Step into Tiburon
Have you vowed to up your daily step count? Committed to explore more? Just want to get out of the house for an afternoon? Tiburon’s got you covered. Lace up your sneakers and step into Tiburon’s walkable side. Here are two fantastic local jaunts to get you started.
Old Rail Trail
The Old Rail Trail, often referred to as the Tiburon Bike Path, skirts Richardson Bay, connecting Blackie's Pasture (look for the life-size bronze sculpture of a swaybacked horse) to downtown Tiburon. It’s a favorite among locals, and can easily be done in a morning or late afternoon. The walk is flat and paved, making it popular for pushing strollers, dog walkers, and little legs, especially on sunny weekends. Along the way, you’ll find a playground as well as McKegney Green, a waterfront grass field ideal for running, tossing a Frisbee, or playing catch. You’ll also see a few plaques with historical photographs depicting Tiburon’s rich railroad history. Learn more about it at the Tiburon Railroad & Ferry Museum located a short stroll from downtown and the ferry landing. What never disappoints are the peeks at Tiburon’s picturesque hillside homes, and the across-the-water views to Sausalito, the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, and Mount Tamalpais.
The walk is 2.6 miles, one way, and there are some benches for resting but not a ton of shade, so bring along the SPF and water. Bikes also use this path so be mindful.
Angel Island State Park
For a getaway that’s not too far away, Angel Island can’t be beat. At 740 acres, Angel Island is the second-largest island in the San Francisco Bay and is easily accessible from downtown Tiburon, via a 10-minute jaunt on the Angel Island -Tiburon Ferry with Captain Maggie. Once on terra firma, there are has 12 miles of hiking trails that invite you to explore California history, while taking in some of the Bay Area’s best views.
The Angel Island Perimeter Loop is by far the most popular walk on, and thus the most trafficked, so getting there early is a plus. The 5.5-mile paved trail offers panoramic views of the entire San Francisco Bay, and will take a few hours. But please do stop along the way, not only to snap photos of the unparalleled views (tag us #hellotiburon), but also visit some of the remarkable sites along the way, including the Immigration Station, the West Coast’s version of Ellis Island, which operated from 1910-1940. The Perimeter Loop also passes Fort Reynolds, a military base on the western edge of the island, built in 1863.There’s a row of historic buildings and a little beach with views of Tiburon and the Golden Gate Bridge. This trail has some ups and downs, and, like all the trails on the island, requires a steep climb out of Ayala Cove to reach the starting point.
Angel Islands highest point is Mount Livermore, at 788 feet, and named for Caroline Livermore, a conservationist who led the campaign to create Angel Island State Park. Thank you, Caroline! To reach the summit (Hint: it’s a great spot for a picnic lunch), get to the Perimeter Loop, then follow signs to the North Ridge Trail then the Sunset Trail toward Mount Livermore. Once there, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world, with views stretching over the city and bay, and beyond.
Whichever path you choose, reward yourself with a well-deserved break in downtown Tiburon.