07/15 Tennessee Cove and back!

Come on out to walk to Tennessee Cove and back, a distance of 3.6 miles. You will be rewarded with lots of wildflowers, wildlife, and plenty of people watching, along with the beautiful Pacific Ocean at the end of the trail. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Tennessee Valley Road in Mill Valley at 6:00 PM and look for me in my pink ball cap. "Tennessee Valley meanders for approximately two miles through serene, rolling hills down to the Pacific. It was once known as Elk Valley, popular for hunting such game as elk, bear, deer, and wild coyote. Now, a wide, well-groomed trail offers an easy walk, bike, or horseback ride to the ocean. Out under the surf, off the cove¹s black beach, lies the shipwreck of the SS Tennessee, the valley's namesake. The 1.8 mile hike to Tennessee Cove begins at the trailhead parking lot, about a mile down Tennessee Valley Road. The view from the cove takes in wave-lashed rocks and the jagged edge of Marin County. Sandwiched between the bluffs on either side of the cove, lies a pocket beach. Swimming is not recommended. During low tide, it is possible to get around the southern end to reach another small, sandy beach with interesting rock formations, but beware of hazardous surf." (from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy website: http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park.asp?park=93) Be sure to bring water and wear appropriate layers of clothes and sturdy shoes. It can be windy, and there is no shade, so a hat, sunscreen, and windbreaker are advisable. The path is partly paved and partly dirt path, which can be muddy after a heavy rain. It's mostly suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, and it's fairly flat, but does get slightly hilly once the path is unpaved. Sorry, but dogs are NOT allowed on this trail. Restrooms and picnic tables are available in the parking lot, but not at trail's end at Tennessee Cove. Note: this walk will be rescheduled if the weather is foul. Please check your email for updates the day before! Map of trail: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.860486%09-122.536161&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=37.851679,-122.54056&spn=0.028668,0.059395&z=14&iwloc=addr http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.860486%09-122.536161&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=37.861912,-122.535152&spn=0.050754,0.073814&z=14&iwloc=addr Driving Directions: from Hwy 101, near Sausalito, go west on Hwy 1 for 0.4 miles, left on Tennessee Valley Rd. and go all the way to the end. Carpool with others if you can, as the lot can get very crowded on weekends.