Quick Answer: Marin County is proposing two footbridges, trail improvements and creek restoration on the route to Buck Gulch Falls, which starts at the end of Fairway Drive in Marin Country Club Estates (Novato 94949). As of October 6, 2026, the project is not approved and has no construction date. Heavy work at the creek is limited to the dry season, so the walk to the falls this winter is the existing route, rock fords included.
Key Takeaways:
- The walk is about two-thirds of a mile each way from the end of Fairway Drive.
- The falls run in the wet months. The construction would happen in the dry months.
- The trail would be closed during construction, which the county expects to take about six months over two dry seasons.
- The trailhead has no parking lot, and the project adds none. Visitors use about 25 curb spaces nearby.
- The public comment period closed July 24, 2026. The county has not finalized its environmental document.
The rock ford on the Spyglass Trail is "nearly impassable during periods of high storm runoff." That's the Marin County Open Space District's own description, from the draft environmental document for a project that would put a bridge over that crossing. The ford sits a few minutes' walk from the end of Fairway Drive, inside Ignacio Valley Open Space Preserve. It stands between Marin Country Club Estates and the seasonal waterfall at the top of the creek.
For anyone who walks this trail, the timing is the part that matters most. The falls run in the wet months. The construction the county describes is limited to the dry months. The walk people make to see the water is in one season, and the work that would change that walk is in the other.
I live next door in Pointe Marin, and I posted a short of this walk in January 2026, after winter rain. It shows the route as it exists today:
How long is the walk from Fairway Drive to Buck Gulch Falls?
About 3,480 feet one way, or roughly two-thirds of a mile, per the county's draft environmental document. Spyglass Trail covers the first 1,000 feet from the street-end. Buck Gulch Falls Trail covers the rest.
Along the way the trail crosses Arroyo de San Jose Creek twice at unimproved rock fords, and a long stretch runs right along the creek bank. The county's project page says that in wet weather, visitors stepping around mud and slick spots have worn side paths and worn away streamside vegetation.
That's the catch with this trail. The creek flows in the rainy season, and the county names winter and spring as the busiest months for waterfall viewing. The same runoff that makes the falls worth the walk is what makes the lower ford hard to cross.
When would construction happen, and would it close the trail during waterfall season?
Not by the draft's own calendar. Work at the creek crossings and heavy earthwork would be "limited to the dry season, generally May 15th to October 15th," and the draft says construction would begin August 1 unless wildlife surveys allow an earlier start.
Period | Creek | What the draft plan allows |
|---|---|---|
Winter through spring | Flowing; peak waterfall season | No heavy work at the creek crossings |
May 15 to October 15 | Dry season | Creek-crossing work and heavy earthwork |
After the first significant rain | Flow returns | Replanting of restored areas |
The table leaves out one thing. The document says trails in the project area would be closed during construction for safety. Because the work falls in the months when there's little or no waterfall to see, a closure would take away dry-season walks and horse rides more than falls viewing.
The county expects about six months of work spread over two construction seasons, starting at the waterfall and moving downhill toward Fairway Drive. The draft says the work closest to homes would last less than two months, and that residents on Fairway and Saint Andrews Drive would be notified once dates are known.
What would the county build on the Buck Gulch Falls trail?
Two footbridges, a better trail surface, and a restored creek bank:
- Two pedestrian bridges, one over each creek crossing.
- Trail improvements, with some stretches moved away from eroding banks.
- An upgraded viewing area at the waterfall.
- Creek restoration where the banks have eroded.
Buck Gulch Falls Trail would also change from hiker-and-equestrian use to hiker-only. Riders would keep Spyglass Trail and its existing ford.
The county's stated purpose includes "safe year-round access." Once built, the walk to the falls in February would no longer depend on how high the water is at the Spyglass ford. The biggest change would come in the wet season, even though the work would happen in the dry one.
Where does the review stand in October 2026?
The comment period is closed, the environmental document is not final, and nothing has been scheduled. The county has been meeting with neighbors since 2022, including a May 2025 neighborhood meeting that drew more than 100 people. The formal comment period ran from June 23 to July 24, 2026. On July 28, the Novato City Council voted 3–1 to send the county a comment letter covering construction impacts, parking, trail surfacing and emergency access, Patch reported.
The county's project page was last updated July 24, 2026. It says the Open Space District will consider comments before finalizing the document. It gives no construction start date, and it lists federal, state and City of Novato permits that must be obtained before any work begins.
Put that next to the calendar. The document isn't final, the permits are still to come, and this year's dry-season window closes October 15. My reading, and it is a reading of the calendar and not a county schedule: the earliest dry season left for construction is 2027. The walk to the falls this coming rainy season is the route described above, fords and all.
Where do Buck Gulch Falls visitors park on Fairway Drive?
At the curb. The trailhead has no parking lot, and the project adds none. The county's transportation memo counts about 25 legal curb spaces within 1,000 feet of the trailhead, on the sides of Fairway Drive and Saint Andrews Drive without homes.
The county expects the finished project to bring little or no added traffic, because the street parking limits how many people can visit. Some residents have asked whether a bridged, better-surfaced trail would draw more than that, and the county says it will consider those comments before finalizing the document. During construction, stretches of Fairway Drive may be posted no-parking on days when equipment and bridge sections are delivered.
If you don't know the street, my Marin Country Club Estates driving tour reaches the end of Fairway Drive and the trailhead at the 8:39 mark:
Where can you read more about Marin Country Club Estates?
Start with what it's really like living in Marin Country Club Estates and why the Country Club median fell while prices went up. For the waterfall at the other end of Ignacio Boulevard, see what the first fall rain turns on in Indian Valley. The wider picture is in my Novato real estate guide.
Questions about Marin Country Club Estates? I live next door in Pointe Marin and I've represented buyers and sellers throughout this neighborhood. If you're thinking about buying or selling here, I'm glad to talk it through. If you already have a number from another agent, a second opinion on that valuation costs nothing.
Kyle Frazier, JD, CRS, CLHMS · Broker Associate, Compass · DRE# 01405738
[email protected] · 415-350-9440
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Buck Gulch Falls trailhead?
The trailhead is at the end of Fairway Drive in Marin Country Club Estates, Novato 94949, at the edge of Ignacio Valley Open Space Preserve. Spyglass Trail starts at the street-end and meets Buck Gulch Falls Trail near the first creek crossing. There is no parking lot, so visitors park at the curb on Fairway Drive and Saint Andrews Drive.
How long is the hike to Buck Gulch Falls?
About two-thirds of a mile each way, or roughly 1.3 miles round trip, per the county's draft environmental document. The route crosses Arroyo de San Jose Creek twice at unimproved rock fords, so expect wet feet, mud and slick rock after rain. Take it slow near the water.
When does Buck Gulch Falls flow?
In the rainy season. Marin County Parks describes the creek as a seasonal stream that flows during the rainy season, and says the trails are most popular in winter and spring for waterfall viewing. The best flow comes in the days after a solid winter storm. By late summer the creek is largely dry.
Is the Buck Gulch Falls bridge project approved?
No. As of October 6, 2026, the Marin County Open Space District has released a draft environmental document and closed the public comment period, which ran June 23 to July 24, 2026. The county says it will consider comments before finalizing the document. The project also needs federal, state and City of Novato permits before construction can begin.
When would construction start, and will the trail close?
The county has announced no start date. The draft limits the heavy work to the dry season, generally May 15 to October 15, and says the trail would be closed during construction. With this year's window closing and approvals still pending, the earliest remaining dry season is 2027. That is my reading of the calendar, not a county schedule.
Is there parking at Buck Gulch Falls?
Only street parking. The county counts about 25 legal curb spaces within 1,000 feet of the trailhead, on the sides of Fairway Drive and Saint Andrews Drive without homes. The project includes no new parking. During construction, stretches of Fairway Drive may be posted no-parking on equipment delivery days.
Sources: Marin County Parks, Buck Gulch Falls Creek Restoration and Trail Improvements project page (updated July 24, 2026); Marin County Open Space District, Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (June 2026); transportation memo; Patch, August 4, 2026. Project status as of October 6, 2026. Schedules and approvals can change, so confirm with Marin County Parks before relying on any date.
