Four Corners, Mill Valley, CA
Show Your Route
My first few years of living and pedaling in San Francisco were restricted to two road ride options: Hawk Hill and Paradise Loop. Hawk is short and intense, while Paradise is longer and mostly flat. Both are solid options, but I now have a new favorite — Four Corners seems to be the best of both worlds. It is 23 miles with 1,500 ft of elevation (starting and finishing at the Golden Gate Bridge).
The Beginning
We will begin the journey at the Golden Gate Bridge Cafe meet-up spot.
Bridge Adventures
Crossing the bridge on a weekday between 10am and 4pm (on the east side) is like playing Russian Roulette. Play at your own risk. I recommend meditating or blasting Enya’s “Only Time” for mental safety preparation. Or you can avoid this mess by pedaling before 8am / after 4pm. Weekends are a different beast. More on this later.
The pillars of hide and seek are a place where humans really enjoy doing surprise selfie stick maneuvers and studying their cell phone photography to make sure they have appropriately captured the moment.
Sausalito Happiness
Exit the bridge by staying on the marked path on the left and then cross through the parking lot entrance / exit to reach the sidewalk bike path. PSA: do not play chicken with the buses. It gets messy and they always win.
Continue along the bike path for about half a mile. There are insane views in every direction; do not get distracted from the mission (staying upright on your bicycle), watch for other cyclists and potholes.
The bike path will merge with the bike lane on Alexander Ave. Stay to the right and proceed with confidence. You are about to do an epic descent.
Continue through downtown Sausalito and watch for tourists wandering in and out of the street, doing illegal parking maneuvers, and my favorite — opening car doors on cyclists.
You will remain on this road for a couple miles. This is quite a popular route for bicycle riders, so you might be able to snag a draft behind an e-bike commuter or a gang of hairless, spandex-wearing humans. Cyclist head nods and acknowledgement of your outdoor fitness brothers and sisters are strongly encouraged.
Sausalito — Mill Valley Bike Path
After four stoplights, you will get to an intersection that gives you the option to continue straight onto 101 or veer to the right onto a glorious bike path. I highly recommend the later option.
This bike path will lead you towards Mill Valley. About a mile in, you will find a stop sign along with some outdoor furniture.
You have the choice to take a break and down a bar on a recliner like a boss or obey California traffic laws and stop at the sign before proceeding across the street and reentering the bike path up on the right.
About 1.5 miles later, you will see an exit off of the Mill Valley Sausalito Path onto Miller Ave. Take that left and then make a hard right onto Miller. You will see Tamalpais High School on your left.
Mill Valley
Use the next mile to mentally prepare yourself. Exciting road conditions, questionable bicycle lanes and large construction vehicles are about to become villains in the game of life and death.
To keep it light and focus on things that do not involve a messy crash on torn up asphalt, I like to embrace the bumpy road situation to test out my sports bra. I have found this road gives very honest and unfiltered feedback; it becomes very clear whether or not the girls are secure. Take mental notes, because the sports bra test does not last long.
Continue on Miller Ave for a couple more miles until you come to Sunnyside Ave — you don’t really have much of a choice, make a left, then a right to get back on miller.
Then take a left on Throckmorton Ave. Equator will be on your left — they have delicious pastries and coffee— make life choices accordingly.
In about another half mile, take Cascade Ave to the left and enjoy the loveliness that is Mill Valley.
*Important: There is a decent bathroom stop at the Throcktmorton and Cascade Ave intersection. Follow the paved path into the woods and you will find a multi-stall men’s and women’s WC. You’re welcome.
Once you get back on Cascade, take the first exit on the roundabout (right turn to continue on cascade drive).
The Climb
You have about a mile of peaceful Mill Valley happiness on Cascade before you make a left on Marion and begin the first climb (about .7 miles). I suggest Queen B or 90’s hiphop (probably about two songs worth).
You will have a short slight downhill / flat section to recover before making a right on Edgewood Ave, which becomes Sequoia Valley Road (second climb). Again, Queen B or 90’s hip hop (about 4 songs worth).
Once you reach the stop sign, take a moment to recognize and acknowledge your badassery, and then make a left onto Panoramic Highway. There is a pull out area on your right after you clear the traffic. I encourage you to refuel and gaze at the view here while listening to Enya.
The Descent
You will have another short low grade climb before the descent. It tends to be a bit windy up there, so use your core and squeeze your bike frame with your knees if you need a bit more support on the downhill.
There is one super sharp turn before you make a left to stay on Shoreline Highway (1). Reduce your speed and keep your focus ahead (where the turn finishes).
Stay left and descend like a boss on wheels.
Back to Sausalito
At the second stop light, turn right to stay on 1 and proceed through somewhat questionable bike lanes until you reach a large bridge.
After passing under said bridge, look over your left shoulder and make friends with the passing cars to make sure they let you cross in front to make a left (and then immediate right) back onto the Mill Valley Sausalito bike path.
Continue along the bike path and use this time to appreciate sitings you might have missed on your way out.
When the bike path ends, you will make a right and then immediate left on Bridgeway.
This road will guide you back to Sausalito and up Alexander Ave. towards the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bridge Return
If it is before 4pm on a weekday, use the east side of the Bridge. If it is a weekday evening (after 4pm) or the weekend, use the west (bike only) side.
Pat yourself on the back and go home to eat some cookies and tea while studying your strava results.
