Marin gravel ride - seeking routes

[KJMUNC]

Staying in SF (Marina) for a long weekend and bringing my gravel bike. Riding the road with a buddy on Friday (Paradise loop), but looking for good recommendations of routes I can reach across the GG bridge in Marin.

Prefer dirt/gravel fire roads or maybe double track, not looking for singletrack.

Ran across the MCC route here (https://www.studiovelocycling.com/marin-loops/mcc) so that's my reference point, even though it's mixed road/dirt.

Any other options to consider or feedback on MCC?

[muz]

That's a good route, but Coastal Trail is not easy on a gravel bike, up or down. I would suggest Deer Park Fire Road instead, which is challenging enough. Lots of trails you can explore in Marin Headlands right off GG Bridge, like Bobcat, Miwok, Marincello.

[KJMUNC]

That's a good route, but Coastal Trail is not easy on a gravel bike, up or down. I would suggest Deer Park Fire Road instead, which is challenging enough. Lots of trails you can explore in Marin Headlands right off GG Bridge, like Bobcat, Miwok, Marincello.

So maybe up Old Railroad/Old Stage to connect to Coastal Fire and then Deer Park Fire Rd? That skips the loop down to Stinson beach, but I think that's all pavement anyhow (plus I've driven it before). Or I guess I could ride Hwy 1 all the way from Stinson to Muir to Frank Valley Rd. and then UP Deer Creek before coming back down Panoramic Hwy.

[warren128]

I have not ridden all of these, but I kept this link for future reference...

https://gravelmap.com/browse/california/mill-valley

I hope it is helpful for you.

[muz]

So maybe up Old Railroad/Old Stage to connect to Coastal Fire and then Deer Park Fire Rd? That skips the loop down to Stinson beach, but I think that's all pavement anyhow (plus I've driven it before). Or I guess I could ride Hwy 1 all the way from Stinson to Muir to Frank Valley Rd. and then UP Deer Creek before coming back down Panoramic Hwy.

Yes, I would take Highway 1 from Stinson Beach, then Muir Woods Road to Deer Park trail head.

Here is a tough mixed terrain 200K SFR used to host pre-pandemic: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/2073499

You can ride the first 45 miles, then take Highway 1 back to San Francisco. You can still hit some dirt on the way back if you are not already exhausted.

[weaponsgrade]

Coastal definitely cuts more towards single track. It's a beautiful trail though with big sweeping views of the Pacific and it's all downhill from Pantoll. Once you've made it to hwy 1, go south towards Muir Beach. Once you're at Muir Beach, one option is to take Diaz trail which will be on your left to Miwok and then along Coyote Ridge into Tennessee Valley. Another is to head towards the zen center and go up Green Gulch to Coyote Ridge. Green Gulch has a couple steep pitches.

[joosttx]

Staying in SF (Marina) for a long weekend and bringing my gravel bike. Riding the road with a buddy on Friday (Paradise loop), but looking for good recommendations of routes I can reach across the GG bridge in Marin.

Prefer dirt/gravel fire roads or maybe double track, not looking for singletrack.

Ran across the MCC route here (https://www.studiovelocycling.com/marin-loops/mcc) so that's my reference point, even though it's mixed road/dirt.

Any other options to consider or feedback on MCC?

How many miles and how many feet you want to climb?

[homagesilkhope]

Variations on what you and Muz and others have discussed already. FWIW - I rarely take Deer Park though understand it's been improved recently, and my rides begin and end in the Marina.

2 hours bridge - bridge on a cross bike: Through tunnel on Bunker Road to Gerbode Valley, climb Bobcat to Marincello, descend to Tenn. Valley horse stables, climb Old Springs to Miwok (single track), descend and cross over to Coastal, climb to traffic circle (mostly single-track), descend Conzelman towards bridge, take right onto the dirt at top of last left-hander and descend to Kirby Cove, turn around and climb back up about a mile to the bridge. If you want to add another climb and test your mettle, just opposite and below the traffic circle (on McCullough) is a gate to the climb to the top of Slacker Hill, primo 360* views from the top. I can just manage it in a 36 x 26, all I got.

4 hours bridge - bridge on a cross bike: descend on Alexander to Sausalito, bike path to Miller Avenue and Mill Valley Depot, climb Railroad Grade to West Point Inn, descend Old Stage to Pantoll, descend Coastal (bumpy) to HW 1 above Muir Beach, descend HW 1 to Muir Beach, Middle Green Gulch to Coyote Ridge, turn right and connect with Coastal and descend to Tenn. Valley horse stables. Then, either Marincello on the left or Old Springs on the right up to Bobcat or Miwok, descend and climb Coastal to traffic circle, descend Conzelman to bridge with option of another descent + ascent to/from Kirby Cove.

[KJMUNC]

How many miles and how many feet you want to climb?

3-4hrs, 3-4K ft is fine. I normally do my dirt rides here in LA that are 45-65mi, 3-4hrs and similar vert.

[KJMUNC]

Variations on what you and Muz and others have discussed already. FWIW - I rarely take Deer Park though understand it's been improved recently, and my rides begin and end in the Marina.

2 hours bridge - bridge on a cross bike: Through tunnel on Bunker Road to Gerbode Valley, climb Bobcat to Marincello, descend to Tenn. Valley horse stables, climb Old Springs to Miwok (single track), descend and cross over to Coastal, climb to traffic circle (mostly single-track), descend Conzelman towards bridge, take right onto the dirt at top of last left-hander and descend to Kirby Cove, turn around and climb back up about a mile to the bridge. If you want to add another climb and test your mettle, just opposite and below the traffic circle (on McCullough) is a gate to the climb to the top of Slacker Hill, primo 360* views from the top. I can just manage it in a 36 x 26, all I got.

4 hours bridge - bridge on a cross bike: descend on Alexander to Sausalito, bike path to Miller Avenue and Mill Valley Depot, climb Railroad Grade to West Point Inn, descend Old Stage to Pantoll, descend Coastal (bumpy) to HW 1 above Muir Beach, descend HW 1 to Muir Beach, Middle Green Gulch to Coyote Ridge, turn right and connect with Coastal and descend to Tenn. Valley horse stables. Then, either Marincello on the left or Old Springs on the right up to Bobcat or Miwok, descend and climb Coastal to traffic circle, descend Conzelman to bridge with option of another descent + ascent to/from Kirby Cove.

Will check map tomm but the 4hr option sounds great. I’m thinking of heading early Sunday AM, like 6:30, so should be nice and quiet.

[adamhell]

here is a freestyle route off the top of my head (this would be a big steep ride):
- cross bridge, climb up hawk hill to the roundabout, descend coastal (back of parking lot at roundabout) down to the road
- climb miwok
- descend old springs trail to the stables (tennessee valley)
- go left at the parking lot and take the road down (west)
- make a right @ coastal, climb up that and take it along the ridge then descend into muir beach
- take frank valley road thru muir beach in the direction of muir woods, then ride up deer park fire road to pantoll ranger station
- when you get to pantoll ranger station, take old stage rd. to west point inn
- continue climbing old railroad grade from west point inn up to the ridge, cross it, and descend eldridge grade (very bumpy, doable on a gravel bike if youre skilled).
- follow signs for eldridge grade all the way down the mountain, land in fairfax, head to Gestalt Haus for a beer

i dont know if i have done that exact route, but ive done all of those plenty and theyre all great. easy to bail at any point and take road home, except for certain parts (muir beach, which has a long climb out of it no matter which way you go).


another idea:
take road to mill valley, then ride up old railroad grade to west point inn, then you have a bunch of choices how to get down the mountain some of which include more riding thru headlands.

[KJMUNC]

Thanks for everyone for the suggestions and PM's on this topic. I wound up riding the Paradise loop on the road with a buddy on Friday and then riding Marin trails by myself on Sunday. It blew away all expectations!

My route was as follows....I started in the dark so it was really quiet until I got back near the bridge on the return leg: Marina across the bridge and through Sausalito up to Mill Valley on Blithedale, then took Old Railroad Grade (which was a little bumpier than I expected, but not terrible) to Cable Car. I made the decision to bail out down to Panoramic as I was concerned about the length of the route and my timing getting back to the city (plans with family at 11am), which ultimately was a good choice. Took Panoramic Hwy down to the 1 and then jumped on the Miwok Trail, which was great until that kicker going south on Coyote Ridge that I just couldn't get up in my 34x34 and had to walk for 50yds (while a guy passed me on his e-MTB :mad:)....but that was quickly forgotten as from there all the way down Coastal Fire Road and into Tennessee Valley was one of my most blissful descents I've ever had (and I passed the e-bike going down hill :bike:)

From there I took Marincello, which was a bit of a brutal uphill slog, until I connected with Bobcat Trail, which again was just a great descent down to Rodeo Valley. As I picked up the Rodeo Valley Trail and headed back east I could see the upper ramps of McCullough, which was a little disheartening, so I just put my head down and kept cranking. I was fortunate to latch on to the back of small group going up McCullough so that helped me pace and gave me some targets. The ride back down and across the bridge after that ride was pretty easy.

I'll definitely be back and love the accessibility of that area....very similar to Malibu here in LA, but more trails, less traffic, and way more diverse terrain (not just desert mountain trails).

Total was 39.4mi and 3740ft, so it was a nice chunk of work to start the day.