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.

Mount Tamalpais East Peak

Mill Valley, CA

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

Nearby Places

A wooden boardwalk curves through a lush redwood grove beside Redwood Creek, with dense green ferns and understory plants filling the foreground. Visitors walk under the tall, shadowed trees, and a small bridge crosses the creek in the background.

Parks & Wilderness

Mill Valley, CA

Muir Woods National Monument

A 554-acre park protecting one of the last remaining old-growth coast redwood forests in the Bay Area, with trees reaching over 250 feet tall and some exceeding 1,000 years in age. Redwood Creek runs through the canyon floor beneath a dense canopy. Cathedral and Bohemian Groves contain the tallest and most impressive specimens.

morningspring · winter

Sunlit green hills roll down to a neighborhood of houses tucked into the valley, with a winding road cutting through the scene. Mount Tamalpais rises in the background under a clear blue afternoon sky.

Overlooks

Mill Valley, CA

Panoramic Highway Overlook

Several pullout viewpoints along Panoramic Highway between Mill Valley and Stinson Beach offer sweeping views of the Pacific Coast and the slopes of Mount Tamalpais. The road winds through stands of Douglas fir and coastal chaparral. The viewpoints near the junction with Muir Woods Road are particularly expansive.

afternoonspring · summer

Black-and-white scene of Marines climbing through dense, tall grass on a steep hillside, one soldier reaching down to help another. Helmets, packs, and a rifle stand out against the tangled vegetation and rough ground.

Hidden Gems

Stinson Beach, CA

Steep Ravine Cabins and Beach

A collection of rustic 1930s-era cabins perched on a cliff above a secluded rocky beach along Highway 1. The area includes a steep staircase down to the shoreline where tide pools and sea stacks create dramatic foreground elements. Webb Creek flows through a nearby redwood canyon with a small waterfall.

golden hourwinter · spring