Tennessee Valley
This running route takes me - including intermittent walking - somewhere between an hour and a half and two hours. It’s my favorite loop. I call it ‘Green Gulch, the long way.’
Start in the Tennessee Valley parking lot and head down towards the beach.
Head right up the hill. The view at the top is breathtaking and a nice reward after the steep and brutal incline. You’ll see a sign for Fox Trail which takes you up over a hill and back to the parking lot. You can take that short cut if you’re worn out or short on time. Instead, I like to continue along the coast, down the stairs and through the windy trails above Pirates Cove. This continues all the way to Muir Beach with an unobstructed view of the ocean the entire way. Go on a clear day, it’s spectacular.
From Muir Beach cut through Green Gulch farm and take the Middle Green Gulch trail back to the top. This is a long and steady incline of switchbacks with some patches of overgrown foliage. It’s a tough climb but feels amazing when you make it to the top. Follow Coyote Ridge and look for a trail off to the right which will descend all the way back down to the parking lot.
