Tennessee Valley Trailhead

Tennessee Valley Trail profile

Quick Facts

Amenities

4 listed

Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Restroom, Trailhead

With its many trails and wealth of natural beauty, Tennessee Valley is good old-fashioned fun for the whole family. Come out and enjoy the trails, by foot, horseback or bike. Sorry, but dogs are not permitted on most within Tennessee Valley, except the Coastal Trail in the section where the trail crosses the valley, connecting Rodeo Valley and Muir Beach. Dogs are permitted on the Miwok Trail headed, Northeast from the parking area. Dogs are also welcome in Oakwood Valley, which is a can be accessed from its own trailhead and parking area, a short drive back down Tennessee Valley Road.

Tennessee Valley Trail Overview
Distance: 1.75 mi (2.8 km)
Time: 1 hour
Slope: Avg 4% Max 22%
Side Slope: Avg 3% Max 11%
Width: Avg 15' Min 36"
Trail Surface: Asphalt, Compacted Natural Material

Safety

• Stay on the established trail. Keep an eye out for poison oak.
• Dress in layers and be prepared for varying weather conditions. Sunny days along the coast can turn windy, foggy, and cold very fast.

Parking
There is trailhead parking at the Tennessee Valley Trailhead, including several accessible parking spots.

Bathrooms
Accessible restrooms can be found adjacent to parking area.

Water
There is no potable water available in Tennessee Valley. Plan ahead and pack water. Avoid becoming dehydrated or experiencing heat exhaustion. Drink plenty of water and drink often, pace yourself, rest in the shade, and eat salty snacks.

Trail Etiquette
The Tennessee Valley Trail is closed to dogs. Please remain on the established trails. Off-trail travel harms plants and causes erosion.

Camping in the Valley
The Haypress (0.75 miles) and Hawk Campgrounds (2.5 miles) are accessible from this trailhead. For information about camping contact the Marin Headlands Visitor Center at [phone]. Don't expect to be able to book a site the day of your visit.

Animal Friends

Tennessee Valley is home to many animal friends. If you're a bird-lover, bring your 'binos (binoculars). Birds of a feather from predatory raptors to common swallows abound in the valley. On the ground, deer and coyotes stalk the land. Keep your eyes peeled and you may even see a bobcat.

Plant Friends

In the spring, Tennessee Valley is positively bursting with blossoms. You'll spot checker-bloom, blue-eyed grass, California buttercup and California poppy. In summer, the grasses turn golden, and by late summer you can find fennel, lizard tail, sagebrush, sticky monkey flower and blackberry bushes. In winter and early spring, rains turn the golden hills green again.

Marincello: The City That Wasn't

Marin County is famously committed to keeping its land open and undeveloped, but in the 1960s, there were plans to the contrary. When Pittsburgh land developer Thomas Frouge came out west, he saw something in the Headlands: a city for 30,000 Californians waiting to be built. Fifty apartment towers. Hundreds of homes. A shopping mall. And the cherry on top: a luxury hotel at the highest point in the Headlands.

These were the plans for Marincello, the city that wasn't. The story goes that the plans, which the county approved, were fought tooth and nail by a small cadre of Marin's citizens. After bulldozing part of the landscape and building garish gates announcing the entrance to the community, development was halted due to a legal injunction. One thing led to another and the legal troubles against Marincello multiplied. In 1972, the land was sold to the Nature Conservancy and handed over to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Locals often liken the story of Marincello to a David and Goliath tale; an example of the underdog coming out on top. Today, the site where the main boulevard to Marincello was supposed to be is nothing more than a footpath, aptly named "Marincello Trail."