Tourist attractions, suppliers and places worth visiting
USA
Mount Tamalpais, near San Francisco, California
Pronunciation
I'm very grateful to Jeff Price, the Chief Ranger, California State Parks,
Marin District, who informs me that the correct pronunciation of "Tamalpais"
is "Tam-ul-pie-us". Jeff points out that most people just say "Mount Tam".
Location
Mount Tamalpais, quite a significant mountain, is located near the southern
tip of the Marin Peninsula, the northernmost of
the two peninsulas which nearly enclose San Francisco
Bay.
Description
The drive to the summit of Mount Tamalpais is via a fairly narrow, winding
but good quality paved road, and is rewarded by a really excellent view
over the Golden Gate Bridge, San
Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the cities of
San Francisco and Oakland - on a clear day.
Derivation of the Name
I'm aware of two theories regarding the derivation of the name Tamalpais:
-
The name was given by early Spanish settlers who joined the native Miwok
Indian word tamal, meaning coast or bay with the word pais meaning mountain.
-
From the name of a legendary Miwok Indian maiden.
In the Area
External Links
California
State and Provincial Parks
Home | States/Provinces
| Subjects