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TRIP 7 Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve

Distance 3.3 miles, Semi-loop Hiking Time 2 to 3 hours Elevation Gain/Loss ±650 feet Difficulty Moderate Trail Use Leashed dogs Best Times All year Agency MCOSD Recommended Map Southern Preserves (MCOSD)

HIGHLIGHTS Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve, surrounded by residential development near busy Corte Madera, perfectly demonstrates the value of land conservation and protection. Its slopes are home to a wonderful array of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, some quite rare, and one, the Tiburon Mariposa lily, is found nowhere else in the world. As a vantage point with great views, Ring Mountain’s summit rivals better-known Bay Area peaks. This route uses the Loop and Phyllis Ellman trails, along with the Taylor Ridge Fire Road, to explore the mountain’s slopes and summit.

Boldface numbers in the route description below refer to numbered markers along the trail, which are keyed to an MCOSD brochure that is no longer available. Some text from the brochure is summarized below and appears as part of the trail description.