Memorial Ridge Trail
The Memorial Ridge Trail was originally conceived in 2002 by Open Space Committee volunteer Brian Crawford. He worked out the route and contacted the affected property owners. In 2013 he presented the idea to the Open Space Committee, and a Trails Project was initiated to build this trail and a trail up Red Hill. The project was approved by the Town Council in September 2013. An environmental study was performed and leases and easements were acquired from Mount Tamalpais Cemetery and Side By Side (formerly Sunny Hills). Construction was begun in 2018, funded by Measure A, the Open Space Committee, and a donation from Supervisor Katie Rice.
This scenic 1.2-mile trail, completed in 2018, connects two of our beautiful Town Parks – Memorial Park and Sorich Ranch Park. Although initially cut through by volunteers, the extensive construction of steps and heavy brush clearing required the services of professionals. Rich Torresan and his crew from Elite Tree Service cleared out vast volumes of broom, poison oak, and eucalyptus windfall, cut a trail, and installed more than one hundred sturdy steps. Brian Crawford worked with Judy Coy of the San Anselmo Historical Commission to research the history of the area and create interpretive signs, which were installed by the Boy Scouts as a project by Harrison Campbell. The trailhead in Memorial Park was also built by scouts.
Access & Trails:
The trail starts near the American Legion Log Cabin and climbs to the top of Memorial Ridge behind Red Hill Shopping Center. The ridge offers spectacular views of Mount Tamalpais and the town of San Anselmo, and provides one of the best local displays of wildflowers in the spring. Interpretive signs explain the history of the area and include old photographs showing how it looked a century ago. The trail runs along the summit of the ridge to Mount Tamalpais Cemetery. Turn left on the paved road, and the trail continues on the left and descends through the Cemetery to connect to the existing Sorich Trail.
From that point, hikers could turn left to Sorich Ranch Park and walk down San Francisco Boulevard, Sacramento, and Los Angeles Boulevards to return to Memorial Park – a total distance of two miles. Or they could walk up Cemetery Fire Road through the County Open Space Preserve and down through Faudé Park, making a 3.2 mile ridge-top loop entirely around Sorich Valley.
Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation:
Difficulty: The trail is suitable for small children but contains many steps and much of it is in the open sun, so take plenty of water on hot days.
Dogs are allowed off-leash but must be under voice control. Dogs must be on leash within the Cemetery and on the Sorich Trail.
No bikes or horses.
