Mt. Tamalpais State Park - Marin County, California - State/Provincial Parks on Waymarking.com

The panarama from the 2,571 foot peak includes the Farallon Islands 25 miles out to sea, the Marin County hills, the San Francisco Bay, the hills and cities of the East Bay and Mount Diablo. This 6,300 acre park is one of the oldest and most popular in the California State Park System. The park completely surround Muir Woods National Monument and borders the Golden Gate National Recreational Area on the south and northwest.

Geologists believe Mt. Tamalpais was created due to its location near the San Andreas Fault, having risen from the earth's crust.

More than 750 species of plants can be found in the park. There are dense stands of Douglas fir, California laurel, ferns and Redwoods. In the Spring Mt. Tam's hillsides are brightened by California poppies, lupines, irises, goldfields, and shooting stars.

The slopes are populated by raccoons, gray foxes, squirrels, bobcats, coyotes, black-tailed deer and an occasional mountain lion. Birdwatchers can find more than 150 species of birds in or near the park. Red-tailed hawks, northern harriers and turkey vultures can be seen soaring during the day, while at night great horned, spotted barn and screech owls occupy the night.

Hikers can enjoy more than 50 miles of trails within the park that connect to 200 miles of trails managed by the Golden Gate Recreation Area. There are picnic areas for day use and several campgrounds that are open all year round. The park even offers AT&T Wi-Fi Service for a fee.

Park Type: Day use Activities: Hiking Trails Bicycling Trails Picnicking Camping Park Fees: Not listed Background: The Coast Miwok Indians lived on or near Mount Tamalpais for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. They hunted small animals and deer and made baskets and disk beads from clamshells. In 1770, Captain Pedro Fages and Father Juan Crespi named the mountain La Sierra de Nuestro Padre de San Francisco. This was later changed to the Miwok word tamalpais, which translates roughly to "bay mountain" or "coast mountain". When San Francisco's population exploded after the 1848 gold discovery, residents used Mt. Tamalpais for recreational purposes. Trails were developed and, and a wagon road was built to the top of the mountain in 1884. In 1896 the Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway carried visitors to the mountaintop. In 1907 a gravity car line was designed to transport visitors to the mountaintop, requiring only gravity and a brake. Open-air cars carried visitors at an exciting 12 mph. The gravity cars remained popular until the advent of automobiles and the construction of Ridgecrest Boulevard in 1922. Date Established?: around 1928 Link to Park: [Web Link] Additional Entrance Points: Not Listed

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