The Spectacular Tennessee Valley Trail

Tennessee Valley Trail in Mill Valley is probably the most popular hiking spot in all of Marin, but when you take the time out to visit it the reasons for this popularity become readily apparent. The popularity of this place can be a bit of a problem, and on weekends and nice weekdays it's common to have to park in the street quite a distance from the parking lot, which fills up fast. Your best bet is to visit during the week.

Tennessee Valley Trail, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is a perfect trail for families, and can be easily navigated using a jogging or offroad stroller. Part of the trail is in fact paved and is wheelchair accessible. Tennessee Valley Trail is also quit popular with bikers and equestrians. Miwok Livery Stables is actually located on-site, so expect to see horses pretty often. The hike is about 4 miles round trip. Offering amazing scenery, the trail winds through the coastal hills all the way to the spectacular beach at Tennessee Cove, where you can relax and let the kids run around and play in the sand. Like many beaches in Northern California, this one's a bit too rough for safe swimming. Tennessee Valley is named not for the state, but for the steamer S.S. Tennessee, which ran aground and wrecked here in 1853. When conditions are right (low tide), you can apparently see the steam engine of the unfortunate Tennessee, although we've never managed to sight it on any of our trips out there.

If nature and wildlife are more your thing, expect to see deer, hawks, and other common denizens of Marin's open space areas. We've also seen bobcats out there, as well as great horned owls, which can be spotted in the trees along the trail as the sun goes down. A few years ago there was a sighting of an alleged mountain lion in the area, although we nor anyone we know nor even the ranger we chatted with shortly after the sighting was reported had ever seen one or known anyone who had.

Getting There

Tennessee Valley is very easy to get to: take the Highway 1 exit off of US 101, and then turn left onto Tennessee Valley Road. Follow Tennessee Valley Road to the parking lot at the trailhead, that is, if you can find a spot.

For more information, directions, and downloadable trail maps, visit the Golden Gate National Recreation Area website: www.nps.gov/goga.

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