The West Point Inn

I've been meaning to tell y'all about this place for months now. I visted it a few times over the summer. The West Point in is a little lodge with a handful of individual "cold water" cabins (no electricity) up on the top of Mt. Tam. You hike or bike into the place. It's a couple of miles on the Old Stagecoach Road trail from the nearest spot you can leave your car overnight.





The organization that operates the inn does fundraising pancake breakfasts there every month, which make for a nice morning hike (it's really more like a stroll after you stuff yourself with pancakes). However, the coolest thing is that you can also arrange to stay in the cabins. There's a huge, fully equipped kitchen that all of the guests share to prepare meals. You just pack your food and booze, roll in, hang out, and look at the views. It's one of the most relaxing places I've been.





The views, if it's clear, are absolutely amazing. We somehow got lucky enough to be there on a perfectly clear night, with a huge full moon. It was light enough to throw horse shoes at three in the morning (though I will admit to losing one in the bushes, but I think that has more to do with me having terrible aim).



One of the biggest reasons that this place is such an awesome, stress-free escape, is how close to the city it is. Drive for a half and hour, take a little walk, and suddenly it suddenly feels like you're a million miles away from everything. You can easily go on a Friday night after work with minimal hassle.