Dipsea Trail
The trail’s old race route climbs hundreds of steps, drops into Muir Woods watershed, crosses ridges, and descends toward the Pacific.
Artwork inspired by Selden Connor Gile
The trail’s old race route climbs hundreds of steps, drops into Muir Woods watershed, crosses ridges, and descends toward the Pacific. It is culturally famous and physically irregular, with many junctions and microclimates. Useful scale comes from three specifics: first race, 1905; distance, About 7.5 miles one way; and character, Steep and varied.
Decide on out-and-back, one-way shuttle, or full crossing before starting, then conserve legs for the steep return or final descent. Roots, stairs, poison oak, heat, mud, road crossings, and scarce Stinson parking make transport planning part of the hike. Close attention to Dipsea stairs, redwood canyon, and Stinson Beach turns the visit from a collection of sights into a connected argument about this place.
- First race
- 1905
- Distance
- About 7.5 miles one way
- Character
- Steep and varied
Quick guide
- Set the context
- Decide on out-and-back, one-way shuttle, or full crossing before starting, then conserve legs for the steep return or final descent.
- Do not miss
- Compare Dipsea stairs with redwood canyon, then use Stinson Beach to test what the site is trying to communicate.
Know before you go
- Set the context
- Decide on out-and-back, one-way shuttle, or full crossing before starting, then conserve legs for the steep return or final descent.
- Do not miss
- Compare Dipsea stairs with redwood canyon, then test that reading against Stinson Beach.
- Place in context
- First race: 1905; Distance: About 7.5 miles one way; Character: Steep and varied
- Plan the arrival
- For Dipsea Trail, navigate to Dipsea Trailhead, 101 E Blithedale Ave, Mill Valley, CA 94941, the reviewed public trailhead. Before hiking Dipsea Trail, recheck permits, parking capacity, road.
Good to know
Roots, stairs, poison oak, heat, mud, road crossings, and scarce Stinson parking make transport planning part of the hike.
Notice these
- Dipsea stairs
- redwood canyon
- Stinson Beach