Stapleveldt Trail-Mt. Tam
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Pantoll Campground parking area, Mount Tamalpais State Park
Starting Point: Pantoll parking area, 6456 Panoramic Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
For online map application searches, input “Pantoll Campground Parking”
Mount Tamalpais State Park info link (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471
Muir Woods and Vicinity Trail Map (National Park Service):
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map-muwo-trail-2019-small.pdf
Mount Tamalpais brochure with map (California State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/471/files/MountTamalpaisSPFinalWebLayout110816.pdf
Distance:
The stretch of Stapleveldt Trail covered in this set of Hike Notes and gallery is 1.1 miles. Our hike was a loop connected by the 0.2 mile Ben Johnson Trail switchback section, 0.3 miles along the Dipsea Trail to connect to the TCC Trail, 0.4 miles along the TCC Trail back to the junction with Stapleveldt, and 0.6 miles on Stapleveldt to return to Pantoll, for a total of 2.6 miles, with a significant change in elevation. There are many other hike choices starting from Pantoll along Stapleveldt.
Considerations:
• Check health and safety updates for facility and trail openings and closings (such as via the link shown above).
• Mt. Tam trailheads and parking are very popular, especially on weekends. Arriving early or hiking on weekdays are good ways to avoid weekend jams.
• The Pantoll Campground parking area has toilet facilities (subject to change as noted above).
• The Pantoll Campground parking area is part of the state park system with a day pass parking fee.
• The trail signs at Pantoll include a sign pointing toward the Stapleveldt trailhead, but we had to ask a ranger to find it as the trail sign was almost back up to the road edge along the parking entrance drive.
• Stapleveldt Trail can be a little fuzzy at the start, especially where the trail melds into some of the Pantoll campsites. Hug the left side when ascending from Pantoll to keep on the trail rather than ambling off from the campsites.
• Heed trail safety and wildlife signs.
• Watch out for poison oak on any hike. Having a scrub like Technu handy is a good idea.
The trail:
My goal for this hike was to take some of Mt. Tam’s lesser traveled trails to check out the updated switchback section of the Ben Johnson Trail. Stapleveldt Trail is a good start for a Dipsea Trail hike and perhaps joining that to the Steep Ravine Trail, in addition to the hike described here.
Looking at the collection of trail signs at the Pantoll parking area, we headed in the direction the Stapleveldt arrow pointed to, but had a hard time finding a Stapleveldt trail sign. Turns out the trailhead is almost all the way back up the parking lot entrance near the road.
We were met with dripping condensation from a foggy morning, the mountain doing its work to keep the moss and ferns at the opening section of this trail a rich green. The banana slugs we saw on the trail seemed to be enjoying the moisture as well.
The opening section of the Stapleveldt Trail leads up to some of the Pantoll campsites, and it was a bit confusing finding our way onto the trail proper rather than an offshoot of a campsite. Hugging toward the left ended up helping us stay on the actual trail.
We did the 1.1 miles from Pantoll to the junction with the Ben Johnson Trail switchback, with more of the hike being downhill than uphill in this stretch. Ferns, moss, charming wooden fences, wooden footbridges, and redwood trees were highlights along the way.
There is an option to branch off to the TCC Trail rather than Stapleveldt at a turn at one of the wooden footbridges. We chose to take Stapleveldt all the way down and then take the TCC Trail on the way back.
There are some switchback turns on Stapleveldt, and a fair amount of elevation change, but compared to some Mt. Tam trails, nothing felt especially steep.
The dripping wet start to our hike soon turned into dryer trail under our feet, and blue sky and sunshine glowing from above the trees. Changing elevations is a great way to sense a variety of terrain, and the moss and fern heavy start shifted to larger redwoods as we descended.
The updated Ben Johnson Trail switchback section is where this hike description ends, with that section covered in another post. For a modest 1.1 section of trail, I found Stapleveldt to be a very enjoyable trail, even in comparison to the nearby popular Dipsea and Steep Ravine Trails. Watch for the Ben Johnson and TCC Trail posts coming soon.
Check the Hike Search by Area page under Marin County for other hikes in this area.
(Stapleveldt Trail-Mt. Tam Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Love Without Words” Insights post.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop 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. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: Pantoll Campground parking area, Mount Tamalpais State Park
Starting Point: Pantoll parking area, 6456 Panoramic Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
For online map application searches, input “Pantoll Campground Parking”
Mount Tamalpais State Park info link (CA State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471
Muir Woods and Vicinity Trail Map (National Park Service):
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map-muwo-trail-2019-small.pdf
Mount Tamalpais brochure with map (California State Parks):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/471/files/MountTamalpaisSPFinalWebLayout110816.pdf
Distance:
The stretch of Stapleveldt Trail covered in this set of Hike Notes and gallery is 1.1 miles. Our hike was a loop connected by the 0.2 mile Ben Johnson Trail switchback section, 0.3 miles along the Dipsea Trail to connect to the TCC Trail, 0.4 miles along the TCC Trail back to the junction with Stapleveldt, and 0.6 miles on Stapleveldt to return to Pantoll, for a total of 2.6 miles, with a significant change in elevation. There are many other hike choices starting from Pantoll along Stapleveldt.
Considerations:
• Check health and safety updates for facility and trail openings and closings (such as via the link shown above).
• Mt. Tam trailheads and parking are very popular, especially on weekends. Arriving early or hiking on weekdays are good ways to avoid weekend jams.
• The Pantoll Campground parking area has toilet facilities (subject to change as noted above).
• The Pantoll Campground parking area is part of the state park system with a day pass parking fee.
• The trail signs at Pantoll include a sign pointing toward the Stapleveldt trailhead, but we had to ask a ranger to find it as the trail sign was almost back up to the road edge along the parking entrance drive.
• Stapleveldt Trail can be a little fuzzy at the start, especially where the trail melds into some of the Pantoll campsites. Hug the left side when ascending from Pantoll to keep on the trail rather than ambling off from the campsites.
• Heed trail safety and wildlife signs.
• Watch out for poison oak on any hike. Having a scrub like Technu handy is a good idea.
The trail:
My goal for this hike was to take some of Mt. Tam’s lesser traveled trails to check out the updated switchback section of the Ben Johnson Trail. Stapleveldt Trail is a good start for a Dipsea Trail hike and perhaps joining that to the Steep Ravine Trail, in addition to the hike described here.
Looking at the collection of trail signs at the Pantoll parking area, we headed in the direction the Stapleveldt arrow pointed to, but had a hard time finding a Stapleveldt trail sign. Turns out the trailhead is almost all the way back up the parking lot entrance near the road.
We were met with dripping condensation from a foggy morning, the mountain doing its work to keep the moss and ferns at the opening section of this trail a rich green. The banana slugs we saw on the trail seemed to be enjoying the moisture as well.
The opening section of the Stapleveldt Trail leads up to some of the Pantoll campsites, and it was a bit confusing finding our way onto the trail proper rather than an offshoot of a campsite. Hugging toward the left ended up helping us stay on the actual trail.
We did the 1.1 miles from Pantoll to the junction with the Ben Johnson Trail switchback, with more of the hike being downhill than uphill in this stretch. Ferns, moss, charming wooden fences, wooden footbridges, and redwood trees were highlights along the way.
There is an option to branch off to the TCC Trail rather than Stapleveldt at a turn at one of the wooden footbridges. We chose to take Stapleveldt all the way down and then take the TCC Trail on the way back.
There are some switchback turns on Stapleveldt, and a fair amount of elevation change, but compared to some Mt. Tam trails, nothing felt especially steep.
The dripping wet start to our hike soon turned into dryer trail under our feet, and blue sky and sunshine glowing from above the trees. Changing elevations is a great way to sense a variety of terrain, and the moss and fern heavy start shifted to larger redwoods as we descended.
The updated Ben Johnson Trail switchback section is where this hike description ends, with that section covered in another post. For a modest 1.1 section of trail, I found Stapleveldt to be a very enjoyable trail, even in comparison to the nearby popular Dipsea and Steep Ravine Trails. Watch for the Ben Johnson and TCC Trail posts coming soon.
Check the Hike Search by Area page under Marin County for other hikes in this area.
(Stapleveldt Trail-Mt. Tam Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Love Without Words” Insights post.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop 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. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
