The Dipsea trail runs from near downtown Mill Valley in Marin, California, through the Muir Woods redwood forest, up around the side of Mt Tamalpais, and then rolls downhill towards the ocean, ending at Stinson Beach.
This is a popular hiking and running trail, made famous by the Dipsea Race, one of the oldest trail races in the US. One-way, it involves around 7 miles and 2,300ft of elevation gain and loss, including hundreds of steps! Hopefully by watching this video, you’ll get a sense of what the route looks like and what sort of trails you’ll be running/hiking on when you do it for yourself!
Parking
If running the route this way round, there is ample paid parking in Mill Valley town or alternatively you may get lucky and find a free parking space near the trail head, like we did.
Water Fountains along the route
There are a couple of water fountains along the route. This is so helpful as you’ll most likely be running in the California heat. Make sure you take your own water and electrolytes though as you should never rely on public water fountains, just in case they aren’t working that day.
Top Tip
Be sure to grab yourself a burrito at The Siren Canteen when you make it to Stinson Beach, they are so delicious and you’ll get a view of the beach while eating it.
Be sure to check opening times using the link above.
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Filming Gear:
- ?: GoPro Hero Black
- Stabilizer: GoPro Karma Grip
Helen’s Gear:
- Sunski Headland Sunglasses
- Brooks Cascadia 13 Trail Running Shoes
- Trail & Kale Classic Trucker Hat (Black)
- Stance running socks
