An awesome hike through green rolling hills with panoramic valley views culminating in a quiet beach. There are unnamed trails on either side of the cove that climb quickly for gorgeous views of the coastline.

Location: Marin Headlands

» Official Trail Map: Good map showing various trails.

To Tennessee Cove (5.5 miles): From Tennessee Valley parking lot, follow Marincello Trail (1.5 miles) → right on Miwok Trail (0.9 + 0.3 miles — called Miwok Trail on the map but Bobcat Trail at the actual junction) → right on Wolf Ridge Trail (0.7 miles) → right on Coastal Trail (1.2 miles) → left on Tennessee Valley Trail (0.9 miles) to reach the southern end of Tennessee Cove.

To Tennessee Valley Parking Lot (3.9 miles): From Tennessee Cove, you may follow a steep unnamed trail (0.6 miles round-trip) in the southern section of the cove. The trail looked well maintained in June 2012 and the views were spectacular but beware: it is pretty steep at some points. After returning to the beach (Tennessee Cove), follow a well maintained steep trail to Tennessee Cove Overlook (0.3 miles). The views from the overlook are impressive. Then you may follow an unmarked trail that goes north (0.8 miles) along the coastline. This trail is steep in some parts but the views are rewarding. It connects with Coastal Trail where Coastal Fire Road intersects it. Then follow Coastal Fire Road (0.7 miles) → right on Fox Trail (1.1 miles) → left on Tennessee Valley Trail (0.4 miles) to return to the parking lot.

Location: along Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941 . No street address. Parking area is visible in Google Maps if you zoom in sufficiently.

Directions: From San Francisco, go along Highway 101 North. After 3.7 beyond Golden Gate Bridge, take exit 445B to merge onto CA-1 North. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto Tennessee Valley Road. Drive for 1.6 miles to reach a cul-de-sac with plenty of parking space.

Google Maps:

Parking Fees: None (last visited: June 2012)

Capacity: Dozens of cars may be parked here. Still, the lot is quite full during peak hours on weekends.

Latitude: 37.860718     Longitude: -122.536064