Mount Wittenberg Trail from Bear Valley

Mount Wittenberg Trail from Bear Valley is a 4.8-mile out-and-back to the Point Reyes Peninsula's 1,407-foot high point. The route follows Bear Valley Trail, climbs Mount Wittenberg Trail through forest and small meadows, then takes a short summit trail. Allow two to three hours for a strenuous 1,300-foot ascent. Go for a real uphill walk and the satisfaction of reaching the peninsula's high point, not a wide-open summit panorama.

From Bear Valley Trailhead, head south on the relatively flat Bear Valley Trail for 0.2 mile through meadow, then turn right onto Mount Wittenberg Trail. It climbs another 1.8 miles through mixed Douglas fir and oak, with a few open meadows breaking the shade. Most of the tread is compacted dirt, but roots and rocks stick through it; the forest makes the climb feel tucked away while the grade keeps asking for effort. You reach a meadow on the ridge crest at the Mount Wittenberg–Z Ranch junction.

From there, the 0.3-mile summit trail winds up to the top. Dense Douglas fir thickets that regrew after the 1995 Vision Fire now screen much of the former open view, so expect glimpses through branches rather than a sweeping look over the peninsula. Peter and Newton Wittenberg, believed to be the first occupants of the nearby Z Ranch in the early 1860s, gave the mountain its name.

A 0.4-mile continuation west on Mount Wittenberg Trail toward the Meadow–Sky junction can open to a Pacific view when visibility cooperates. That adds walking beyond this trail's direct summit out-and-back; retrace it to return to the junction. For an actual loop, the longer alternatives return via Meadow (5.4 miles) or Z Ranch and Horse trails (6.5 miles); those are different routes, not part of the 4.8-mile figure. At the west-facing opening, frame the headlands through the conifers.

Bear Valley Trailhead is at the southwest corner of the Trailhead and Picnic Area parking area, beside Bear Valley Visitor Center. Use the free gravel hiking lot northeast of the trailhead; restrooms are nearby. No reservation is required, but pets are prohibited on every trail leading to Mount Wittenberg. Pack food and water for the climb; no food service is listed at the trailhead or along the route. Winter rain can linger, spring is often cool and windy, and summer fog may lift later in the day.