Today’s journey takes us down the Oakwood Valley Trail, which begins high above Sausalito and descends downhill into dense forest before ending at Tennessee Valley Road. This trail covers a lot of ground in a short time, and it connects to a number of other trails as part of a longer hike.
• Summary of the hike: This is a reasonably short trail, about 1.4 miles. About halfway through its course, the trail splits in two. Both end at the same place, across Tennessee Valley Road from the Rhubarb Trail and a short distance from the Tennessee Valley Trailhead. Dogs under voice control are allowed off-leash on this trail. I recommend visiting this area shortly after it’s rained, when there’s an increased chance of seeing or hearing critters during the wooded sections of the trail and the creek on the shoulder of the trail will likely be running.
• Getting there: I prefer to enter at the Rodeo Trailhead, which is accessible through Exit 444 off Highway 101, and do all my climbing in one short go. There’s a small parking lot, and you can take the stairs (about 0.7 miles) to the Alta Trail. Turn right on the Alta Trail and follow it for 0.4 miles — astonishing views of Sausalito, Mount Tamalpais and the surrounding mountains are here — until you see Oakwood Valley Trail on the left.
• The hike: The early portions of the hike are unforested and stair-heavy, descending sharply down the side of the hill. Excellent views of the surrounding landscape are available here, and you may see quail scurrying in the underbrush. Check the sky for raptors and other birds. The trail becomes shaded after about half a mile. Watch your step for millipedes and banana slugs.
There’s a bench about halfway down the trail, which you’ll probably need, near a sign informing us that the California red-legged frog lives in this territory. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see or hear them, though — they’re cryptic critters and prefer not to make too much notice of themselves. From there, a bridge spans a short ravine into one of the lushest and most wooded portions of the trail. A creek follows the trail, which can be seen glinting through the underbrush on the left shoulder.
A shaded portion of the Oakwood Valley Trail. (Photo by Daniel Bromfield)
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Then comes the choice every hiker on the Oakwood Valley Trail must make: left or right. If your fairy-tale instincts tell you to follow the trail on the left, which begins with a scenic little wood bridge and leads into even denser swamp and forest with uneven and twisty terrain, you should probably follow them. This is a far more interesting trail, and one where you’re much more likely to see critters; it eventually opens into a gorgeous clearing that offers views of the surrounding hills and hillside homes.
The trail on the right is sunnier, more open to sunlight and with more level terrain. It’s less interesting but probably less exhausting. Both wind up at a picnic area near Tennessee Valley Road, where you can rest and recuperate before continuing your journey. Walk right on Tennessee Valley Road from there — be warned, the road shoulder is narrow in some places, though it’s a lovely walk — and you’ll end up in the Tam Valley Junction area, which has some great food options including Buckeye Roadhouse, Hook Fish Co. and Junction Beer Garden along with a Walgreens and a few other shops if you need a beverage, snack or other refreshments. If you parked near Rodeo Trailhead, you can take the 150 bus from the Manzanita Park & Ride Lot to Spencer Avenue Bus Pad and walk under the overpass to return to the parking lot.
There are several ways to make this trail a longer loop. Once you finish descending the Oakwood Trail, you can go left on Tennessee Valley Road to the Marincello Trailhead, which is close to the Tennessee Valley Trailhead. Follow the Marincello Trail to the Bobcat Trail, both of which offer lovely views of the interior of the Marin Headlands. The Bobcat Trail will return you to the Alta Trail. Follow the Alta Trail back to the stairs leading to the Rodeo Trailhead parking lot.
If you want to start from the bottom and climb the Oakwood Valley Trail uphill from Tennessee Valley Road, roadside parking is available alongside the shoulder of Tennessee Valley Road. You can also park in the parking lot at Tennessee Valley Trailhead, walk up the Marincello Trail to the Bobcat and Alta trails, then descend Oakwood Valley Trail from there.