Little Mountain and Verissimo Hills

Featured hike
Mile:
0.0: Start at the signed entrance to O'Hair Park on Reuben Kaehler Memorial Trail.
0.1: Junction. Turn left onto Little Mountain Trail.
0.7: Little Mountain Trail ends at a signed junction with Doe Hill Fire Road (also known as Little Mountain Access Road). Turn right. A series of short paths connect to the neighborhood on the left.
1.4: The trail seems to end at a fence, gate, and undersigned junction. Actually, the fire road curves left and ends at Center Road, but the obvious continuation of the hike is to pass through the gate into the North Marin Water District lands.
1.5: Pass through the gate, and look for a trail visible across a somewhat blank area. Turn left.
1.8: The trail splits at an unsigned junction. Stay to the left.
2.0: Junction. Turn left onto Verissimo Hills Trail.
2.2: Sanchez Fire Road departs to the left at a signed junction. Continue straight on Verissimo Hills Trail.
2.2: Ravine Trail excuses itself from the climb on the right side of the trail at a signed junction. Continue straight on Verissimo Hills Trail.
2.7: Hilltop and turnaround point. Return to the junction with Sanchez Fire Road.
3.2: Junction. Turn right and head down Sanchez Fire Road.
3.3. Trail ends at a neighborhood access and Sanchez Way. Turn right and walk on the sidewalk to the end of Sanchez Way.
3.5: Turn left on Center Road, and walk to the end of the road.
3.7: Turn right onto Doe Hill Fire Road, and retrace your steps back to the trailhead. (Option: you can also return the way you came, climbing on Verissimo Hills Trail, then descending to Little Mountain on Stafford Lake Trail. Your total mileage will be about 5.4 miles if you exercise this option.)
5.1: Back on Sutro.
     
Getting there:
From Highway 101 in Marin County, exit San Marin Drive/Atherton Avenue. Drive west on San Marin Drive about 3 miles, where it crosses Novato Boulevard and becomes Sutro (stay in the left just before Novato Boulevard to continue straight across the intersection). Begin looking for side of the street parking; the trailhead (at O'Hair Park) is about 0.1 mile down Sutro on the right.

Read about this hike in more detail and view photos at http://www.bahiker.com/northbayhikes/little.html


© 2002 Jane Huber/Bay Area Hiker