John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints
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Mount Tamalpais, near San Francisco, California
"But the best of each trip
is the Golden Gate Bridge
and the road like a snake
that takes me back home to my ridge"
- Jesse Colin Young: Ridgetop (Best Of) (a song about his home on Mount Tamalpais)
Pronunciation
I'm very grateful to Jeff Price, the Chief Ranger, California State Parks, Marin District, who informs me that the correct pronunciation of "Tamalpais" is "Tam-ul-pie-us". Jeff points out that most people just say "Mount Tam".
Location
Mount Tamalpais, quite a significant mountain, is located near the southern tip of the Marin Peninsula, the northernmost of the two peninsulas which nearly enclose San Francisco Bay.
Description
The drive to the summit of Mount Tamalpais is via a fairly narrow, winding but good quality paved road and is rewarded by a really excellent view over the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the cities of San Francisco and Oakland - on a clear day. I'm informed that there is a $5 State Park entrance fee to park your car at the summit but there are a number of free parking areas further down.
Derivation of the Name
I'm aware of two theories regarding the derivation of the name Tamalpais:
- The name was given by early Spanish settlers who joined the native Miwok Indian word "tamal", meaning coast or bay with the word "pais" meaning mountain (although my English-Spanish dictionary lists "pais" as meaning country).
- From the name of a legendary Miwok Indian maiden.
Some Ideas for Places to Stay
In the Area
External Links
California
State and Provincial Parks
Home | States/Provinces | Subjects
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Most recently modified 15-Jun-03