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Submission
From San Francisco, head north on Highway 101, over the Golden Gate Bridge. Take exit 445B for CA-1/Stinson Beach/Mill Valley, travel for 1 mile. Turn left at the “T” to stay on CA-1. Follow CA-1 for 10 miles. The entrance to Steep Ravine will be on your left. There is a locked gate, for which the combination will be provided upon successful reservation of a campsite.
It was really hard to get a reservation ! I had one 6 months ago and we were back from the camping yesterday. I stayed the cabin #4. The view of this cabin was wonderful by the rocks and wave. I felt like in the fairy tale, because the scenes were beautiful and nostalgic. 🌊🏕 BUT ! The fairy tale turned to nightmare because of the mice. 😭 We didn’t have an idea of this problem, so we could not sleep all night.. I think this place should need some tools or methods for mice.. I kept my foods in a bag but the mice tried to go in to my bag and tore it.. This camping was so special experience and the view was like heaven but we will not be here again because of the mice.(Maybe the campsite is better for this problem than cabin.)
I used to come here all the time as a child even though it was practically in my back yard, and we had a blast! My brother's and I would go on hikes and explore and we didn't miss our Game Boys one bit! This was a time before smartphones were a thing so I can't necessarily speak for kids today or whether not they would enjoy being off the grid or having temporary detachment of their feeds.
My brothers and I came back as a memorial for our mother since we had so many happy memories staying in the cabins. While the cabins have had some updates over the years it was still as rustically cozy as I remember, and nothing comes close to beating the views you have from your cabin. Since your primary source of heat is a wood burning stove I'm not sure I would recommend the cabins for very young children. However if your kids or anyone else in your family love hiking, camping, nature, or if you remembered to pack the Jiffy Pop and fixings for s'mores, it truly is a memorable experience for most ages. Steep Ravine is such a treasure to the Marin County coastline. **YOU NEED RESERVATIONS to get a cabin** So plan your trip accordingly. You definitely do not want to miss out on an opportunity to stay at Steep Ravine, it is worth it.
We stayed in camp site #5. Great views of SF. There's no shade at this site - so I'd bring a pop-up tent for shade. The raccoons are fierce at night - so definitely bring things to secure your coolers & camp boxes. Critter Storage was available, but too small for our coolers/boxes. A couple of bungee cords did the trick. Walk is about 5 mins from the car to the site. Wheelbarrows are available for use. I'd suggest if you have things on wheels or backpacks to minimize the # of trips. Cabins are hard to get, though half empty while we were there. Seems to be a lot of last minute cancelations - so if you're a last minute booker, try calling just after noon to see if you can snag a spot.
Running water available near the outhouses & cabins. Flush toilets are up by the parking lot. Trash & recycling services available via bins near restrooms. Wood is $10 a bundle. Bring exact change. Parking permit is located in the critter boxes at your campsite. There was a grate on our camp fire ring. Picnic tables at each site.
Steep Ravine Beach: hike down one of the paths in between the cabins to get down there. Look up about the hot/warm springs down there. We just missed them because of the tide change.
Other sites: 1 & 6 have the most direct view of Stinson Beach. #6 is tiny. Probably not good for multiple multi person tents. Neither 1 or 6 have shade. 2 & 3 would be good for a combined larger group if purchased together. They face out towards the ocean and are big spots with shade. #4 probably has the most privacy + shade, but a bit longer hike in than the rest. Faces the ocean and depending where you sit in the site can see some SF views as well.
Amazing place.
Steep Ravine is a great place to visit when you're in Northern California. Very quiet with a beach nearby, it's a perfect place to relax and see beautiful scenery.
An interesting point is that Dorothea Lange lived in the cabin, during this period she took incredible photos of her family.
Lovely cabins with a great view. Not much to do around and the beach is very rocky. If you want a nice beach go to Stinson Beach for supplies and come back to a serine cabin. Bathrooms are good but a bit of a walk from the cabin. Water access close by. Otherwise it's just a wood cabin with a fireplace. Perfect getaway from it all
