Seeing Mount Tamalpais from a plane
Only 2,571 ft, but it rises almost straight from the ocean north of the Golden Gate, and its fire roads are where mountain biking was born in the 1970s. Look for a long ridge with a sharp east peak above Marin's fog.
4 of our routes pass it. California · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
San Francisco to Chicago: sit on the left, on the climb, 1 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Portland to San Francisco | Left | on the way down |
| San Francisco to Chicago | Left | on the climb, 1 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to Los Angeles | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 2 min after takeoff |
| San Francisco to San Diego | Right the other side is usually better on this route | on the climb, 2 min after takeoff |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Mount Tamalpais from?
It depends on the direction: the left on most of our routes (2 of 4). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Mount Tamalpais from a plane?
Near the airport, on the climb or on the way down, and mid-flight on longer routes: see the table for each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
San Francisco San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Port of Oakland Oakland Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport Portland (PDX) San Francisco (SFO) Chicago (ORD) Los Angeles (LAX) All routes