Ring Mountain Preserve

This mountain deserves nothing but 5 stars. Shame on you 1 through 4 star givers. Arguably one of the best hikes in the Bay Area.

I found Ring Mountain on AllTrails and mapped to the pinned location but was completely lost. After driving around the residential areas, my friend and I finally found an unmarked trail head.

The first part of the trail was extremely muddy (which was strange because it hadn't rained in a few days) and our shoes + my white dog were covered in mud. We decided to venture up the mountain and found the actual trail which was very pleasant.

There was no shade so definitely bring your sunscreen and sunglasses! I also found two ticks on my dog so make sure to check yourself/your dogs when you get home. The overall hike was very pleasant & fairly easy and the VIEWSSS were amazing!

Pros: VIEWS, dog friendly (on leash), not many people, easy hike

Cons: Ticks, no shade, difficult to find the actual trailhead

All in all, my friend and I both agreed we would definitely do this hike again!

Ring Mountain has sweet views of the City, Sausalito, Tiburon, Richmond Bridge, East Bay, and the Bay on a clear day. Hiking here is enjoyable, and most of the trails are easy. Dogs are welcome on leash, which is a definite plus for me.

This is a great place to bring people visiting from out of town who want good views without doing a grueling workout. I recommend doing the loop trail starting on Paradise Drive. Parking is easy to find. Be mindful of private driveways, though.

Ring Mountain is known for its biodiversity and geology. You can spot eclogite, garnet crystal, and serpentinite (which is very high in magnesium, producing serpentine soil- a soil with unusual chemistry). The landscape has many boulders, and it's not uncommon to see people bouldering. You can also find petroglyphs made by the Coastal Miwok people. In terms of wildlife, Ring Mountain is an island ecosystem. It's home to many birds (including raptors), deer, coyotes, and reptiles amongst others.

In the spring, you can see many wildflowers, including buttercups, shooting stars, milkmaids, Fremont's camas, Tiburon jewelflower (endemic to the Tiburon Peninsula and only found in serpentine grasslands), Tiburon paintbrush, and the Tiburon mariposa lily (fun fact: it's not found anywhere else on earth)! When it blooms, you can find it near the summit in the grass.

I find myself in Tiburon infrequently, but when I do visit, hiking Ring Mountain is often on my to-do list.

A nice place to hike. Beautiful view of Bay Area. Nice to get away from the busy city. A lot of rocks around the trail too.

One of my favorite trails in the bay area located in Tiburon. All trails app states Ring Mountain loop is 3.0 miles when actually it is not. If you park in the residential area by the mansions the total is 5miles RT which happened to us.

No complaints with the gorgeous views filled with scenic greenery facing both sides of San Rafael Bridge and San Francisco. Rocks located everywhere so please watch your step. There is also bouldering and rock climbing available which many people seemed to be participating of course with social distancing available.

I would totally come back to hike again.

I have been hiking as much as possible during this pandemic and one of my favorite spots is Ring Mountain. It automatically gets five stars for the views. The main trail is a gradual incline, but anyone can do it. It gets pretty muddy and slippery on the rocks after a rain. I went after a rain storm and the mud was sticky. There are some giant boulders and trees of all different shapes and sizes along the trail. At the top of the hill there is an amazing 360 view of Mt. Tam, San Quentin, the Richmond Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.

I recently found some different trails that I want to explore next time and a new trail that goes back down the hill. I used to hike on the Tiburon side which is also nice, but I prefer the Corte Madera side off Paradise since there is more to sights to enjoy.

Wonderful park. From the parking lot, it's one major path, but once at the top, there's plenty of different paths and space for social distancing. Plenty of parking available.

We were lucky and had a clear day to see the city and Richmond! Couple of large rocks where climbers are bouldering. It was pretty windy at the top, so bring a sweater or jacket.

Definitely recommend this park to others.

Ring Mountain has several trails but the most concise way is to park In Corte Madera at the base of the Phyllis Ellman Trail which is right after Westward drive. This takes you to the Loop Trail which is about 2 miles RT up the to Ring Mountain Fire Road and looping back around. Right off of Ring Mountain fire Road is Turtle rock, a Serpentine rock formation which is a great for photos, snack breaks, and congregating with friends. From here there are other trails to explore, I love taking Ring Mountain Fire Road all along the ridge down to Strawberry and back but this is a bit longer (4 miles from Turtle Rock RT) so I usually just stick with the loop

The best thing about this hike is the views! 360 views, to the North San Quentin, the East Berkley, the bay, and Oakland, to the South the city, and to the west Mt. Tam. On a clear day it's simply amazing and a great place for photos but take note the majority of the trail has no shade.

Very high payoff for relatively little effort! Park on Taylor Road, hike in, and you are almost instantly rewarded with incredible views including Tiburon, Sausalito, the whole North Bay, and Bay Bridge way in the distance. From the peak it's 360 breathtaking views, possibly the best I've ever seen in Bay Area. Dogs allowed on leash. Highly recommend!

Breathtaking views, rewarding hike once you get up to the top! My fellow Yelpers have said it all, one has to come here to see for themselves. My son and I really enjoy our hikes together, and we always bring a picnic. Being surrounded by Mother Nature is a wonderful thing. In life, the best things are free, enjoy every precious moment!

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