Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area. David Weintraub

      Cataract Falls, best in winter and spring, is near junction of Cataract and High Marsh trails.

      After more climbing, the Cross Country Boys Trail, unsigned here, merges from the right, as does another, fainter trail a few paces ahead. Out of the trees once again, you cross a manzanita barren.

      Crossing a rocky rib, you descend moderately to a lovely stream, the headwaters of Swede George Creek. Reaching a T-junction at Potrero Meadows, you turn right, cross the bridged stream, and arrive at a picnic area. Here you turn left and follow a dirt-and-gravel road steeply uphill about 100 yards to a T-junction with Laurel Dell Road.

      Turn left and descend gently for about 150 feet to a junction with the Benstein Trail. Here you turn right and climb steeply on a single track. Soon you are climbing almost entirely on serpentine (which can be slippery when wet), interspersed with dirt and gravel sections. The trees here, which appear stunted and spindly, are Sargent cypress, lovers of serpentine soil. Sargent cypress, found in the Coast Ranges of California, was named for Charles Sprague Sargent, who founded the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard and also wrote 14 volumes on the trees of North America.

      The Oakland Star Tulip

      The manzanita barren is a good place to look for the Oakland star tulip, which has upright bowls of white, three-petaled flowers with lavender points between the petals. This wildflower, a serpentine lover, is on a watch list for plants of limited distribution.

      At a fork in the route, you turn sharply right, head for open ground, and then climb through forest to a ridgetop. The moderate grade changes to steep as you near the top of a ridge, but once across it, the trail descends gently to a junction with Rock Spring – Lagunitas Road. Bear right on the road and follow it downhill about 100 yards to a junction beside the upper reaches of Ziesche Creek.

      Veer right on the single-track Benstein Trail and follow it to a junction marked by a trail post. Stay on the Benstein Trail by turning right, then descending some wooden steps. The trail skirts Serpentine Swale, and after a few switchbacks reaches a T-junction with the Simmons Trail. Turn left, cross the headwaters of Cataract Creek, and about 100 feet from the creek, you reach the Cataract Trail. Here you bear left and retrace your route to the parking area.

      TRIP 12 Mt. Tamalpais: South Side Ramble

      HIGHLIGHTS This semi-loop route, using the Hogback, Matt Davis, Nora, Rock Spring, and Bootjack trails, starts across Panoramic Highway from Mountain Home and takes you past two other Mt. Tamalpais landmarks, West Point Inn and Mountain Theater. Along the way, you will explore the mountain’s south side, which alternates between chaparral and forest, with some attractive stands of coast redwoods. Although the fire roads on this side of the mountain are popular with mountain bicyclists, this route stays mostly on single-track trails, which are closed to bicycles.

      DIRECTIONS From Highway 101 northbound in Mill Valley, take the Highway 1/Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit. After exiting, stay in the right lane as you go under Highway 101. You are now on Shoreline Highway (Highway 1). About 1 mile from Highway 101, get in the left lane, and, at a stoplight, follow Shoreline Highway as it turns left.

      Continue another 2.7 miles to Panoramic Highway and turn right. Go 2.6 miles to a parking area, left, just opposite the Mountain Home Inn. If this lot is full, as it may be on nice weekends, there is an overflow parking area 0.1 mile back (southeast) on Panoramic Highway

      From Highway 101 southbound in Mill Valley, take the Highway 1 North/Stinson Beach exit. After exiting, bear right, go 0.1 mile to a stop sign, and turn left. You are now on Shoreline Highway (Highway 1). Go 0.5 mile to a stoplight, turn left, and follow the directions in the second paragraph, above.

      It is also possible to park along the start of Gravity Car Grade, just north of the main parking area, but this dirt road is often deeply rutted and may damage your car. To find Gravity Car Grade, continue northwest on Panoramic Highway about 60 feet past the entrance to the main parking area. Turn right, go 75 feet, passing a private gravel driveway, right. At a fork, bear right again, onto Gravity Car Grade, a dirt road. (The left-hand fork is a fire-station access road: do not block it!) Park along the side of the road.

      FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are water, phone, and toilets in the parking area. Food and lodging are available at Mountain Home Inn, just across Panoramic Highway from the parking area. The trailhead is on the north end of the main parking area.