After you ride the Coastal View trail, you will want to sell your earthly goods and then donate the proceeds to the GGNRA and then devote yourself to mountain biking full time. Really, join me! We’ll make it work! We’ll live on thistles and spring water, and we’ll dance with the butterflies! Oh, never mind, we need beer money… but do check out this trail… I pretty much guarantee you’ll love it. Here’s my loop: West Blithedale trailhead, up Old Railroad Grade to West Point Inn, past the Inn to Old Stage Road trail, down to Pantoll campground,(through the parking lots) to Coastal View trail, ride Coastal View all the way to Highway 1. Then turn left, ride carefully on Hwy 1 to the Pelican Inn, and have your friend guard the bikes while you get a pot of tea to drink out on the lawn. Then lug your tired rear up Diaz Ridge trail back to Mill Valley and don’t hate on me for getting you to a place that’s downhill from where you want to be. Alternate plan: Get your friend’s husband, who has a truck, to pick you up. Say yes to hitchhikers ’cause that might be you one day and you think you know them maybe a little. But I guess I should review the trail itself: Coastal View is absolutely magnificent. The word ‘magnificent’ is not an exaggeration, which I am prone to, but not in this case. Single track(but not the scary next-to-a-cliff-you-might-die type of single track) that progresses from wooded bits near Pantoll, to an exposed path, to a Disney-couldn’t-design-a-trail-that-looks-this-good segment that winds through some low trees(duck! you might get wet if it’s misty), then out to views of the coast(or the fog, depending on your luck). Go with a friend so you can keep saying, «Oh my gosh! This is great! And there’s no one on the trail!”* Tons of wildflowers in the spring and great photo ops if you’re into that – I am always so blissed out that I forget about photos. Bonus photo op at Muir Beach overlook right off of Highway 1. *OK, you may see a few others on Coastal View trail. On my most recent ride, we saw a single runner(that’s it!) from Pantoll to Hwy 1. That said, don’t rush it, savor it. Look out for bunnies. PS Yes, you could hike this, too, but I never have. I’m sure it’s just as nice on foot. PPS the only place you might lose your way is just past Pantoll, but watch for the signs and I think it is clear.
