Driving up to the parking area is steep, and it's a premonition of what the trail will be like. You guessed it, the ascent will be too. However, switchbacks make the climb much easier. Near the top of the ridge, it flattens out and becomes a fire road.

One can start the hike to the Ben Johnson Trail through Muir Woods National Monument by either the Redwood Creek Trail or the Hillside Trail.

This short trail leads to the National Park Service Mounted Patrol Stables and the former Tennessee Valley Native Plant Nursery. This is the halfway point on the way to the Tennessee Valley Beach. There is also a bench where the Chaparral Trail leads off the Tennessee Valley Trail. 

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At the rear of the newer Cavallo Point buildings at Fort Baker, you'll discover a set of stairs that connect you with the Drown Road Trail. Highlights include sensational views of the Golden Gate, and, of course, the historic post chapel itself (now a picturesque event and wedding venue).