Ring Mountain has much more to offer than views

Ring Mountain covers 385 acres, preserved as public lands in part thanks to the efforts of Phyllis Ellman, a Tiburon resident known as “Mother Botany” who fought to save the area from being developed during the 1970s lust for building. Ellman, who died in 2009, has a trail named after her, a loop that runs about 2 miles and is considered an easy route. It’s also a popular one, but only one of many possibilities on this network of trails that crisscross the preserve.

Before Ellman and her efforts, there was a man named George Ring, a dairyman who, despite his New Hampshire origins, bought up enough land in this part of Marin to have his name affixed to the landscape. And before Ring, there were the Indigenous peoples, the Coastal Miwok, who passed enough time around what would be called Ring Mountain that they left behind petroglyph carvings that some estimate may be more than 2,000 years old.

The carvings seem to be specific in contours to this part of the continent, and consist in part of rounded glyphs whose meaning has been lost in layers of settlement and land changing hands. The best-known location of these petroglyphs is Petroglyph Rock, but discerning the original work of the Miwok people from the destructive handiwork of newcomers is difficult.

In addition to this special record of human history at Ring Mountain, the preserve harbors some other unique features that make it stand out from the other trail-strewn mountains around Marin that offer awe-inspiring 360-degree views. Yes, you get views of the Bay Area in panorama from the open spaces of Ring Mountain, including San Francisco to Mount Diablo to Mount Tamalpais. But if you take a moment to look down instead of around, at the right time of year, you may catch sight of something that exists only on this spot.

The mountain is home to a reported nine plant species that are considered sensitive or protected, and one of them, the Tiburon mariposa lily, occurs nowhere else on Earth. This plant, which you can look for in late spring, grows here in the crannies of serpentine outcrops that characterize Ring Mountain.

The colors of serpentine, which is the California state rock, call to mind the stormy waves of the Pacific, shifting from deep blackish tint to a light seafoam green, streaked with undulating white. There are reportedly three colonies of the Tiburon mariposa lily in this open space, adapted specifically to the potential toxicities of the serpentine and serpentine-infused soils.

Another rare flower that blooms in May on Ring Mountain is the Tiburon jewelflower, or black jewelflower. The preserve hosts one of only two colonies of the plant not only in Marin but in the entire world (the other occurs just southeast of Ring Mountain, in the Old St. Hilary’s Preserve).

The serpentine rocks also are a special attraction of Ring Mountain because they afford one of the few places in Marin to do some climbing. There’s Turtle Rock, so-called because of its slightly turtle-ish head and shell appearance from certain angles, and a huge and irresistible attraction for those who like a quick scramble. And then there is Split Rock, offering a bit of bouldering and some problems to tackle. The climbing tops out at 50 feet, but it’s a rare opportunity in Marin.

As for hiking, there’s the Phyllis Ellman Loop, or you can just simply wander the intersecting network of trails and fire roads, most of them exposed but with some little meanderings into clusters of trees, until you’re tired of exploring. While you’re at it, see if you can find any lingering remnants of the military’s anti-aircraft cannons that represent yet another chapter in the history of Ring Mountain.

Getting there: There are a handful of ways to access the trails on Ring Mountain. Most involve taking the winding Paradise Road to the trailhead, where you’ll find limited parking on the street. There are gates at Taylor Road, on Paradise Drive or on Reed Ranch Road. Dogs are allowed on a leash. There are no facilities at Ring Mountain.

Emily Willingham is a Marin science journalist, book author and biologist. You can find her on Twitter @ejwillinghamphd or on Mastodon at ejwillingham@mastodon.social.