MMWD's Lake Lagunitas Picnic Area
It’s August, but there’s still plenty of summer to savor before the back-to-school bustle. Why not get outside and enjoy a picnic on the beautiful Mt. Tamalpais Watershed?
MMWD’s Lake Lagunitas Picnic Area is a lovely spot for a picnic, potluck or cookout. You’ll find picnic tables and barbecues in a grove of redwoods, skirted by a creek on one side and sandwiched between Lagunitas and Bon Tempe lakes. If you want to work up an appetite before your meal—or burn off some of that barbecue afterwards—there are a number of trails nearby. The lakes are great for bird-watching and you may even spot some western pond turtles basking in the sun.
In addition to natural beauty, you’ll find some interesting history. The picnic area features a rustic shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps—a Depression-era public work program—in 1936. Lagunitas’s wooden spillway is nearby, along with the remnants of three fish rearing ponds used to raise steelhead trout up until World War II.
The picnic area is open from sunrise to sunset. Please note that open flames are restricted to facilities provided by the district. You can reserve the picnic shelter for $75 or the group picnic site for $125 by calling (415) 945-1180. No reservations are necessary for individuals and families, although there is a watershed entry fee of $8 per vehicle. Annual vehicle passes are available for $60 for Marin residents (discounted to $30 after September 1). Find more information on our Sky Oaks Parking Passes page.
The district also has more remote, undeveloped picnic sites to enjoy. To locate them, check the watershed map.
