Marin Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marin Hills |
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Mount Tamalpais
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Tamalpais |
| Elevation | 2,571 ft (784 m) |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
The Marin Hills are a group of tall, steep hills and mountains in southern Marin County, California. They are part of the much larger Pacific Coast Ranges mountain system. The most famous spot in these hills is Mount Tamalpais, which stands 2,571 feet (784 meters) high. It is located near the town of Mill Valley, California.
The Marin Hills have natural borders all around them. To the north, you'll find the Santa Rosa Plain. To the east is San Pablo Bay, which is part of San Francisco Bay. The famous Golden Gate Strait is to the south. To the west, the San Andreas Fault runs through areas like Tomales Bay and Stinson Beach, California.
Many parts of these beautiful hills are protected. They are part of Mount Tamalpais State Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. When you look from the south, these hills create an amazing background for the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.
Weather in the Marin Hills
Since the Marin Hills are close to the Pacific Ocean, they get a lot of rain. The hills force the moist air coming from the ocean to rise. As the air goes up, it cools down and drops its moisture as rain. This is called orographic rain. Because of all this rain, the Marin Municipal Water District has built several reservoirs. These reservoirs store water for the people living in Marin County.
The high rainfall also helps certain trees grow very well here. You can find tall Coast redwood and Douglas-fir trees. However, the eastern parts of the hills are different. Most of Marin's population lives there. These areas are drier and hotter because the hills block the cool ocean breezes. The lower eastern hills mostly have California oak woodlands, chaparral (a type of shrubland), and grasslands.
Exploring the Marin Hills Landscape
Long ago, the western Marin Hills were covered in huge, very old forests. These were called old-growth forests. In the 1800s, many of these trees were cut down. The timber was used to build homes and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Luckily, one special old-growth forest was saved. It was in Sequoia Canyon. This area was too steep for loggers to easily reach. Today, this amazing forest is protected as the Muir Woods National Monument. It is also part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The parklands in the Marin Hills are very popular. Both tourists and local people love to visit them. They offer a great escape from the busy cities of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Animals of the Marin Hills
The most common large animal you might see in the Marin Hills is the Black-tailed deer. These deer are a type of mammal that lives in the area.
