On the way back, the trail hugs the coast. You can head down to the water again at Pirate’s Cove but take your time! The spur trail to the beach is very steep. When the hike is over, stop by the Pelican Inn at the entrance to Muir Beach for authentic English pub vibes and a dog-friendly lawn.
// 199 Pacific Way (Muir Beach), nps.gov/goga
Burdell Mountain Loop (4.5-mile loop)
You don’t have to go all the way out to the coast to find a hike both you and your pup will love in the North Bay. At Mount Burdell, Marin’s largest open space preserve, the landscape more closely resembles the oak woodlands and meadows of the East Bay and Peninsula than the rocky shorelines of the county’s western edge. The 4.5-mile loop is uphill right away along the San Carlos Fire Road (where dogs can be off leash) and on to the Cobblestone Fire Road and the summit of Burdell Mountain. Come back down clockwise along the Old Quarry Trail. There’s some interesting history along the way, including a stone wall built in the 1870s by Chinese laborers and the remnants of the quarry from which SF’s cobblestone streets were made in the 1880s—but don’t be offended if your dog isn’t interested.
// Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve (Novato), parks.marincounty.org
(Courtesy of @jacklondonpark)
Fern Lake via Mountain Trail + Vineyard Trail (5.2 miles out-and-back)
This pretty five mile hike through Jack London State Historic Park is Sonoma to the core, with vineyard views and what remains of the historic estate of the county’s best loved literary son. Leash up your pup at the Mountain Trailhead and continue, mostly downward, onto the Vineyard Trail. About 2.5 miles in, you’ll reach the quiet blue of Fern Lake. Circle the water either way you like, then return back the way you came. The day use parking fee is $10/car.
// 2400 London Ranch Rd. (Glen Ellen), jacklondonpark.com
