Though I see Bald Hill out my window, I somehow had never climbed it, so I decided it was high time to remedy the omission. With the idea of hiking a new trail for the new year, I set off from Phoenix Lake.
Phoenix Lake was built prior to the existence of the Marin Municipal Water District, at a time when there were competing private water companies. The land where the lake is now belonged to the Porteous family whose property stretched over to Deer Park in Fairfax. They lived in the area now called Hidden Meadow. (The redwood log cabin, that is now on the shore of the lake, was built in about 1894 for the ranch overseer.) After her husband, James, died in 1887, Janet Porteous leased part of the property to Marshall Ranch, which sold products under the name Hippolyte Dairy, and part to the Lezzini family.
When Porteous died in 1904 her heirs sold the property to the Marin Water and Power Co., which owned it until MMWD took over in 1916. Arthur Foster, president of Marin Water Co., had wanted to build a dam near the present-day Alpine Dam but it was controversial and he was faced with litigation by the county. The purchase of the land allowed him to build Phoenix Gulch Dam instead in 1905.
Walk up to Phoenix Lake Dam from the parking lot, appreciating how full the lake is from the fall rains. The concrete spillway you see replaced a wooden one that was in use until 1984. In .1 miles, at a signed junction, turn right on Worn Spring Trail. (I have heard this incorrectly called Warm Spring, but though there is a spring it is not a hot or even warm spring.) The trail is named for George Austin Worn, who married Annie Ross in 1863. She was the daughter of James Ross, who acquired a land grant for Rancho Punta de San Quentin, where the town of Ross is now. She received a large dowry, and she and Worn built a home called Sunnyside, where the Marin Art and Garden Center is now, and owned a cattle ranch on Bald Hill.
Worn Spring starts out in oak and bay woodland. Look for bay trees that are flowering, and look under buckeye trees for buckeyes that are already sprouting. As the road climbs, you get vistas of Mount Tamalpais and the upper treeless slope of Bald Hill. The sunny uphill section makes this hike perfect for this time of year, but not a good choice for summer.
In about 2 miles, you get a spectacular view of the bay and San Francisco. MMWD land ends at a sign, below the 1,141-foot summit. Acquiring Bald Hill was listed as an objective in San Anselmo’s first general plan in 1976, but 60 acres at the top is still in private hands. In 1990, San Anselmo, Ross and the Marin County Open Space District mounted a joint campaign for a bond measure to raise the money needed to buy the acreage at the summit, but voter support fell a frustrating 180 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed for the measure to pass. More recent attempts to acquire the summit were also unsuccessful.
I had planned lunch with a view, but though the vistas were outstanding so was the wind, so I took some photos and headed back down to Phoenix Lake, the downhill seeming remarkably shorter than the climb up.
To reach Phoenix Lake, take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Lagunitas Road and follow it to the small parking lot located in Ross’ Natalie Coffin Greene Park.
Phoenix Lake is a popular place, so plan to get there early, especially on a weekend, or be prepared to have to wait for a parking spot as the parking lot tends to fill up quickly.
Wendy Dreskin has led the College of Marin nature/hiking class Meandering in Marin since 1998, and teaches other nature classes for adults and children. To contact her, go to wendydreskin.com.
Source: www.mercurynews.com