Bicycling in Marin County California for all Skill Levels

If you live in Marin County California, or are contemplating a move to the gorgeous bay area on the other side of San Franciscos Golden Gate Bridge, one thing you will not want to miss out on is the large bicycling scene. In fact, mountain biking as a sport is said to have originated down the sides of Marin Counties own Mount Tamalpais. However, if you are not quite up to heavy mountain biking trails, there is no reason to despair as Marin County has a trail for everyone from a very young beginner to an experienced adult.

Due to the non-profit Marin County Bicycle Coalition, bicycle trails around town are well maintained both in state parks and alongside the coastal and mountain areas. For families who want to add a little bicycling into their day, the Cross Marin Trail is an excellent place to end. Not only does it run through the Samuel P. Taylor Park, but runs down to Marshall Beach and ends at the Tomales Bay State Park. All of these areas of equipped with plenty of shady and sunny picnic areas where you can let your campers regroup and replenish themselves.

If you like the idea of a little off-road biking that you can handle without the thicker tires of a mountain bike, you might want to check out the trails along the Point Reyes National Seashore in Western Marin County. Before you begin your trek, you may want to grab a map from the visitors center so you can decide if you want to travel along the coastal scrub, through the forest, or glide along the beach bluffs.
Finally, for those who are in Marin County for some serious mountain biking, you may want to head to the more extreme sections of the trails mentioned above and consider also making treks across the Mount Tamalpais woodlands, the trails overhead of San Pablo bay at the China Camp Sate Park, the tighter ridge trails in Novato at Mount Burdell, or the hillsides of Fairfax in Central Marin which is the birthplace of the mountain bike.

There are of course many more trails than just these, but your best bet for finding Marin Counties best kept mountain biking trail secrets is to head over to the local bike shop for tips. Whether you are novice cyclists interested in a casual ride, or a serious cyclists interested in a heart-pumping ride through the hills of Mt Tam, you are sure to find what you are looking for in Marin County, California.