Completed: July 22, 2023 | Elevation: 1,187′ | Trail: Pilot Knob Trail | Distance: 1.5 miles
We had just completed the hike to Pine Mountain in the blazing afternoon sun. It was only 3:30 P.M., a couple of hours before we needed to meet my friend in Sausalito. The original plan was to combine the hike to Pine Mountain with one to nearby Pilot Knob, also a Nifty Ninety peak, but I was questioning the wisdom of that idea. In the end, we decided to suck it up. It was too hard to to pass up the opportunity to strike off another nearby peak from our list. We knew it was a short hike; we only hoped it would be shady.
Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the parking lot near Lake Lagunitas, a well-developed area with picnic tables and restrooms.
At the far end of the lot, near the picnic grove, we followed Lakeview Fire Road, which veered to the left up the hill. A short section was out in the open but soon we found ourselves in the shade of the forest, a mix of oak and manzanita. I breathed a sigh of relief.
We followed the fire road for about 0.2 miles before turning left onto Pilot Knob Trail. About a half-mile into the hike, we reached the turn-off to the summit. It was a gradual climb with some steps at the end that led to the top. Other than a big oak tree, the summit was exposed.
We could see Lake Lagunitas down below and a sliver of Bon Tempe Lake in the distance. As we headed back down the trail, glimpses of the Richmond Bridge and Mt. Diablo could be seen through the treetops.
Forty minutes later, we were back at the car. It had turned out to be a nice hike, despite the heat. We were so grateful for the shade. What a difference trees make!
Follow our progress bagging the Bay Area’s Nifty Ninety here.
Coda
This part of the Mt. Tam Watershed was new for us. We usually hike closer to Mt. Tam itself. I wasn’t even aware that these lakes existed! This is definitely an area to come back to and explore further.
Additional Info
- Parking is $8.00 and there are tickets machines to the right of the kiosk, located shortly after you turn off Bolinas-Fairfax Road onto Sky Oaks Road.
- There are no ticket machines in the Lake Laguintas parking lot