Mount Tamalpais rises to 2,571 feet above the Pacific and offers some of the finest hiking in the Bay Area, with panoramic views extending from the Farallon Islands to the Sierra Nevada on a clear day. The mountain is crossed by more than 50 miles of trails at varying difficulty levels, from gentle walks through redwood groves to steep ridge scrambles.
The summit is accessible by car via Panoramic Highway and East Ridgecrest Boulevard, or on foot from various trailheads. On clear winter days the views are best; in summer, fog often rolls in from the Pacific and obscures the coast by afternoon. The Dipsea Trail, one of the most famous runs in California, descends from Mill Valley over the mountain to Stinson Beach. The Mountain Theater, an 8,000-seat outdoor amphitheater built from stone, hosts plays and concerts in summer.