Tennessee Valley Trailhead

Fabulous walk to Muir Beach! The fog was wafting in through the hills below. The walk was majestic and moderate in degree of difficulty. Highly recommend. The views speak for themselves. Trail is also well marked.

It was lovely out there. Did the trail in flip flops and PJs, and it's very much doable. Takes about an hour round trip, plus spend some time by the dark sand beach. I dipped my feet in the water, but was afraid of the powerful rip currents. So wade at your own risk. Windy just like every Pacific coast. Would definitely recommend walking barefoot on the beach, as the texture of the loose gravely sand is like no other I've experienced. Feels therapeutic.

Also, spotted a baby bobcat on the trail!

The Tennessee Valley Trailhead leads to Tennessee Cove and is known for its relatively easy hike, beautiful scenery, and the rewarding view of the ocean at the end. Perfect for hikers of all levels, it's a fantastic spot for those looking to experience the beauty of nature without committing to a strenuous journey. Ideal for mountain biking, bird-watching, and even horseback riding, it offers a bit of everything. Dogs are welcome on select trails, but you'll see them on most trails anyway, often off-leash.

Easy trail, 3.6 miles there and back. Trail is without much elevation change and filled with wildflowers. But the best part is the overlook if you want to challenge yourself to a steep hike once you get to the beach. On the right side is a staircase and safe climb but on the left side is where the best view is.

Beautiful jumping off point to Marin Headlands hikes, loops that take you through rolling hills to Muir Beach and back.

Amazing views of the Pacific and downtown San Francisco. On a recent weekend, not too crowded. Download the AllTrails apps for easy to navigate maps.

Great place for a quick hike. Nice beach, ocean view to relax at once you're at the destination. Easy and family friendly.

Easy, flat hike out to beach and back. Lots of parking, bathrooms. Shady loop back through the trees. Chaos on the weekends. Parking mostly roadside longer walk into trailhead. Can also do a longer hike, very steep up and above the beach. North and south connections all along the coast.

A great place to take an easy stroll to the beach, a nice run, or an extended hike. There are plenty of trails nearby for biking as well. There is a nearby livery also if you are into horses. The trails are a network that takes you to Tennessee beach and other trails throughout the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Most of the trails are exposed with little or no canopy. I would suggest a hat and sunscreen for protection. There are plenty of beautiful flowers along the path that are worth stopping to admire. The people are very friendly and I always receive a hello when saying hi.

The trail that leads up from Tennessee beach to connect south east to other trails is very steep and with loose dirt and rocks. I would suggest good hiking shoes if you plan to explore further south. Most of the other trails have a wide and moderate elevation which makes for potentially good biking.

The beach itself was fairly secluded since it was almost 2 miles from any parking. Enjoy the peace and serenity of the Ocean as a reward for the hike.

Great hike for the entire family! You arrive at the Tennessee Valley Beach at the end of the trail. It's about 1.5 to 2 miles long. On the trail, it actually splits into a 'lower Tennessee Valley trail' where there's less slopes. However, both trails will lead you the same direction. There are bathrooms both at the start of the hike (where there is a parking lot - no cost) and next to the beach.

Amazing! Wild life is allover, from snakes, coyotes to birds. The views are incredible. There are bathrooms, smell bit but "clean". I went by myself but I don't recomended it, because there is a lot of people and coyotes. But if you an independent woman like me, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Parking was hard to find and I got there around 830am. Bring water, snacks, and dress in layers. Make sure you take your garbage with you. Enjoy and have fun!

Really nice place to hike. Its about a 1.8 mile hike from the parking lot to the beach. It's flat for the most part, and the trail splits off into two sections. One of the paths is easier to walk on but disallows the use of bikes while on it. The beach itself is really cool, it doesn't get too packed and has some really nice scenery.

Beautiful landscape. Leads directly to the beautiful Pacific Ocean. This is a nice flat hike good if you don’t want anything too strenuous. Lots of beautiful greenery stretching over about 1.8 miles to the beach and a total of 3.6 miles by the tule you come back to the trailhead. Can be quite cold even in the summer so make sure you bring a layer.

Tennessee Valley Trail is the perfect, go to, four mile walk from the parking lot to the beach. It can be cold, but once the sun hits the trail you will warm up. I have seen deer, coyotes and lots of beautiful birds on this walk. The sands at the beach shift during the winter. The cliffs lining the beach are magnificent. This trail is also the gateway to many other trails. Happy walking!

Kicked off a gorgeous 9km loop here. If you go on a sunny day you’ll get amazing views on all 360 degrees the whole way. Good for an easy hike or a moderate trail run. Recommend to take the short path off the main trail down to Pirate Cove.

PARKING:
There is a lot with a lot of spaces right at the start of the trail. I went on a Wednesday afternoon and there were plenty of spaces. I can't comment on the weekends though.

THE HIKE:
This is an easy trail, and leads to a small beach a little over a mile away. It was pretty overcast the whole hike, but that is Bay Area weather for you. It was still very nice and a good short hike. There are side trails that take you to an overlook where a military bunker is, so that is interesting to see, plus it provides good views of the beach and the ocean. I'm sure if it was clear it would be an even more amazing view. The beach did have a decomposing beached whale, which apparently came ashore on 5/18/18 according to signs posted. It was very interesting to see the remaining bones.

I was here on 5/30/20.
Parking lot was closed and bathrooms closed.
I had parked my car at Rodeo Avenue.
It was over 11 miles round trip for me, I was hiking from the mountain down to the ocean and come back, it was about 2,200 ft gain,
it is the most spectacular view of the mountains, incredible view ocean and indeed of the city.
I had everything in this hike.
I was able to see Oakland Bay, Tiburon, GGB, SF bay... and a lot more...
At Tennessee beach I was climbed up 800 ft to vista point.
It is the most amazing relaxing view I haven’t never seen, since not many people up there.
I will come back here again for HILL 88.
Happy hike everyone,

Tennessee valley trail is a cool hike to enjoy nature and dip your toes in the ocean all at the same time. This trail is about 1.75 miles one way to the beach but is absolutely worth it. Beach lovers would love the views and variety of beach sections and the rocks around. Small stones, smaller stones, coarse sand and fine sand closer to water. What a beautiful place to enjoy the day. At low tide, you can explore the spaces behind the huge rocks.
There is a pond near the beach where you can spot some ducks/geese.
Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
There are two paths to the beach. One is to climb the hill. The other is Lower Spur trail but the trail is open seasonally. There are winter closures and some closures when the pond water is too high.
Once you start the hike, after about half a mile, you will see a fork. The left side trail is the flat trail. The right hand side one that has the wooden fence goes up and reaches the beach too and has great views.
Follow the Lower Spur trail if you don't want to climb. This trail is flat and easy. We saw some parents bringing strollers on this trail. But at the end of the trail, the way is steep and rough, so you should be able to lift the stroller and carry it down.
Vault toilets are available at the parking lot and the end of the trail close to the beach.
Parking lot is undergoing some renovations and is open partially on weekends. It gets full very quickly on weekends. You may have to park somewhere further down the road and walk up to the trailhead. So, add this to your trail length too.
There are trails here that lead to Rodeo beach too. It is about a 3-mile hike.

#tennessevalleytrail #tennessebeach

Another gem in the bay area! This is a perfect hike for beginners! There are many trials to explore. One can simply head to Tennessee beach, the easiest trails that can be a family fun experience with toddlers and grandpas/mas alike; and then there are few more trials if you want to be more adventurous! Bring some snacks or lunch or brunch, but respect the mother nature and be responsible with your trash!
Enjoy this beautiful gem anytime of the year! I bet the Spring will be simply breathtaking.

Always a beautiful place to hike. Unfortunately I went on the same day that a beached whale appeared on the beach. It's sort of ruined the date night. However this is not a common occurrence, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I don't expect will occur on a regular basis. Amazing view of the sun's then and not a very tough hike so definitely recommend it.

Wonderful hike including uphill and downhill. Moderate foot and bike traffic on weekends and sometimes you must park way up the road. It's wonderfully underdeveloped. Push yourself hard, or pack a lunch and saunter... Enjoy.