The Most Instagrammable Spot Near San Francisco – Mount Tamalpais

If you are looking for the most instagrammable spot near San Francisco, you have found it!

I actually still cannot believe that this place is real! Mount Tamalpais (or Mount Tam as it’s often called by locals), is a popular instagrammable spot near San Francisco and for good reason. It was so beautiful when we visited, that we actually went 2 nights in a row for sunset and got cloud inversions both times!

Here is everything you need to know about vising Mount Tam near San Francisco, including information on cloud inversions and when the best time to take photos is and where the best spot on Mount Tam is to take your photos.

couple standing on a hill side with a colour pink and purple sunset and cloud inversion in front of them

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Mount Tamalpais in a Snapshot

Table of Contents

📍 Where is Mount Tamalpais: California – 1 hour drive from San Francisco
✈ Where to fly into: San Francisco International Airport – FIND FLIGHTS
📆 When in the year to visit: May, June or July
⌚ Best time of the day to visit: Just before sunset
🛌 Where to stay nearby:
Shell Cottage at Stinson Beach: 9.4 rating
Amazing Oceanside Cottage with Private Beach Lot: 9.4 rating
🚗 Rental Car: Find the best rental car prices
🚐 Rental Campervan: Rent a campervan
⌚ Opening Hours: 7am – sunset
💲 Is there an entrance fee: No entrance fee required

Everything You Need To Know About Mount Tamalpais

📍 Where is Mount Tamalpais

Mount Tamalpais located in Marin County, California and is a 1 hour drive from San Francisco.

Car sitting on road overlooking a cloud inversion on Mount Tamalpais in California at sunset

😉 What is so good about Mount Tamalpais

You can drive literally all of the way to the top of Mount Tam, where you get stunning views over the hills and out to San Francisco. Mount Tamalpais is about 2,500 ft / 762m tall. One of the things that makes Mount Tam so popular and the sunsets SO GOOD, is that cloud inversions are extremely common which is not something you can say about many viewpoints that you can drive to.

A photo of a tiny couple in the distance on a hillside with a cloud inversion and sunset in front of them

couple standing with arms around each other watching the sunset and a cloud inversion at Mount Tamalpais

🌫 How to predict a cloud inversion at Mount Tamalpais

To increase your chances at getting a cloud inversion on Mount Tam:

• Go at sunrise or sunset (sunrise is more likely)
• Visit during May, June or July – this is the foggiest time for the Greater San Francisco area
• Make sure it’s high humidity (90% or higher)
• There needs to be some clouds in the weather forecast
• If it’s foggy in San Francisco, there is most likely a cloud inversion up on Mount Tam.

girl standing on hillside at Mount Tamalpais during a cloud inversion

🐶 Is Mount Tamalpais dog friendly

Mount Tamalpais is semi dog friendly. Dogs are allowed in the main areas on the road, however they are not allowed in most areas of the park. Dogs are allowed on leash in the following areas:

Old Stage Fire Rd
Verna Dunshee Trail
In developed areas
Campgrounds
Picnic areas.

⌚ When is the best time to visit Mount Tamalpais

I think the best time to visit Mount Tam is during sunset or sunrise for the most gorgeous colours. In my opinion, sunset would be best because the gates only open at 7am, which may be too late depending on the time of the year for sunrise.

ℹ Mount Tamalpais opening hours

The gates to Mount Tam do not stay open all night. The park is open from 7am to sunset but don’t worry! You will have time to enjoy the sunset first and then head back down. When we saw the sign saying the gates closed at sunset, we instantly got worried, but there were LOADS of other people doing the same thing as us and we were all fine. I think the park rangers give a bit of a buffer to allow people to watch the sunset.

There is a chance that if you are found in the park after sunset, you will be fined so don’t take my word for it and make sure you leave quickly once you are done with your sunset photos.

🛌 Where to stay near Mount Tamalpais

If you want to stay near Mount Tamalpais, the best place to stay is at Stinson Beach which is a great place to see seals and is only a 20 minute drive from Mount Tamalpais. Some beautiful places that are worth checking out at Stinson Beach are:

Shell Cottage at Stinson Beach – only a 6 minute walk from the beach, this cottage sleeps 5, so is perfect for a group trip.
Amazing Oceanside Cottage w Private Beach Lot – this place is to DIE FOR! It is located right on the beach with a private deck located right on the sand looking out to the water.

If you have a tent, you could also stay at Pantoll Campground which is on Mount Tam. Car camping is not allowed so we sadly couldn’t camp here because we didn’t have our tent with us.

📷 Where to go for the best sunset photos on Mount Tam

Head up to Mount Tam until you reach Pantoll Campground. You are going to want to turn left onto Pantoll Road. Trojan Point is a great place for sunset photos but if you find that the parking is full, you can continue up the road to find a quieter spot higher up along Ridgecrest Blvd. There are lots of little trails you can take from the road out onto the hills to get some good shots.

portrait photo of a girl standing in a field looking out at the sunset — *Ridgecrest Blvd*

Trojan Point is a very popular spot for people to watch the sunset while picnicking.

Use the map below to help find the parking spots and viewpoints on Mount Tam.

🌲 Leave No Trace

The 7 Leave No Trace principles are important to be aware of to help keep places like Mount Tamalpais beautiful. To remind yourself of the 7 Leave No Trace principles, check out the LNT website.

🙋‍♀️ Frequently asked questions

How long do the cloud inversions at Mount Tamalpais last?

This all depends on what the weather is like. The cloud inversion could last just a few hours or an entire day.

Can I use a drone in Mount Tamalpais?

No, drones are prohibited in Mount Tamalpais.

What else is there to do near San Francisco?

If you are looking to explore more of the outdoors near San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore is a real hidden gem and one that Dave and I found absolutely breath taking!

There is also the Muir Woods National Monument which is an area that looks after one of the last remaining ancient redwood forests in the Bay Area!

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