Trail of the week: Burdell Mountain in Marin County

Burdell Mountain rises 1,558 feet from the Novato Valley floor on the northeast corner of Marin County. The serpentine slopes are covered with rolling grasslands and groves of live oak, bay laurel and buckeye.

Two major parks reside on Burdell Mountain: Olompali State Historic Park occupies 700 acres on the northeast face, while Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve occupies 1,600 acres on the southwest slope.

This hike forms a loop on the southwest flank of the mountain, from the lower meadows to the ridge separating the two parks. At the summit are sweeping vistas that span from Mount Saint Helena to Mount Diablo and San Francisco.

En route, the hike visits Hidden Lake, a seasonal pond midway to the summit; an old stone wall built by Chinese laborers in the late 1800s; and remnants of old rock quarries once used for the streets in San Francisco. The trails are open to hikers, cyclists and equestrians.

To the trailhead

North end of San Andreas Drive, Novato

From Highway 101 in Petaluma, drive 10 miles south to the San Marin Drive/Atherton Avenue exit 463 at the north end of Novato. Drive 2.2 miles west on San Marin Drive to San Andreas Drive and turn right. Continue 0.6 miles to the signed entrance gate. Park along San Andreas Drive.

The hike

From the trailhead gate and map board, begin the loop on the left fork. Climb up the San Andreas Fire Road through an oak savannah with California bay, passing the Little Tank Fire Road on the left. Pass through a cattle gate, and crest the hill to a large bowl-shaped meadow. Curve right and climb through the sloping meadow dotted with valley oak to a Y-fork with the Deer Camp Fire Road.

Continue straight on the Middle Burdell Fire Road, with a view of Novato and the bay. Top the slope to the northwest edge of Hidden Lake and a junction at 1.5 miles. The right fork stays on the Middle Burdell Fire Road and eliminates 1.2 miles of the hike for a shorter and much easier loop.

For this hike, bear left on the Cobblestone Fire Road to another Y-fork with the Deer Camp Fire Road at 1.9 miles. Veer to the right, staying on the Cobblestone Fire Road, and keep climbing toward the summit. The remains of a rock quarry site can be spotted on the right.

At 2.5 miles, the trail tops out just below the ridge at a five-way junction. The left fork leads to the microwave tower. The sharp right fork - the Old Quarry Trail - is the return route.

The Burdell Mountain Fire Road heads southeast on the 90-degree right fork. It connects with the Upper Mount Burdell Trail in Olompali State Historic Park and descends on the northeast slope of the mountain.

Detour on the unmarked trail straight ahead about 200 yards to the rounded rock wall at the ridge and park boundary. This old stone wall, constructed without mortar, was built by Chinese laborers in the late 1800s. From the ridge are vistas across the Petaluma River Marshes and Upper San Pablo Bay.

Return to the junction and take the Old Quarry Trail. Steeply descend the stone-embedded path in the small canyon. Use careful footing - the trail drops 700 feet in just over a half-mile and is littered with loose rock. The path then levels out and traverses a grassy meadow to a T-junction with the Middle Burdell Fire Road at 3.3 miles.

Bear left for 100 yards, and pick up the posted Quarry Trail on the right. Go through a cattle gate and continue downhill. Merge with the San Carlos Fire Road and curve right.

Weave down the oak-dotted hill and bear right on Michako Trail at 3.9 miles. Walk through another cattle gate and cross the rolling hills, completing the loop at the trailhead.

Robert Stone is the author of “Day Hikes Around Sonoma County” (Day Hike Books, 2016).