Ring Mountain Preserve

A mountain like nowhere else in the world

Rangers Recommend

On a clear day, enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the entire Bay Area.
The 385-acre preserve is famous for its geology. Rocks on the slopes display mineral amphibolite, eclogite, and tiny garnet crystal. Higher elevations hold serpentine. Turtle Rock, a massive boulder, sits between the mountain’s crests.
Hike Phyllis Ellman Loop Trail (1.76 miles) for a nature journey through oak woodland, wildflower strewn grasslands, and seasonal creeks.
At the end of Taylor Fire Road, find remnants of a Cold War military installation.
Dogs welcome, but must be leashed at all times.

Naturalist Notes

Ring Mountain has exceptional biological diversity and ecological value, including at least nine endemic and other sensitive and protected plant species.
The Tiburon mariposa lily, found nowhere else on earth, typically blooms in May.
The diverse array of geology is unique to this mountain.
Wildflowers abound in spring, including milkmaids, Fremont's camas, buttercups, and shooting stars.
A variety of raptors circle the mountainsides.
Keep an eye out for rock wrens – this is one of the few places in Marin where the birds can be seen all year.
Expand your knowledge of this special place. Become a Ring Mountain Wildflower Docent.
Check out the iNaturalist field guide [External]. Add your own observations.

Activities

Bike

Dogs On Leash

Hike

Horseback Riding

Know Before You Go

Bikes and horses are welcome on fire roads, but not permitted on trails.
Hikers stay on roads and trails to preserve sensitive ecosystems, and to avoid trespassing on private property.
Be courteous and safety conscious when sharing roads and trails. Go slow and say hello [External].
Dress appropriately for the weather. Trails can be muddy during rainy season.
Bring water.
There are no restrooms at this location.
Steer clear of poison oak.
After an outing, check for ticks.

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A Special Collaboration

The Nature Conservancy purchased Ring Mountain in the early 1980s, managing it as a nature preserve until 1995 when it conveyed the property to Marin County to be preserved as public land.
The Nature Conservancy continues to hold a conservation easement over Ring Mountain, and has maintained an ongoing involvement in supporting Ring Mountain conservation values, including donor-funded initiatives.
The Nature Conservancy currently funds the Ring Mountain Stewardship and Habitat Restoration programs via a grant from the J. Lowell Groves bequest. This work includes annual bio-monitoring and special projects related to rare native plants.
For more information about Ring Mountain stewardship, contact Coordinator Amanda Magallanes: 415-473-5058.

There are several access points to the trails on this preserve

Directions

North access: from Hwy 101 in Corte Madera, take the exit for Tamalpais Dr east. Go straight onto San Clemente, which merges into Paradise Dr after 0.4 miles. Follow Paradise Dr approximately 1 mile (go past Westward Dr). The gate is on the right.

South access: from Hwy 101 in Mill Valley, take the exit for East Blithedale Ave. Go east on Tiburon Blvd and turn left at Reed Ranch Rd. MCOSD gate is at the end.

East access: from Hwy 101 in Corte Madera, take the exit for Tamalpais Dr east. Go straight onto San Clemente, which merges into Paradise Dr after 0.4 miles. Follow Paradise Dr approximately 1.7 miles, turn right onto Taylor Rd, and follow to end (dead end).

Parking

Street parking only. Please be respectful of local residents. Do not block streets, gates, or driveways.

Public Transit

You can also dial 511 to find out about transit options from your location.

Map

Enter your location

37.91

-122.501

All visitors must respect rules to keep the preserves safe and sustainable.

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ALL VISITORS

No smoking or fires.
Weapons and hunting prohibited.
Motorized vehicles prohibited. (Individuals with qualified disabilities may operate certain kinds of zero-emission mobility devices on some roads,multiuse trails, and certain other facilities.)
Everyone must yield the right-of-way to horses. Bikes must also yield to pedestrians.
No model airplanes, drones, or other self-propelled crafts.
Dispose of waste properly. Pack it out.
Permit required for commercial use and groups of more than 15 people.
All resources are protected. Do not follow, approach, or feed wildlife.
No commercial filming or photography is allowed at Ring Mountain Preserve.

DOGS

Dogs must be leashed at all times. Leash must not exceed 6 feet in length.
Dogs are allowed on signed fire roads and trails only. Off-fire road and off-trail use prohibited.
Individuals accompanying dogs are required to clean up and remove pet waste.
A maximum of 3 dogs per person allowed. No commercial dog walking is permitted in this preserve.

BIKES

Permitted on signed fire roads and trails designated for multiuse and hikers/bikes.
Off-fire road and off-trail use prohibited.
Speed limit is 15 mph or less. Must slow to 5 mph when passing others or around blind turns.
Electric bicycles are not permitted.

HORSES

Permitted on signed fire roads and trails designated for multiuse and hikers/horses.
Off-fire road and off-trail use prohibited except when watering or resting the horse.

In an emergency, call 911. To report an incident or suspicious activity, call the Ranger Field Office at 415-473-2816 or submit an Incident Report.

Visitors are responsible for knowing and obeying all Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) regulations. Citations will be issued for violations. Read the official regulations: Marin County Municipal Code Appendix A.

Call 415-473-6387 for more information regarding allowable types and use of mobility devices for people with qualified disabilities.

The MCOSD is a special district pursuant to the California Public Resources Code. Marin County Parks oversees the management of the county parks system and provides public information on behalf of the MCOSD.

p> The MCOSD is a special district pursuant to the California Public Resources Code. Marin County Parks oversees the management of the county parks system and provides public information on behalf of the MCOSD.

A mountain like nowhere else in the world

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PAST AND PRESENT

The rolling grasslands of Ring Mountain, and the broader region, are the ancestral home of the Coast Miwok, who are indelibly connected to this place both past and present. Since 1981, Ring Mountain has been protected as a public open space with one of the most sensitive ecological and culturally significant landscapes in Marin, and it is a place that has witnessed many changes.

MOUNTAIN WITHOUT A NAME

The colonization of present-day California by the Spanish in the 1700s set off a cascade of impacts. These impacts were felt by all who lived there, but also on the land itself. What would become Ring Mountain was cultivated in a European style that introduced cattle and horse grazing, along with many weedy non-native plants, into its pristine grassland. Landownership shifted to the Reed family in 1834, but the hilltop became associated with George E. Ring. Ring owned nearby land and was a County supervisor at the turn of the 19th century when this collection of rocky hills started to be called "Ring Mountain".

MYSTERIOUS RED ROCKS

Ring Mountain was spared from development, except for a cold-war military installation in the 1950s. The eastern peak was to make way for anti-aircraft guns and buildings. One little-known clue to this history is the presence of radiolarian chert, a type of red rock imported in a gravel form from the Marin Headlands for this installation. Like stumps of old fences, the military left these out-of-place rocks behind when they decommissioned this installation in the 1960s.

RARE GEOLOGY

Early on, Ring Mountain was recognized for its unique geology. In 1890, a new mineral, named lawsonite, was identified here. Prominent geologist Salem Rice later wrote, "Most of the rare and unusual rock types at Ring Mountain have been found… at other localities. However, it appears that the diverse assortment of such rocks at Ring Mountain is unique and not known to occur elsewhere." Ring Mountain is dotted with boulders of blueschist and a variety of metamorphic rocks (including serpentinite). Turtle rock is an example of one of these boulders, which has inclusions of other rocks and minerals, like mica, that can make the surface of the rock sparkle on a sunny day.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

During the mid-1960s, Reed family descendants moved cattle and horses off Ring Mountain, and sold over 400 acres to a developer. The prospect of development triggered a lengthy, multi-year effort to rally support for preserving Ring Mountain.

DISCOVERY OF THE TIBURON MARIPOSA LILY

In 1972, Dr. Robert West found an unusual flower high on Ring Mountain that had previously escaped botanists’ detection. This plant was the Tiburon mariposa lily, a rare plant that grows nowhere else and became a symbol of Ring Mountain and its biodiversity. In addition to the Tiburon mariposa lily and six other rare plants, there are at least an additional 337 plant species, 45 bird species, 50 lichen species, and hundreds of insect species that call Ring Mountain home. This high diversity is due to the preserve’s serpentine soils and grassland ecosystems.

PHYLLIS ELLMAN

Before moving to Tiburon with her husband George in 1958, Phyllis Ellman served in the U.S. Army, achieved an advanced degree in chemistry, and worked as a biochemist. As a member of the Marin chapter of the Native Plant Society, she became known as "Mother Botany" for her extensive knowledge of Marin wildflowers. Ellman led the campaign to save Ring Mountain place from development. Today's most popular trail at Ring Mountain bears her name in recognition of her contribution to the preserve.

NATURE CONSERVANCY ACQUISITION

The Nature Conservancy purchased Ring Mountain in three separate transactions – 1981, 75 acres; 1982, 40 acres; 1984, 270 acres – and managed the property as a nature preserve. In 1995, The Nature Conservancy conveyed the title of Ring Mountain to Marin County, while continuing to hold a conservation easement over the property. The conservation easement requires that the Preserve be used for scientific and educational purposes and be managed as a natural area.

NATURE CONSERVANCY AND MARIN COUNTY CONTINUING COLLABORATION

Over the years, The Nature Conservancy has continued to support Ring Mountain in many ways. Since 2011, The Nature Conservancy has made funds from a bequest by Mr. J. Lowell Groves available for Ring Mountain conservation, via an ongoing grant. This currently funds the Ring Mountain Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Program. The program is designed to be efficient, and outcome-oriented, to serve as a flagship conservation site and management template for Marin County, and maintain long-term continuity in the efforts to preserve Ring Mountain.