Vista Pt - Black Sands Beach - Sausalito Hike: 7.6 miles, 1700 ft elev

We will be doing a point to point hike in the Marin Headlands from the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point to Sausalito via Black Sands Beach. This hike is for INTERMEDIATE HIKERS only. The route will offer wonderful vistas of the Pacific Coastline, Golden Gate and the secluded Black Sands Beach as we traverse through the rolling hills of the Marin Headlands. The trek will involve ascending 1,700 feet over 7.6 miles, some of which is on steep paths and steps. We will not have a sweep, and you will be expected to keep up with the group.

THIS EVENT HAS A WAITLIST. DO NOT SHOW UP FOR IT UNLESS YOU HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL SAYING YOU CAN ATTEND. NO CRASHERS AND NO PLUS ONES.

We meet at 10:00 am in the Vista Point Parking Lot on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, near the restrooms. We depart at 10:15 am sharp. We start by heading under the bridge to reach the Coastal Trail (aka Conzelman Road), which we follow to Hawk Hill (mile 2.0). At Hawk hill we will take a short break to use the restrooms and take pictures before continuing on the Coastal Trail to the Upper Fisherman’s Trail (mile 3.0) that leads us to Black Sands Beach. We will stop at the beach for a short lunch. Although there are no restrooms at the beach, you can use the restroom at the Fisherman's Trail trailhead before or after lunch.

After the Hawk Hill break the group will continue west along the Coastal Trail, turning north at mile 4.0 for a 2 mile uphill trek on Rodeo Valley Trail. At mile 6.0 we connect onto the Alta Trail until it meets the Morning Sun trail at mile 6.2. We will hike down the many steps of the Morning Sun trail, then follow various roads the rest of the way into Sausalito. If we arrive early enough in Sausalito we can grab an ice cream at one of the excellent ice cream parlors.

Bring plenty of water, snacks and/or lunch, sturdy shoes (as the trails can be rocky at points), and hiking poles if you use them.

Information
AllTrails Route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/legacy-map/vp-ct-bs-rv-sa-c8946b6
Level: Intermediate. You will be expected to hike an average of 2.5 to 3.0 miles per hour and have experience hiking up/down steep inclines.
Total Distance: 7.6 miles.
Elevation Gain: 1,700 feet (via some steps and inclines).
Hiking Time: 3.0 hours plus stops.
Pets: Dogs/cats are welcome to come along, but not allowed on Golden Gate Transit.
Weather: Rain or showers will cancel this hike.
Cell Phone Service: Unreliable in this area, so you should assume we won't receive any messages.
Restrooms: At Vista Point (mile 0.0), Hawk Hill (pit toilet, mile 2.0), Black Sands Beach Trailhead (pit toilet, mile 2.9), and Sausalito (mile 7.6).

Directions
Public Transportation:

• To GG Bridge Vista Point from San Francisco: Take the Golden Gate Transit #130 Bus to the Vista Point stop on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge (the first stop after crossing the bridge). This bus runs every hour, so to arrive on time you would have to take the bus departing from the Salesforce Transit Center at 9:18 am.
• To San Francisco from Sausalito: Take either the 3:10pm Golden Gate ferry to the Ferry Building (a 30 minute trip) or take the Golden Gate Transit #130 Bus from Sausalito into San Francisco. Use a clipper card to save money on the ferry.
• Don't forget to tap off with your clipper card when you get off the bus or ferry!!!!

Parking:
Free parking at Vista Point parking lot for up to 4 hours, but there is no guarantee we will be done hiking in 4 hours. If you do park there, you have a few options for getting back to the parking lot: a) from Sausalito take the Golden Gate Transit #130 to Vista Point; b) walk the 2.3 miles along Alexander Ave from Sausalito to Vista Point; or c) split from the group when we reach the Alta Trail and take on the SCA trail south for 2.3 miles (the trail ends at Vista Point). Alternatively, you could use paid parking in Sausalito and take the bus to the starting point.

Liability Disclaimer
The organizers of this event are unpaid volunteers and not expert hiking guides. By signing up for this event you agree to assume all responsibility for your own safety, health consequences, conduct and well-being, and you hereby release its organizers, hosts and participants from any and all liability, claims, demands or causes of action that you now have, or may have in the future, for illness, injuries, damages, and/or economic loss of any kind or nature, arising in whole or in part out of the activities, advice, or information contained herein. You are also acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with this type of outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards.