Rhubarb to Miwok Trail Overlook, Mill Valley, CA
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location:Rhubarb Trailhead on Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley, across from Golden Gate National Recreation Area sign indicating the start of the Tennessee Valley area (also marking the Oakwood Meadow Trail start, near Oakwood Valley Trail)
Directions:From CA-1 in Mill Valley, get onto Tennessee Valley Road, and drive about a mile until you see the Tennessee Valley sign on the left. There is trailhead parking on either side of the road. Rhubarb Trail starts on the right side, where a small footbridge is visible under tree cover.
Starting Point: Parking for the Rhubarb Trail start is along the road. There is a small sign marking the Rhubarb Trail on the right side as your drive toward Tennessee Valley. On the opposite side of Tennessee Valley Road is a larger Golden Gate National Recreation Area sign indicating the start of the Tennessee Valley area. On the right side of the road, across from Tennessee Valley sign, cars are usually parked where there are trees covering an entrance over a small footbridge. That is the start of the Rhubarb Trail. Walk in and veer to the left, continuing in parallel with the Tennessee Valley Road in the direction toward Tennessee Valley.
Map links:
National Park Service Marin Headlands map:
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map_mahe_150429_508_2021.pdf
Tennessee Valley area info link (National Park Service):
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/tennessee_valley.htm
Miwok Trail overview info link (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy):
https://www.parksconservancy.org/trails/miwok-trail
Distance:
The Rhubarb Trail is about 1.5 miles, paralleling Tennessee Valley Road.
The connection to the Miwok Trail (trail sign is sometimes missing) is on the right, shortly before the junction with Tennessee Valley Trail/Road. If you get to the Tennessee Valley parking lot and bathrooms, you know you’ve missed the turn onto the Miwok Trail.
This hike stops at an overlook most of the way up the approximately 1 mile segment of the Miwok trail between the Rhubarb Trail and the next trail junction. As can be seen from a trail map, however, the Miwok Trail offers the opportunity to hike many miles.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available at the Tennessee Valley parking lot, for a stop before or after the hike from the Rhubarb Trailhead. (For a shorter hike, start the Miwok Trail from close to the parking area.)
• Parking for the Rhubarb Trail start is along the road. The sign indicating the Rhubarb Trail is small. See notes above.
• The sign on the right side of the Rhubarb Trail indicating the connection with the Miwok Trail has been missing on some of our visits. There may be a blank signpost.
• Keep an eye out or fast mountain bikers.
• As on any trail, keep an eye out for poison oak, and watch for ticks.
The trail: (Part of these hike notes appeared in an earlier post, Rhubarb Trail to Haypress Camp. See that post for more Rhubarb Trail photos.)
Cars are usually parked on the right side of the road, across from the Tennessee Valley sign. The Rhubarb Trail starts with trees covering a small footbridge. Walk in and veer to the left, continuing in parallel with the Tennessee Valley Road in the direction toward Tennessee Valley.
The Rhubarb Trail has an Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow feel to it. On overcast days, the gnarled oak trees with pale drooping moss give an atmospheric boost.
There are gentle dips and rises and some narrow stretches along the Rhubarb Trail, but no particularly steep climbing areas.
For this hike, turn right at the sign for the Miwok Trail on the right side of the trail (if the sign is attached to the post—it has been missing on some of our outings). Around this spot, there is a dip to the left which connects to the Tennessee Valley Road, right near the parking lot and toilet facilities. If you get to the parking lot, you’ve slightly overshot the connection to the Miwok Trail.
The opening stretch of this part of the Miwok Trail passes through some flat, narrow path areas with eucalyptus trees. The trail then opens up to the rolling hills typical of the Marin Headlands and Tennessee Valley, with low coyote brush and other plants surrounding the trail. There are some sharp switchback turns and stairs built into the trail as the elevation rises.
As this section of the trail plateaus a bit, wooden fencing appears at the right. A further rise in the trail leads up to more wooden fencing on the right. Keep an eye out for a not clearly marked break in the coyote brush at the left across from one of the fence areas. It will be apparent that there is a rough trail broken through the low brush. This leads to a rock outcropping.
This rocky outlook is the destination spot for the hike noted here. It’s a great place for a rest, a snack, and looking out in all directions. Hikers can view trails in the distance to plan for other hikes.
(Rhubarb to Miwok Trail Overlook Hike Notes were originally paired with the “A Matter of Perspective” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location:Rhubarb Trailhead on Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley, across from Golden Gate National Recreation Area sign indicating the start of the Tennessee Valley area (also marking the Oakwood Meadow Trail start, near Oakwood Valley Trail)
Directions:From CA-1 in Mill Valley, get onto Tennessee Valley Road, and drive about a mile until you see the Tennessee Valley sign on the left. There is trailhead parking on either side of the road. Rhubarb Trail starts on the right side, where a small footbridge is visible under tree cover.
Starting Point: Parking for the Rhubarb Trail start is along the road. There is a small sign marking the Rhubarb Trail on the right side as your drive toward Tennessee Valley. On the opposite side of Tennessee Valley Road is a larger Golden Gate National Recreation Area sign indicating the start of the Tennessee Valley area. On the right side of the road, across from Tennessee Valley sign, cars are usually parked where there are trees covering an entrance over a small footbridge. That is the start of the Rhubarb Trail. Walk in and veer to the left, continuing in parallel with the Tennessee Valley Road in the direction toward Tennessee Valley.
Map links:
National Park Service Marin Headlands map:
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map_mahe_150429_508_2021.pdf
Tennessee Valley area info link (National Park Service):
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/tennessee_valley.htm
Miwok Trail overview info link (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy):
https://www.parksconservancy.org/trails/miwok-trail
Distance:
The Rhubarb Trail is about 1.5 miles, paralleling Tennessee Valley Road.
The connection to the Miwok Trail (trail sign is sometimes missing) is on the right, shortly before the junction with Tennessee Valley Trail/Road. If you get to the Tennessee Valley parking lot and bathrooms, you know you’ve missed the turn onto the Miwok Trail.
This hike stops at an overlook most of the way up the approximately 1 mile segment of the Miwok trail between the Rhubarb Trail and the next trail junction. As can be seen from a trail map, however, the Miwok Trail offers the opportunity to hike many miles.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available at the Tennessee Valley parking lot, for a stop before or after the hike from the Rhubarb Trailhead. (For a shorter hike, start the Miwok Trail from close to the parking area.)
• Parking for the Rhubarb Trail start is along the road. The sign indicating the Rhubarb Trail is small. See notes above.
• The sign on the right side of the Rhubarb Trail indicating the connection with the Miwok Trail has been missing on some of our visits. There may be a blank signpost.
• Keep an eye out or fast mountain bikers.
• As on any trail, keep an eye out for poison oak, and watch for ticks.
The trail: (Part of these hike notes appeared in an earlier post, Rhubarb Trail to Haypress Camp. See that post for more Rhubarb Trail photos.)
Cars are usually parked on the right side of the road, across from the Tennessee Valley sign. The Rhubarb Trail starts with trees covering a small footbridge. Walk in and veer to the left, continuing in parallel with the Tennessee Valley Road in the direction toward Tennessee Valley.
The Rhubarb Trail has an Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow feel to it. On overcast days, the gnarled oak trees with pale drooping moss give an atmospheric boost.
There are gentle dips and rises and some narrow stretches along the Rhubarb Trail, but no particularly steep climbing areas.
For this hike, turn right at the sign for the Miwok Trail on the right side of the trail (if the sign is attached to the post—it has been missing on some of our outings). Around this spot, there is a dip to the left which connects to the Tennessee Valley Road, right near the parking lot and toilet facilities. If you get to the parking lot, you’ve slightly overshot the connection to the Miwok Trail.
The opening stretch of this part of the Miwok Trail passes through some flat, narrow path areas with eucalyptus trees. The trail then opens up to the rolling hills typical of the Marin Headlands and Tennessee Valley, with low coyote brush and other plants surrounding the trail. There are some sharp switchback turns and stairs built into the trail as the elevation rises.
As this section of the trail plateaus a bit, wooden fencing appears at the right. A further rise in the trail leads up to more wooden fencing on the right. Keep an eye out for a not clearly marked break in the coyote brush at the left across from one of the fence areas. It will be apparent that there is a rough trail broken through the low brush. This leads to a rock outcropping.
This rocky outlook is the destination spot for the hike noted here. It’s a great place for a rest, a snack, and looking out in all directions. Hikers can view trails in the distance to plan for other hikes.
(Rhubarb to Miwok Trail Overlook Hike Notes were originally paired with the “A Matter of Perspective” Insights post.)
Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
