The outdoors are for everyone, and in Marin, there are some truly spectacular wheelchair-friendly trails. There’s no shortage of views – whether you want marsh, ocean, or bay, there’s an accessible trail to match. You can find trails through woods and under open skies, appropriate for those with wheelchairs or strollers, or anyone else looking for a flat, well-maintained trail with little or no uphill.
This post covers options for accessible trails in Marin’s various state parks. Stay tuned for further recommendations from Marin’s federal and county parks!
Cross Marin Trail at Samuel P Taylor State Park
Cross Marin Trail from Camp Taylor to the western boundary of the park is paved and shaded, running near the creek and beneath the redwood trees. There are also two small trails running alongside Cross Marin – the (South) Creek Trail – which run a little closer to the creek and are not paved. Those are also deemed accessible trails, and they make the return journey a little more interesting, but they aren’t as flat. The Cross Marin Trail is paved for roughly 3 miles, starting from Camp Taylor and ending at Platform Bridge Road. There are accessible bathrooms at the parking lot/campground.
To view my full post on hiking Cross Marin and South Creek Trails, click here.
Turtle Back Hill at China Camp State Park
This 0.7-mile loop has a little bit of incline but decent views of San Pablo Bay and the salt marsh. It has some informative signs about the wildlife of the area. Volunteers headed the project to redesign this trail to meet ADA standards, bringing in gravel donated by a local company to even out the pathway. There are accessible parking spots at the trailhead (on the other side of the road), but no toilets.
To view my full post on hiking Shoreline Trail and Turtle Back Hill, click here.
Millerton Point at Tomales Bay State Park
This 1.2-mile loop is completely open to the sun with some wind, so cover up! But the lack of tree cover is more than made up for by the stunning views of Tomales Bay. There are toilets at the trailhead/parking lot.
To view my full post on hiking Millerton Point, click here.
Lower Old Mine Trail at Mount Tamalpais State Park
Lower Old Mine Trail is 0.5 miles in each direction from Pantoll Station. The trail takes you through sun-lit woods, though the trail can be bumpy in some places due to tree roots. The real draw here is the view at the end of the trail. There’s a handy bench at the viewpoint, where on a clear day you can relax and enjoy the views of the ocean, Marin Headlands, and even San Francisco. There are accessible toilets at Pantoll Station.
