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Point Reyes National Seashore
Bear Valley Visitor's Center (415) 663-1092
Point Reyes National seashore, where the land juts out to meet the ocean, gives visitors a feeling of stepping out to the end of the earth. Seventy thousand acres of awesome wilderness and graceful beauty include rich open meadows of wild flowers and windswept hillsides, and rocky coastline with thunderous surf and hidden beaches. Over 45% of the bird species in North America have been sighted, and nearly 20% of California's flora is represented on the peninsula. Bird watching, whale watching, horseback riding, hiking, and kayaking are favorite activities for both residents and visitors.

Created in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed legislation to preserve the nation's dwindling undeveloped coast line for future generations, Point Reyes Seashore is both a natural and historic attraction for travelers from all over the world.

One hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, some of the special places to visit are the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Morgan Horse Ranch, Kule Loklo Indian Village, Point Reyes Lighthouse, Historic Pierce Point Ranch, Tule Elk Reserve, and Drakes Beach.

Muir Woods National Monument
Visitor's Center (415) 388-2596
Muir Woods National Monument, located 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the lower slopes of Mount Tamalpais, is one of the Bay Area's last uncut stands of old-growth redwood trees - some known to be 1,000 years old. Congressman William Kent donated the land to the Federal Government, insisting the parcel be named after conservationist John Muir, who called the woods "the best tree-lovers monument that could be found in all the forests of the world." John Muir also said, "Saving these woods from the axe and saw, from the money changers and water changers is in many ways the most notable service to God and man I have heard of since my forest wanderings began." Cathedral and Bohemian Grove contain the largest redwoods, the tallest is 252 feet and the thickest is nearly 14 feet across. Redwood Creek is home to seasonal trout and salmon. Opens daily at 8:00 a.m. Guided tours are available on weekends.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Information (415) 331-1422
The 73,000 acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), one of the nation's largest urban parks, works with the National Park Service to preserve wildlife and the natural beauty of this open space for future generations. The GGNRA's Marin County holdings are characterized by open terrain, small coves and large beaches, forested ridges and trails that lead to spectacular vistas. The Marin Headlands at the north shore of the Golden Gate offers one of the world's most famous views - the San Francisco skyline through the orange cables of the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of the special places to visit are the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, Point Bonita Lighthouse, Headlands Center for the Arts, Marine Mammal Center, Rodeo Beach and Lagoon, Pacific Energy Resources Center, Miwok Livery, Tennessee Valley, Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais, Muir and Stinson Beaches and the Olema Valley.

Angel Island State Park
Information (415) 435-1915
Angel Island is a hilly, grass and forest covered island, the largest in San Francisco Bay. It provides spectacular views of Marin County, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate, as well as more distant views of the entire Bay Area. In addition, it is rich in historical significance. For thousands of years, it was used by Miwok Indians as a fishing and hunting site. For almost 100 years, stretching from the Civil War to the Cold War, the island housed a variety of military installations. It also played a major role in the settlement of the West, serving as the West Coast's equivalent of Ellis Island. Today, trails and fire roads cris-cross the land, providing easy access to the entire island, including its many historic sites and breath-taking views. Angel Island can be reached by commercial ferry service from Tiburon, San Francisco, and Vallejo. Picnicking, visiting historic sites and buildings, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, sunbathing, and enjoying an audio tour on a tram ride around the Island are some of the varied opportunities available to visitors.

Mount Tamalpais State Park
Information (415) 388-2070
Mount Tamalpais (Tamal-pie-us) State Park, located in the heart of Marin County, is just north of the Golden Gate. With its dramatic combination of urban and natural scenery, the view from the 2,571' peak is among the most spectacular of its kind in the world. One can often see the Farallon Islands some 25 miles out to sea, and occasionally it is possible to look inland, across the Central Valley to the snow-crested Sierra Nevada, some 200 miles away.

The well maintained trails of "Mount Tam" are one of its greatest attractions. More than fifty miles of trails lie within the park and connect to an even larger system of trails (200 miles) on adjacent public lands. Deep canyons filled with solemn redwood groves alternate with chaparral-covered ridges, grassland, oak woodlands, and other natural environments. The park features a variety of campgrounds that are open all year (reservations required).

China Camp State Park
Information (415) 456-0766
China Camp State Park is located on the southwest shore of San Pablo Bay, just three miles from downtown San Rafael. Visitors usually stop first at the site of the old village. It is the historical center of the park and offers a variety of recreational activities. A small museum exhibit is open daily and provides information on the history of China Camp, which was one of the twenty or thirty fishing villages that once dotted the shore of San Francisco Bay. The history of the Chinese and of their culture in California are an integral part of the park. Several historic structure have been preserved and along with the museum exhibit, make it easy for visitors to imagine a way of life that has been generally forgotten in California history.

The 1,512-acre park has a variety of natural scenery and some fine trails along San Pablo Ridge that feature magnificent panoramic view of the north bay area including San Pablo Bay, the north bay counties of Napa, Solano, and Sonoma, the East Bay Hills, Mount Diablo, Angel Island, the San Francisco Peninsula, and Mount Tamalpais. Acquired by the state in 1977, China Camp State Park is one of the most undisturbed natural watersheds remaining along the shores of San Francisco Bay. Hikers, bicyclists and equestrians can travel trails along inter-tidal, salt marsh, meadow, and oak habitats, and even some small redwood groves that are home to a variety of wildlife. Camping facilities and day use picnic areas are also available.

Olompali State Historic Park
Information (415) 892-3383
Olompali State Historic Park, located 2-1/2 miles north of the City of Novato and 35 miles north of San Francisco, is a 700 acre park featuring several historic buildings, including the Camilo Ynitia Adobe, registered as a California Historical Landmark and on the National register of Historic Places. In addition to historic sites and buildings, the park offers beautiful views of the coast mountain ranges, the Petaluma River basin and San Francisco Bay.

The Coast Miwok inhabited at least one site within the area of the present-day park continuously since about 500 A.D. By 1300 A.D. it was a major Miwok trade center. Archaeologists have found tens of thousands of artifacts within the park area. Perhaps the most spectacular of these discoveries was an Elizabethan silver sixpence dated 1567, one of the earliest known artifacts representing contact between European and North American Native American cultures. Visitors enjoy hiking, picnicking, horseback riding and touring the historic grounds.

Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Information (415) 488-9897
Samuel P. Taylor state Park is located just north of San Francisco in the steep rolling hills of central Marin. The natural landscape of the 2,882-acre park includes some sharp contrasts. Along the canyon bottoms and up the north-facing slopes there are cool, shaded, fern-filled groves of coast redwoods. A wonderful variety of flowers and lush green ground covers thrive in these groves. On the canyon's dry north side is a more open grassland area where oak, tanoak, madrone and other hardwoods are the dominant trees. Black-tailed deer, raccoons, skunks, gray foxes, and a variety of other small animals are often seen, while badgers and bobcats are seen occasionally. Turkey vultures, kestrels, red tailed hawks, and other large raptors soar wild and free over the rolling countryside.

Samuel Penfield Taylor arrived in California in 1849, seeking his fortune in the gold rush. By 1852, he had acquired 6,173 pennyweight of gold dust ($5,691.99 worth) which gave him his start in California. Taylor entered the lumber business and purchased 100 acres of timberland along with what is now Papermill Creek within the present state park. However, Taylor did not go into the logging business. Instead he built a paper mill with a paper making process that utilized only scrap paper and rags gathered from San Francisco and other coastal towns. In 1874, when a narrow-gauge railroad was built through the canyon, Taylor built a resort hotel beside the new railroad, and opened Camp Taylor, one of the first areas in the United State to offer outdoor camping as a recreational pursuit. Today the park offers hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, camping and picnicking facilities, in addition to the Devil's Gulch Horse Camp.

Tomales Bay State Park
Information (415) 669-1140
Tomales Bay State Park is located on the eastern edge of the Point Reyes Peninsula, forty miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The park is a lush wilderness of forests, beaches, fields, hills, meadows, and marshes. One of the finest remaining virgin groves of Bishop pine in California is preserved in the Jepson Memorial Grove. Four gently sloping beaches on the shore of Tomales Bay are the primary recreational attraction within the park. Heart's Desire Beach features piped drinking water, a picnic area with fire places, dressing rooms, and flush toilets. Picnicking, swimming, hiking, clamming, and boating are popular activities within the park.

Parks & Open Space
(415) 499-6387

John F. McInnis Park
Information (415) 499-3646
Located one mile east of Hwy 101 on Smith Ranch Road in San Rafael, this 441 acre park contains softball fields, soccer fields, a canoe launch, tennis courts, a group picnic area, and nature trails. This park also includes the McInnis Park Golf Center boasting a 9-hole course, driving range, miniature golf, batting cages, clubhouse, pro-shop and restaurant.

Marin Open Space Preserve
Information (415) 499-6387
The more than 25 open space preserves throughout the county offer hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities, plus much more. Maps of these areas are available through the Marin County Open Space District office in San Rafael.

McNears Beach Park
Information (415) 499-7816
Located off North San Pedro Road along the shore of San Pablo Bay, the County's most popular park offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, family and group picnic sites, a sandy beach, lawn areas, snack bar, and a 500 foot long fishing pier.

Paradise Beach Park
Information (415) 499-3646
Located on Paradise drive along the east shore of the Tiburon Peninsula, this 19-acre park offers family and group picnic sites, lawn areas, a horseshoe court, sandy beach, and a fishing pier. Some boaters anchor out and row ashore to picnic.

Stafford Lake Park
Information (415) 897-0618
Situated on the shore of Stafford Lake, three miles west of Novato, this 139-acre park offers lake fishing, a nature trail, picnic areas with barbecue facilities for groups of up to 500 people, a popular children's play structure, lawn areas, a softball field, volley ball and horseshoe courts.

Civic Center Lagoon Park
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
The Marin Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, serves as a backdrop to this 20-acre informal park. The park offers picnic areas, children's play structures, and fishing: non-motorized boating is permitted in the 11-acre lagoon.

Deer Park
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
Located off Porteous Avenue in Fairfax, this 54-acre park provides picnic areas and nature trails in a natural, wooded setting.

Agate Beach
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
Located off Elm Road in Bolinas, this 6.6-acre park provides access to almost two miles of shoreline at low tide. Together with the adjacent Duxbury Reef, the site provides a rewarding opportunity to explore tidal pools filled with marine life (collecting is not permitted).

Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
This 24-acre wooded, upland preserve is located on Paradise Drive south of Paradise Beach Park. A loop trial allows visitors to enjoy a variety of native plants and animals, as well as excellent bay views from the higher elevations.

Black Point Boat Launch
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
This one-acre site contains parking and a 2-lane ramp for boat launching onto the mouth of the Petaluma River.

Miller Park Boat Launch
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
Located on Hwy 1 at Tomales Bay, 3 miles north of Marshall, this 6-acre park provides parking, a 2-lane ramp for boat launching, and excellent fishing opportunities.

Bolinas Park
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
Located on Brighton Avenue in Bolinas, this 2-acre park contains a tennis court, rest rooms and picnic tables.

White House Pool
Parks & Open Space (415) 499-6387
This 24-acre site located on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. one mile west of Point Reyes Station, provides fishing access to the mouth of Lagunitas Creek as well as the opportunity to view a variety of birds.