Blithedale Canyon Loop Hike (2/2) Preview

This week we head to the the eastern side of Southern Marin near Mill Valley.

Here's Wendy's description of the hike:  "A loop with great views of Mt. Tamalpais! Early wildflowers and probably a 9 fern day!" (Click here to read a re-cap of our 2010 hike.  View the online album of photos taken on past hikes on these trails).

Directions to trailhead: Take East Blithedale exit from Highway 101. Where you cross Throckmorton it becomes West Blithedale. Go 0.9 miles and look for parking at Marsh Drive and West Blithedale on both the left and the right sides of the street.

Click here for a MapQuest map that shows the parking area near the trailhead. Click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.

Time: 30 minutes from the College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 9:10 a.m.

 No restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast:  As of Tuesday, January 26th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was a chance of showers, partly sunny, with a high near 54. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "B1 Blithedale Ridge - Corte Madera Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area we will be hiking in although our route may differ slightly from the one they set out for their hike. (This area is also shown on the maps of the Marin County Open Space District's Baltimore Canyon Preserve and Blithedale Summit Preserve).

Here's the route we will follow.

Here's the hike profile.

This Google Earth image shows Marsh Drive and West Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley where we'll meet to start our hike. We'll head up to the ridge at the top of the picture (which looks east over Corte Madera and Larkspur to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge), hike along it, then double back to our starting point. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).