Bolinas Ridge Trail

Bolinas Ridge Trail is an 11-mile one-way, multi-use route in the Olema/Point Reyes area that runs from the Sir Francis Drake Boulevard trailhead in Olema to its southern terminus on Fairfax-Bolinas Road near Mount Tamalpais. It’s commonly hiked as a shuttle or broken into connecting-route day hikes because the full distance is out-and-back. Dogs are allowed on the trail, but must be leashed.

Expect changing tread and land cover: the northern end moves through grasslands with open sightlines, then the route crosses into Douglas fir/coast redwood forest edges, continues mostly along/near woodland for a long middle stretch, and later drops into more exposed chaparral terrain on the ridge before reaching the final miles near the southern trailhead parking area.

The northernmost section passes through open areas and ramps up gradually in elevation, with the trail intersecting Jewell Trail 1.4 miles from the northern trailhead; Jewell Trail heads east and downhill toward Lagunitas Creek and Cross Marin Trail. As you proceed south from that junction, the route transitions from open grasslands into forest-edge travel and stays mostly outside the densest canopy for a long stretch.

Midway through the route, Shafter Grade descends to the east about 5.1 miles from the northern trailhead and connects with Cross Marin Trail at the Samuel P. Taylor State Park southeast boundary—useful for loop planning. Further south, Randall Trail descends west to Highway 1, and McCurdy Trail continues that pattern to Highway 1, giving multiple “shortcut/loop” options with the ridgeline itself.

In the late-ridge terrain, the trail includes longer dry/exposed stretches dominated by chaparral and then returns to redwood forest for the final approach to the southern terminus, where shade is limited except for the last short segment and the small parking area.

Plan around seasonal and surface realities of a ranch/fire-road style trail: it’s a current ranch/fire road shared with biking and horses, with sections that can be muddy or rutted after rain and periods of heavy traffic. The northern segments travel through active cattle pasture areas, so give livestock room when passing and keep your dog controlled around potential aggressive mother cows.

More information: Visitor information, Bolinas Ridge Trail, Bolinas Ridge