The 2,571-foot summit of Mount Tamalpais offers panoramic views spanning from the Farallon Islands to the Sierra Nevada on clear days. The peak sits above the fog line during summer, creating a dramatic sea of clouds below. A fire lookout tower at the summit has been staffed seasonally since 1921.
Photography Guide
Best Time
golden hour
Crowds
Moderate
Shot Types
widelandscapelong-exposure
Best Seasons
summerfallspring
Practical Tips
Drive Ridgecrest Boulevard to the East Peak parking lot ($8 fee). A short steep trail leads to the summit. Summer mornings often feature fog below the peak for dramatic cloud-sea compositions.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
A moss-draped creek slips through a rocky ravine, with smooth long-exposure water flowing past boulders and under a low stone overhang. Bright green moss blankets the curved branch-like rocks, giving the winter scene a lush, shaded look. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A narrow forest creek runs through moss-covered boulders and a low rock overhang, with silky long-exposure water pooling and spilling over small falls. Bright green moss and tangled roots frame the shaded ravine, lit by soft winter light. Photo: Frank Schulenburg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Mount Tamalpais rises in silhouette at sunset above a calm bay, with the sky glowing orange and pink behind the dark ridgeline. The water in the foreground catches the last light, and a small dock with boats sits at the right edge. Photo: RobertkSo2 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Blue water fills the foreground beneath a hazy shoreline of hillside homes, trees, and a small marina, with Mount Tamalpais rising in a soft blue ridge under a clear sky. Photo: Missvain / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Mount Tamalpais rises as a dark silhouette above a thick sea of fog, with soft golden light glowing across the sky at sunset. In the foreground, tall evergreens frame the view over the bay, where small islands and distant shoreline lights peek through the mist. Photo: Originally uploaded by Nelso (Transferred by DimiTalen) / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Rolling golden hills beneath Mount Tamalpais, with small cattle grazing in the foreground and hazy mountain ridges rising into a pale, cloud-filled sky. Soft sunlight brushes the slopes and distant peak, giving the scene a warm, painterly glow. Photo: Ludmilla Welch / Wikimedia Commons / Public domainWide view across the East Bay from Mount Tamalpais, with the Richmond Chevron refinery centered in the distance, white steam or smoke rising from the industrial complex, and low hills forming a dark backdrop. Foreground trees and rooftops frame the city below under a clear blue sky. Photo: Cary Bass-Deschenes / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Visitors stand along the grassy summit of Mount Tamalpais at sunset, silhouetted against a glowing orange horizon and a vast sea of fog stretching to the edge of the frame. A thin crescent moon hangs in the pale blue sky above the cloud layer. Photo: Gorostiza / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A painted mountain valley at golden hour, with layered blue ridges rising into a pale sky streaked with pink clouds. Dark trees and grassy slopes frame a small white farmhouse in the lower left, while a shadowed stream or trail leads the eye into the center of the scene. Photo: ArtSeeker15 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Low clouds drift across the green slopes of Mount Tamalpais, with the peak rising above a pale blue gap in the sky. In the foreground, a calm body of water, trees, and a tall fire lookout tower frame the mountain view. Photo: David McElwee / Pexels
