Through wilderness and past historic sites, the Cataract and connecting trails provide an excellent dayhiking experience. For more information on the Cataract Trails, see GORP's Cataract Trails feature.

From San Francisco, take US 101 North over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit. Continue straight for about one mile until you reach a stoplight at Shoreline Highway. Turn left and drive uphill on Shoreline Highway for 2.5 miles, then turn right on Panoramic Highway. Drive for nine-tenths of a mile until you reach an intersection called" Four Corners" where you can go left, straight, or right. Take the middle road (straight), continuing on Panoramic Highway for 4.3 more miles to the Pantoll parking lot. Turn right on Pantoll Road and drive 1.4 miles to its intersection with Ridgecrest Boulevard, where there is a large parking area called Rock Springs. Park here and take the trail from the parking lot that is marked "Cataract Trail."

Just outside of San Francisco, this hike around Mount Tamalpais provides a welcome respite from the intensity of the city. Through wilderness and past historic sites, the Cataract and connecting trails provide an excellent dayhiking experience.