Contributed by Chuck Oldenburg

Homestead Valley residents do a lot of walking. The 1.6 mile Montford-Melrose- LaVerne loop is commonly used for walking a dog, routine exercise and strolling. Walking to the Community Center, Marin Horizon School, Stolte Grove and Three Groves is often preferable to driving.

Then why is it that residents usually drive to Mill Valley? Probably because they don’t know about the many direct and interesting routes for walking there.

This guide describes several routes from Homestead Valley to Mill Valley that follow steps, lanes and paths, and streets with little traffic.   Which route to take depends on where you start and where you want to end up in Mill Valley.

The starting point for routes described in this guide is the Homestead Valley Comm uni ty Center or anywhere else on Montford Ave.  The basic strategy is to first get to Pixie Trail, go over the ridge to Ethel Ave. and  down to Miller Ave. or Throckmorton Ave.

Residents who live above Homestead Blvd. can take the trail from the lower end of Loring Ave. down to LaVerne Ave., and then descend Ethel Lane to Ethel Ave.   Or, they can get on the Homestead Trail either from Homestead Blvd. or from the west end of Greenhill Rd. and descend the Access Trail to Reed St. and on to Ethel Ave.

Routes terminate at one of the following locations in Mill Valley:

Ethel Ave.

at

Throckmorton Ave.

, not far from the plaza

Creek Lane Steps at

Throckmorton Ave.

, closer to the plaza

Mill Creek Plaza on

Miller Ave.

, closest to the plaza

Una Way opposite Park Ave. which leads to Park School  and Boyle Park

Lower Willow Steps which leads to

Willow St.

and Tamalpais Park subdivision

Old Mill Park, close to Old Mill School and the Library

Pixie Trail can be accessed from its west end at Montford Ave. near Three Groves, its east end at Janes St. or the foot path through the field on the open space land next to #340 Montford Ave..

From the west end of Pixie Trail at Montford Ave. to its east end at Janes St., there are four exit opportunities.  The first exit is Upper Pixie trail.  The second exit is a path from the bench which leads up to the Edgewood Gate.  The third exit leads to Cape Court and Molino Ave.  The fourth exit leads to Seymour Lane.

Start on Pixie Trail at Upper Pixie Trail which is about 200 yards from Montford Ave.  Follow Upper Pixie Trail a short distance on the dirt road and make a sharp right turn onto the footpath leading to Hart Lane.  Turn left on Hart Lane and walk to Edgewood Ave.  Cross Edgewood Ave. at the stop signs to Birch St.  Follow Birch St. to Molino Ave.   Turn left and cross Molino  Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Molino Ave.).  After about 200 yards turn right on Heuters Lane.  At  #18 descend Heuters Lane Steps to Ethel Ave. near Miller Lane Steps. 

As an alternate, continue on Molino past Heuters Lane about 100 yards to the top of the Wildomar Steps between #183 and #187. Descend the Wildomar steps to Wildomar St.  The bottom of the Wildomar steps are between # 31 and the entrance to Eagle Cliff.  Follow Wildomar Ave. to Ethel Ave. near Miller Lane Steps. 

Start on Pixie Trail at the wooden bench.  Follow the footpath leading up the hill to the Edgewood Gate.  Turn left on Edgewood Ave. and walk past two houses to reach Hart Lane.  Cross Edgewood Ave. at the stop sign to Birch St.  Follow Birch St. to Molino Ave.   Turn left and cross Molino  Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Molino Ave.).  After about 200 yards turn right on Heuters Lane.  At #18 descend Heuters Lane Steps to Ethel Ave. near Miller Lane Steps.

As an al ternate, continue on Molino past Heuters Lane about 100 yards to the top of the Wildomar Steps between #183 and #187. Descend the Wildomar Steps to Wildomar St.  The bottom of the Wildomar Steps are between # 31 and the entrance to Eagle Cliff ne ar Ethe l Ave. and the M iller Lane Steps.

Start on Pixie Trail at the Cape Court exit and follow the exit trail to the intersection of Cape Court and Molino Ave.  Cross Molino Ave. to Mirabel Ave. (caution:  stop signs on Molino Ave. and Edgewood Ave. are a fair distance from Mirabel Ave.)&nb sp; Follow Mirabel Ave. ab out 50 yards and descend Mirabel Steps on the right to Ethel Ave. near  Una Way Steps.  Or continue to follow Mirabel Ave. or turn right on Rainbow Lane.  Both streets end at Ethel Ave. not far from  Una Way Steps to the right.

Start on Pixie Trail at the Seymour Lane exit and follow Seymour Lane to Molino Ave.  Cross Molino Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Molino Ave.)  Descend Seymour Lane Steps to Ethel Ave. near Una Way Steps.

Start at the end of  Pixie Trail at Janes St. Turn left and follow Janes St. to Molino Ave. at Molino Park.  (Or, walk up Janes St. from Montford Ave. to Molino Ave.)  Cross Molino Ave. on the cross walk, turn right, walk east about 40 feet, turn left onto Woodside Lane.  Turn left onto a driveway going down to Ethel Ave. near Una Way Steps. 

ROUTE #6 VIA JANES ST. AND SUNRISE AVE.

Start at the end of  Pixie Trail at Janes St.  Turn right and follow Janes St. to Sunrise Ave.  (or, walk up Janes St. from Montford Ave. to Sunrise Ave.)  Follow Sunrise Ave. to Molino Ave.  Cross Molino Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Molino Ave.), turn right on the dirt sidewalk.  After 100 feet turn left at #469 to reach Upper Willow Steps. Descend  Upper Willow Steps to Ethel Ave..

Ethel Ave. starts at Throckmorton Ave. and ends at Reed Street.  There are four flights of steps down to Throckmorton Ave. and Miller Ave. The first is Creek Lane Steps, the second is Miller Lane Steps, the third is Una Way Steps and the fourth is Lower Willow Steps.

Old Mill Park is adjacent to the library, across the street from Old Mill School and a short walk from downtown Mill Valley.  T here are two interesting walking routes from Homestead Valley to Old Mill Park:

Start at Tamalpais Drive across from Stolte Grove at the intersection of Montford Ave. and LaVerne Ave.  Walk up Tamalpais Drive through Tamalpais Canyon to the end of the road, cross the bridge and follow the path and steps to a second bridge and more steps up past the last house on the right.  When the path comes to a signed junction, turn right and follow Cowboy Rock Trail to the intersection of Edgewood Ave. and Sequoia Valley Road.    

[Note: to reach the extensive network of hiking trails on Mount Tamalpais follow Edgewood Ave. to Pipeline Trail.  Or, turn left on Sequoia Valley Road and follow Dipsea Trail to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach.]

Cross Edgewood Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Edgewood Ave.) and descend the top flight of Dipsea Steps (also known as Hale Lane).  At the bottom of this flight turn left on Hazel Ave. After a short distance, descend the mi ddle flight of Dipsea Steps (also known as Oc ean Way) to Marion Ave.   At that point there is a sign on a redwood tree pointing the way to Dipsea Steps.  Follow Millside Lane a short distance to Cascade Way, which is the lower flight of Dipsea Steps. Descend Dipsea Steps to Molino Ave. and Old Mill Park.

Start on Pixie Trail at Upper Pixie Trail which is about 200 yards from Montford Ave.  Follow Upper Pixie Trail, mostly a dirt road to the intersection of Ridgewood Ave., Edgewood Ave. and Marion Ave.  Cross Edgewood Ave. (caution: no stop signs on Edgewood Ave.) to Marion Ave.  Follow Marion Ave. to the bottom of the middle flight of Dipsea Steps. At that point there is a sign on a redwood tree pointing the way to Dipsea Steps.  Follow Millside Lane a short distance to Cascade Way, which is the lower fli ght of Dipsea Steps. Descend Dipsea Steps to Molino Ave. and Old Mill Park.

A.  From Homestead Blvd. opposite Loring Ave. and the trail from Midway Ave., follow the trail down to LaVerne Ave. at #38.  Turn right to #30 LaVerne Ave. then left on Ethel Lane Trail which leads to Reed St. and Ethel Ave.

B.  Get on the Homestead Trail from the end of Homestead Blvd. or the end of Greenhill Rd.  Follow Homestead Trail to the Reed St. Access Trail, and go down to the driveway of  #227 Reed St.  Follow Reed St. to Ethel Ave.

The numbers in parentheses that follow refer to designations in “The Guide t o Mil l Valley Steps , Lanes Paths” published  by the City of Mill Valley in 2006.

The following steps are in excellent condition: Upper Willow Steps (#8), Lower Miller Steps (#1), Seymour Steps (#106), Una Way Steps (#3), Heuters Lane Steps (#13), Miller Lane Steps (#6), Creek Lane Steps (#7) and all three flights of  Dipsea Steps (#26, #27, and #28).   Several were renovated in 2007 and 2008.

The following Steps Lanes and Paths are in fair to good condition:  Mirabel steps (#11), Woodside Lane (#12) and Wildomar Steps (#17).

The following steps, lanes and paths are in poor condition but passable:  Ethel Lane Steps,  the steps from Homestead Blvd. to La Verne Ave. and the trail from Midway Ave. to Loring Ave.

To ret urn to Homestead Valley, follow in reverse the same route taken to get to Mill Valley, or any of the other routes described in this guide.&nbs p; I f y o u want to walk back without encountering any steps, take the following route:

Start at the end of Ethel Ave. at Throckmorton Ave.; follow Ethel Ave. to Mirabel Ave.; fo llow Mirabel Ave. to Molino Ave.; cross Molino Ave. to Cape Court; follow the adjacent connector trail to Pixie Trail; follow Pixie Trail to Montford Ave. or Janes St.