The Mill Valley/Sausalito Multiuse Pathway is a convenient connection between neighborhoods, schools, shopping, restaurants, and both a skate and dog park. The trail is paved with a few wooden bridges over marshlands and inlets. There is also a gravel shoulder that is used by equestrians.
Overall, the trail gets a good mix of cyclists, walkers, joggers and skaters, so brush up on the rules of the trail before you begin. You can also access the trail by way of the ferry in Sausalito, making it possible to connect with other opportunities in San Francisco and Marin County. You could even rent a bike in San Francisco and take the ferry to Sausalito. This can make for a great day of exploring the region.
Although the trail is rather short, it and the nearby shoreline and art galleries are all worth exploring. The best feature of the trail is its views of the bay, where it passes through a scenic wetland marsh. You will see many species of birds here, including the marsh wren, brown pelican and maybe even a raptor, if you are lucky. Be sure to enjoy the houseboats of Sausalito when you cruise by. Parking is available at many of the adjoining business areas and at Sycamore Avenue. The trailhead has a public restroom.
The trail connects to the short Charles F. McGlashan Pathway at Coyote Creek, allowing trail users to enjoy pleasant views of the adjacent waterway. Most of the Mill Valley/Sausalito Multiuse Pathway is also a component of the San Francisco Bay Trail, and you will see signs advertising the trail as such. The system is a colossal effort to create a 500-mile multiuse trail encircling its namesake bay.
To reach the parking at Sycamore Avenue, take US 101 and exit at East Blithedale Avenue. Take East Blithedale Avenue west to Camino Alto and turn left (south). Take Camino Alto to Sycamore Avenue and turn left (east). Parking is available at the end of the road.
The section we tried wasn't fine enough for our preference.
Very loud from the freeway next door and fast traffic from speeding cyclists, not the best for small kids.
This trail provides the only bicycle and pedestrian connection between Sausalito and the rest of Marin County. So this trail gets lots of cyclists of all speeds.
The trail passes through some tidal mudflats and wetlands. Lots of birding opportunities. Continuing North the trail passes through parks of Mill Valley.
The trail deadends north of Vasco Ct; If you are continuing to Corte Madera, there are two routes over the hill. The easiest route is Horsehill trail along the west side of US 101. Follow the signs to Lomita Dr east. The more difficult route is Camino Alto. This route seems to be more popular with speed cyclists even though it is a higher pass, on a narrow road with no shoulders. I suggest printing a detailed map of this part of the city so you get to Camino Alto without backtracking.
This is a very popular trail with pedestrians. The pavement is a bit rough and it is wide out in the open, so would be hot on a sunny day in the summer. I was happy to do this trail, but wouldn't go out of my way to do it again.
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