Ring Mountain Open Space

For Valentine's Day this year,  I took myself on a hike to watch the sunrise. Just a short drive from the city, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge,  you can find this quiet hike near Tiburon. Park along the side of the road near the trailhead, bring your furry friend if you have one, and make sure you have a flashlight with you or on your phone. Not going to lie - I was girlishly scared to do this alone in the dark, but the view was worth it. And to be honest, there's nothing to be afraid of other than tripping over a rock or tree stump in the dark - if you know anything about Marin County, you know it's a safe place to be.

It took about 25 minutes to hike to the view point. Following a path that weaves through the trees and crosses tiny, whispering streams of water, it leads up and up through small and large rocks scattered across the grass. Finally reaching the top, you are rewarded with an amazing view of San Francisco and the north bay. At times like this, I wish I had a better camera than just on my phone.

One lone camper lounged near his tent on one side of the clearing; I sat on the rocks on the other side. Aside from us, a few couples hiked up briefly and turned around, so it is safe to say that it is likely a romantic, deserted spot on any other non-lover's day of the year. I had some fun taking silly pictures using the timer on my phone and setting it on a rock.  

Nothing like taking yourself on a date on Valentine's Day!

I discovered it through this website: www.weekendsherpa.com/issues/bay-area-sunrise-spots. They feature a few other sunrise areas to explore.