Mount Tamalpias Retreat
West Point Inn
Secluded amongst the trees on the upper south slope of Mt. Tamalpais, in Marin County is the historic West Point Inn. Built in 1904 as a stopover and restaurant on the Mill Valley/Mt. Tamalpais Railway line, this rustic inn offers panoramic views of the East Bay, San Francisco, the Marin Headlands, and one tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Inn is now under the jurisdiction of the Marin Municipal Water District but is operated by a non profit organization, the West Point Inn Association. In 2001 there were improvements made to one of the cabins to make it wheelchair accessible.
View from the deck
The Inn consists of 5 rustic cabins (including one with an accessible bathroom), a communal fully equipped kitchen, a large living area with fireplace, a deck with phenomenal views, a single use restroom on the deck with a roll-in shower, and additional guestrooms upstairs in the main lodge. To get to the accessible cabin you need to traverse a long switchback ramp, however it is built to code and provides level resting areas. To reach the Inn, the general public has to hike in, however, if you are not able to hike in, you are allowed to drive in down the two-mile dirt road. This requires that you get out of your vehicle to unlock a gate that is difficult to operate if you are in a wheelchair. Arrangements can be made to have someone meet you at the gate.
The cabin is basically a place to sleep and not spacious enough for just hanging out. The bathroom has enough space to turn a 5 x 5 circle and has all the appropriate grab bars. The sink is located in the sleeping area and the only accessible bathing facility is a large roll-in shower that's up on the deck in the single use bathroom. There is no electricity and you will need to bring your own towels and sheets. Aside from the difficulties getting there, the 2 other drawbacks that I experienced were the uncomfortable mattress and the throng of bicyclists and hikers that showed up on the weekends to hike the trail adjacent to the inn. Part of the Inn is open to the public during the daytime so it ends up not being so private. During the week it is much less crowded and the evenings are extremely peaceful.
The Inn is not advertised anywhere so it remains a hidden gem.
The cost is only $30 per person.
For general information call 415 388-9955
For reservations call 415 646-0702.
To find more detailed access information look at the San Francisco lodging page.
