Therapeutic Hiking on Mt. Tam

I don’t know about you, but the election totally drained me. A stressful primary season and the general ugliness appearing in public discourse culminated in a devastating result. Rather than despair, I wanted to do my best to dispel this burdensome feeling on the trail, so I went to Mt. Tam where I knew I could count on nature to nourish my spirit.

I got a later start than I’d hoped, especially with the park closing at sunset. I set off at a brisk pace and soon found relief from the heat in the shade of the forest. It didn’t take long before I heard the rushing waters that form Cataract Falls. I walked along the creek until I reached the Laurel Dell picnic area. It felt like I’d started my hike in summer and I’d walked into autumn. The occasional yellow leaf drifted down around me.

I was only on Cataract Falls trail for a quarter mile before bearing to the right. Now the trail lifted me above the hubbub of the falls and its many visitors, though they could still be heard as I rounded the knoll. Here I paused to appreciate the northern view before continuing on. The path returned to the forest, with the right side closed in by the mass of Tamalpais itself. The hike became quiet and almost lonely.

The path became narrower and harder to negotiate for the next two miles with some moderately steep sections. The trees became short and somewhat sparser, the ground a little springy, and only croaking frogs broke the silence.

When I reached the junction I was looking for, I saw I was in for a steep climb. As I pressed on with my eyes cast down, I noticed some movement among the brown leaves. A small, lizard-like creature with red pebbled skin was making its way across the path. It moved quickly but was not as easily startled as other common lizards whose basking I’d disturbed. I managed to get a picture and later identified it as a California Newt. How cool to see this rare creature in the wild!

I eventually emerged from my uphill climb into Potrero Meadows. There wasn’t much to see with the sun already dipping behind the treetops. I was grateful for the wide road, forgiving grade, and tall, fresh-scented trees that characterized this part of Laurel Dell Fire Road. An offshoot led me back to the knoll I’d rounded earlier. I took the opportunity to slow down and get the camera on my tripod. I switched lenses a couple of times and explored my Pentax’s pixel shift feature. Hazy, golden light filled the valley below.

The trail carried me back toward the ravine, where I detoured just a bit to see how the falls looked. I found a nice little pool adorned in autumn leaves. I was alone here, and it brought me some peace to sit there watching the water flow.

All that remained now was to return to my car by sunset. I huffed and puffed up the gravel path. When I finally reached the ridge, I found that many people were gathering to watch the striking sunset over Bolinas. I felt momentarily uplifted by this after such a difficult election season.

Mt. Tam is very popular, and it’s easy to see why. It’s relatively accessible and yet you feel far from the noise and routine of normal life. The trails are well-maintained and it’s easy to amend your plan as you go. Though not as raw and primeval as some of our National Parks can feel, you can hardly go wrong with Mt. Tam’s definitively Californian beauty.