The Dipsea Trail is the most direct route between Mill Valley and the village of Stinson Beach. It crosses the southern shoulder of Mount Tamalpais through Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais State Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The trail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

The stairs and the climbs

The race starts on Throckmorton Avenue near Miller Avenue, in front of Mill Valley's old train depot, now a bookstore. After a few blocks downtown, runners climb the Dipsea stairs. Wikipedia counts 688 steps originally and about 700 after the middle section was renovated in November 2017. The course gains and loses about 2,200 feet. The high point comes near the top of Cardiac Hill, about 4.5 miles in. The footing is uneven and mostly single-track, and runners may pick from several alternate routes, including shortcuts nicknamed Suicide and The Swoop.

A race that began with a bet

In 1904 the Dipsea Inn opened on a sandspit near what was then Willow Camp, later Stinson Beach. Olympic Club members Charles Boas and Alfons Coney raced from the Mill Valley train depot to the inn on a bet, and Boas won. The first official Dipsea was held on Nov. 19, 1905, with 110 runners. It has run nearly every year since. It was skipped in 1932-33 during the Depression, from 1942 to 1945 during World War II, and in 2020 during the pandemic, and the 110th race was moved to November 2021. Since 1983 it has been held on the second Sunday in June.

Head starts for everyone

The Dipsea uses a handicap system. Most runners get a head start based on age and gender, and the oldest and youngest get up to 25 minutes on the fastest "scratch" runners. That has produced winners as young as 8 and as old as 72. The field is capped at 1,500 because of the narrow course, and thousands apply. Jack Kirk, the "Dipsea Demon," finished 67 straight Dipseas from 1930 to 2002.

The 2026 race

The 115th Dipsea was run on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The race site congratulated Chris Lundy on her win, and final results were posted later that month. Lundy also won in 2017, 2018 and 2024. Wikipedia lists Audrey MacLean as the 2025 champion.

Hiking it

Outside race day, the trail is open to hikers. Plan for steep, rough footing and a long day if you go out and back, or arrange a ride from Stinson. Parking and shuttles near Muir Woods fill up, so see our Muir Woods parking guide before you go.