Marin Trail Runs

This run is the rage — especially on stormy days. I can’t think of a better place in the world to tromp around on trails when the sky is puking rain and mother earth is serving everything up she has to keep you inside. Get out there folks… and get yourself to Muir Woods.

Start this run just outside of the main parking lot — especially for cheap bastards like me who refuse to pay 10 bucks for parking to play outdoors. You’ll find the Redwood Creek trail parallel to the road and eventually leading to the Muir Woods main entrance. After negotiating the parking lot and tour buses, your next challenge will be weaving in and out of tourists looking straight up to gander at the redwoods. But don’t fret, you’ll only be darting among the crowds for just over 1 mile. Why not take a look yourself? After all,, you are in a National Monument.

At the 1.3 mile marker into the run, take a left onto the Ben Johnson trail where you’ll cross a bridge. Take a few deep breaths and get ready for the climb. The elevation profile looks more menacing than the climb. Even though you gain 1,500 feet, it’s spread on an even grade for 2 miles making it, can I say, quite fun. After 30 minutes of climbing, you’ll hit the top of Ben Johnson. You’ll be near the top once you hit a series of switchback. What the heck? Turn it on for these last inclines. You’ll get plenty of recovery time on the run back home.

Make a right on the TCC trail and get ready for some major fun. This perfect trails runs for 1.5 miles, and you’ll be laughing the entire way. I promise. Once you hit Van Wyck Meadow, turn right onto Bootjack and launch down a steep path back to Muir Woods.

Bootjack can be hairball during a rainstorm, so be careful, or not if want to have some fun. I swear you can really get in trouble — lots of slick rocks and wooden stairs to slip on with a might fall waiting into the rushing creeks below. Rip it up… just don’t fall.

Bootjack funness lasts for 1.5 miles until you hit the flats of Redwood Creek trail back in Muir Woods. Once again, it’s time to negotiate the tourists, but this time you can cruise by them with a big ole smile on your face because you just conquered some serious trail running. Yeee haawwww!!!!!!!!

I started this run at the Muir Woods parking lot. The first mile winds through the core of Muir Woods on a paved path. Tourists looking skyward will be your main obstacle during this initial section. Relief from the crowds awaits once you hit the main Fern Creek trailhead. This section starts winds along a creek bed and starts to climb out of Muir Woods.

Soon, you’ll hit the Lost Creek trail. Turn right and let the torture begin. Fortunately, the torture fest is very quick (10 minutes for just over half a mile and 500 feet of vert). A majority of the climb takes place on wooden stairs — probably good training for the Dipsea steps.

Once you top out on Lost Creek, you’ll come to an intersection where you need to go right onto Ocean View Trail. This is a hoot of a trail with some screaming sections mixed in with good roots to challenge your dexterity. Don’t trip and fall right — it could be trouble. You’re in for a good mile of descending until you re-enter Muir Woods.

At this point, you’ll hit the paved path in Muir Woods and work your way out to the parking lot. This can be a fast section where you turn it on to improve on your time — just watch out for the gawkers.