Since the Mount Tamalpais area contains large expanses of undeveloped, natural land, there are many trails and trailheads that criss-cross the area.
Many of these trails are used by hikers and bikers seeking refuge from the urban landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Some of these trails, including the mountaintop or ridgetop trails, have views of the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.
Other trails, usually lower elevation valley trails, lead into natural, dense groves of mature Douglas-fir and redwood trees, clear, open grassland, and shrublands.
All roads leading to the many trailheads around Mount Tamalpais are usually open, but during fire season some of these roads may be closed due to high fire risk.

The many roads, paved and unpaved, that cross the Mount Tamalpais region are used by mountain bikers, especially on weekends.
Mount Tamalpais played a role in the birth of mountain biking many years ago.
There has been considerable controversy over trail access for mountain bikes, both in terms of environmental impact and the safety of other trail users.
As a result, bicycles have been banned from the majority of narrow, single-track trails, though bicycles are still allowed on fire roads.
The fire roads on Mt. Tam are mixed-use and they are commonly used as running, hiking, biking and horseback riding routes.

The Dipsea Race, the oldest cross-country trail running race in the U.S., is held in the area and part of the trail traverses the mountain.
Since the Mount Tamalpais area contains large expanses of undeveloped, natural land, there are many trails and trailheads that criss-cross the area. Many of these trails are used by hikers and bikers seeking refuge from the urban landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area. Some of these trails, including the mountaintop or ridgetop trails, have views of the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean. Other trails, usually lower elevation valley trails, lead into natural, dense groves of mature Douglas-fir and redwood trees, clear, open grassland, and shrublands. All roads leading to the many trailheads around Mount Tamalpais are usually open, but during fire season some of these roads may be closed due to high fire risk.
The many roads, paved and unpaved, that cross the Mount Tamalpais region are used by mountain bikers, especially on weekends. Mount Tamalpais played a role in the birth of mountain biking many years ago. There has been considerable controversy over trail access for mountain bikes, both in terms of environmental impact and the safety of other trail users. As a result, bicycles have been banned from the majority of narrow, single-track trails, though bicycles are still allowed on fire roads. The fire roads on Mt. Tam are mixed-use and they are commonly used as running, hiking, biking and horseback riding routes.
The Dipsea Race, the oldest cross-country trail running race in the U.S., is held in the area and part of the trail traverses the mountain.
Mount Tamalpais