Bay Area driving guide · Coastal mountain

Mount Tamalpais: Panoramic Highway and Ridgecrest

A short drive that spends its whole length above the ocean. Panoramic climbs out of Stinson through the trees, and Ridgecrest runs the open spine of Tam with the Pacific on one side and the bay on the other.

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Panoramic Highway
Pantoll Road
East Ridgecrest Boulevard

Start: Stinson Beach
Finish: East Peak, Mount Tamalpais
Return: Optional loop below

Why this drive

Ridgecrest is the reason to come: 1,137 degrees of turning per mile along an exposed ridge. It is also a park road with walkers, cyclists and parking pullouts, so this is a drive for the view and the road surface rather than for pace.

The route

Panoramic Highway out of Stinson Beach
Climb from the coast up through the forest toward Pantoll. The lower section near Stinson has been reported as patchy.
Road details & map →
Pantoll and East Ridgecrest
Turn onto Pantoll Road and then East Ridgecrest Boulevard for the run along the ridge to the East Peak parking area.
Road details & map →

Good places to stop

Pantoll Ranger Station ↗
Parking and the boundary of Mount Tamalpais State Park. Fees and hours apply.
East Peak
The end of the road, with the whole bay laid out below.

Make it a loop

Back down Ridgecrest and Panoramic, then either south toward Mill Valley or north on Highway 1 along the Marin coast.

Weekends & road conditions

Police sometimes patrol Highway 9 and Skyline, including weekends. Local riders have reported enforcement on both roads. Follow posted limits throughout the drive.

Expect other drivers, motorcycles and cyclists around these popular roads and junctions. Before heading out, check Caltrans QuickMap for state-highway conditions and San Mateo County road closures for local roads.