Mountain biking on Mount Tamalpais

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Mount Tamalpais and its surrounding areas in Marin County, California played an important role in the development of mountain biking. In the 1970s, early mountain bikers such as Gary Fisher, Otis Guy, Charlie Kelly and Joe Breeze were active.

All roads leading to the many trailheads around Mount Tamalpais are usually open, but during fire season, some of these roads may be closed due to high fire risk. The many roads, paved and unpaved, that cross the Mount Tamalpais region are particularly popular with mountain bikers, especially on weekends, due to magnificent views and sights the mountain offers. Most cyclists usually reach Mount Tamalpais through the towns of Ross and Mill Valley, although some also use Larkspur and Kentfield to approach Mount Tamalpais. Many offroad cyclists often use the Railroad Grade fire road, which was once the right-of-way of the now-demolished Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railroad, to ascend Mount Tamalpais. Most healthy bikers can ascend the 2,571 foot (784 m) peak in about one afternoon using the various biking roads on Mount Tamalpais.

Like other popular mountain biking areas, there has been considerable controversy around trail access on Mount Tamalpais for mountain bikes, both in terms of environmental impact and the safety of other trail users. As a result, bicycles have been banned from the majority of narrow, single-track trails, though bicycles are still allowed on fire roads.^[1]

Stage one of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California passed by the southern slopes of Mount Tamalpais.^[2]