Mount Burdell from San Andreas Drive
5.5 miles     1100 ft
6 May 2010
Summary

Great fitness hike with panoramic valley views.

Location: Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve

Elevation Profile
Trip Planning

Trail Maps

» Official Trail Map for Mt Burdell: Good map showing various trails. Mt Burdell is adjacent to Olompali. This map shows trails in both parks.

Route

Trailhead: Park entrance on San Andreas Drive.

To Mount Burdell (2.2 miles, ~ 1100 ft climb) Walk along Big Tank Fire Road, then Michako Trail for 0.87 miles. Turn left on San Carlos Fire Road (0.33 miles). Turn left on Old Quarry Trail (0.97 miles) — this trail is quite steep and stony and takes you all the way to Mt Burdell. Continue another 0.1 mile beyond the intersection with Burdell Mountain Fire Road to get great views of the other side of the mountain.

To San Andreas Drive (3.3 miles, ~ 1100 ft drop) Return by Cobblestone Fire Road (0.64 miles) → Deer Camp Fire Road (1.52 miles) to reach a junction with Middle Burdell Fire Road. Continue along Deer Camp Fire Road, then San Andreas Fire Road to reach the park entrance. The return journey is gently graded, there are no steep sections.

Notes: You may reverse the loop to go uphill along gentle grade and negotiate the steep downhill portion along Old Quarry Trail on the way back. For a shorter 4.4-mile round-trip hike, you may return by Old Quarry Trail. For a longer 6.6-mile round-trip hike with gentle slope throughout, you may climb along Deer Camp Fire Rd and Cobblestone Fire Rd and return by the same route.

Trailhead

Location: along San Andreas Drive, Novato, CA 94945 . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Directions: From US-101 North, take exit 463 for Atherton Ave toward San Marin Drive, turn left onto Atherton Ave, then continue onto San Marin Drive. In 2.1 miles, turn right onto San Andreas Drive. In 0.6 miles, there is a trailhead for Mount Burdell. Street parking.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: May 2010)

Capacity: Street parking for tens of cars along San Andreas Drive.

Latitude: 38.129966     Longitude: -122.604273

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