Horse Hill – Alto Bowl Open Space Preserve

Anyone who has ever driven 101 going over the pass from Corte Madera to Mill Valley has passed “Horse Hill” many times. This is the hill on the west side of the pass, with the horse pasture on it and open space beyond. If you’ve ridden your bike from Corte Madera to Mill Valley, you probably have also taken this route in the dedicated bike lane just west of the freeway, in which case you’ve ridden right through the parking lot of pasture on Horse Hill. You may have even stopped to admire the horses, as I have done.

This area is the Horse Hill – Alto Bowl Open Space Preserve, and it is open to the public for horseback riding, hiking, dog walking (on-leash), and bike riding (mountain biking, that is). There are two dedicated paved bike paths on the east and west sides of the preserve, linked by Lomita Drive. Lomita Drive is also where the entrance to the Horse Hill Fire Road is located. The trails are not too steep, and the terrain and views are wonderful.

Where: Various Trail access points on the hill between Corte Madera and Mill Valley: Click here for Horse Hill Alto Bowl Open Space Trail Map

Open 24 Hours

Link to Marin County Open Space District map