A San Francisco Bay Area financial advisor, Darrach Bourke has worked for Emerson Equity in San Mateo for the past five years. A resident of Corte Madera, Darrach Bourke counts hiking among his favorite outdoor pursuits.
The top hiking destination in Corte Madera according to the independent hiking authority AllTrails, the Ring Mountain Preserve sits atop a windswept ridge at the head of the Tiburon Peninsula. Weather permitting, the preserve offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Bay Area.
While a network of trails covers the Ring Mountain Preserve’s windswept 367 acres, one of the most popular is the Phyllis Ellman Loop Trail. Covering roughly a mile and three-quarters, the Phyllis Ellman Loop takes hikers through oak thickets, over open grasslands, and across seasonal creeks.
In springtime, the Ring Mountain Preserve produces a broad range of wildflowers including the Tiburon mariposa lily, which exists exclusively on the Tiburon Peninsula. Area wildlife includes raptors and rock wrens. The Ring Mountain Preserve is also renowned for its geological features, such as rocky slopes of mineral amphibolite and garnet crystal.
