Samuel P. Taylor – Camping in Marin

July 1st, 2010 By Stephen Pringle

Did you know that 15 miles west of San Rafael is an awesome place to camp deep in the redwoods and next to a river?  Samuel P. Taylor State park is the perfect thing to do on a weekday during the summer. The weekends are usually booked by now but there are campsites available for weekdays.

We parked the car, opened the door and the kids vanished into the wilderness. The many trails throughout the park are absolutely magical. Giant redwood trees standing next to a 3 year old girl is quite a site. We had friends come out and visit for both days and the kids went wild. They made forts in the carved out tree stumps, collected caterpillars, watched for Racoons with flashlights, went swimming in the river, built a small house out of sticks, roasted marshmallows by the fire and just felt free.

I can’t believe Samuel P. Taylor is only 20 minutes from San Anselmo. Our favorite sites are sites 42 and 43 but you have to book those in advanced. They have a 3 mile long paved road perfect for riding bikes or just strolling around. It’s also a great place to go out for the day and have a picnic or BBQ by the river. There are a lot of picnic sites so feel confident you will find a place if you go out at the last minute.

We are so lucky to live in Marin near so much nature and great places for the family to unwind and truly spend quality time together.

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