Climbing the second-highest ridge in Marin after Mount Tamalpais takes you into a different realm. The Big Rock Trail offers an array of wildflowers, hills of intriguing shapes covered with grass and expansive views. It is easy to enjoy the up and down contours of the land and the shifting foliage from forest to chaparral to grasslands. Higher, there are no obstacles to far-reaching views, and on top we look down upon an amazing landscape in 360 degrees.
Big Rock is just yards from the divide separating the watershed draining into the San Francisco Bay to the east from the watershed to the west draining into the Pacific Ocean via Tomales Bay.
• Hike summary: The hike is out and back on a well-constructed trail with good footing and intervals between the climbs, which are sometimes steep. In general, there are surprisingly few hikers or bikers on the trail, and even on the weekends it is uncrowded.
The Big Rock Trail is surrounded by lovely greenery. (Photo by Jim Holden)
The moderate to rigorous climb to the wooden stile leading to generally open grasslands is beautiful and is approximately 1.5 miles away. The hike from the trailhead to the top of ridgeline with incredible 360-degree views is more rigorous and just shy of 4 miles one way. Dogs on leashes are allowed on the trail, and there are no facilities.
• Getting there: Take Highway 101 to the Lucas Valley exit and go west on Lucas Valley Road about 4.4 miles to Big Rock, a solitary, bulky rock standing on the right side of the road and reaching about as high as the usual telephone pole. On the other side of the road is a relatively long dirt parking area along Lucas Valley Road.
• The hike: The Big Rock trailhead is on the same side as Big Rock and just yards to the east from it. The beginning is through open fields with rises and dips that trend higher.
Almost from the beginning, we see an excellent variety of grassland wildflowers in yellows, oranges, pinks, purples and all shades in between. Blue-eyed grass will catch your eye, but it is neither blue nor a grass. It often appears in clumps with lavender to deep purple flowers of six petals with yellow centers and grass-like leaves.
After about a half mile of scattered wildflowers, you will enter a wood where the ferns reign supreme. There are a few gold back ferns, which are of interest because the golden undersides leave a powdery yellow imprint of the leaflets on any contrasting fabric. Much more widespread, particularly on the uphill side, are the elegant California maidenhair ferns with separate, small, roughly fan-shaped leaves on dark stems.
The trail through the woods is not long, and after climbing to its top, we emerge briefly into chaparral, with California sagebrush lining the lower edge of the trail. From here, we have nice views of the green hills marching south, marked and outlined by trees that are gathered in the creases, gullies and ravines on the promise of water.
It is primarily water rather than wind that has sculpted the hills into their diverse attractive shapes. With the hills and grasses stretching for miles, it seems we are gazing upon an undeveloped Marin of long ago.
The quick changes in foliage are enticing as we continue to shift between woodland and chaparral with views over the extensive grasslands. Slightly more than half an hour from the trailhead, we come to a wooden stile allowing us passage but preventing it for cattle.
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We have now entered the extensive grasslands, although there will be brief forays back into the trees as we travel the rising switchbacks. A short while after making our way through the stile, we pass a horse trough overflowing with water and soon after look down on the clustered buildings and lake of a resort and conference center owned by George Lucas on his Big Rock Ranch.
As we climb higher, the open grasslands become more dominant, and our views expand to Mt. Tam, San Francisco, the East Bay and prominences to the west. As we approach the communications towers atop Big Rock Ridge, we traverse a fire road until we come to a sign indicating Buck’s Bypass Trail to the right. We take it and continue up until we meet the signed Big Rock Ridge Fire Road, which takes us past the communication towers to the top of our climb.
At the top, we take in the extensive views all around, including from our perch, the sight of Novato and its extensive wetlands bordering the bay. Once we have lingered long enough, we return, enjoying a much easier journey down. On our way, we see flowers, gnarled trees and enthralling views we didn’t notice before.
The Big Rock Trail is singular and enchanting in its shifting topography and foliage overlooking the vast landscapes of grass that surround it. Soon the green will be transformed by the warming weather into the golden brown of summer. Consider hiking it now to celebrate spring’s vivid colors and to enjoy the beauty of Marin’s spacious open lands.
A longtime avid hiker and Marin resident, Jim Holden is the author of two nonfiction books: “It Happened in Marin” and “Adventurous Lives, Daring Acts.” He can be reached at MarinhikingJim@gmail.com