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Azalea Hill Restoration - Bank Stabilization Project

A dirt path with people and equipment.

Construction update (updated Sept. 29, 2023)

The restoration of Azalea Hill continued in the summer of 2023 with bank stabilization work along a portion of the trail near Bolinas-Fairfax Road. This bank stabilization work included drilling and pouring 18 retaining wall piers, as well as installing retaining wall lagging, redwood guardrail fence and rock slope protection. 

Ecological Health on Mt. Tam is critical

The Azalea Hill Trail restoration project which is expected to restore one acre of habitat while also preventing 219 cubic yards of sediment from entering Azalea Hill creeks and Alpine Lake annually – an important step toward protecting the watershed’s ecological health and water quality.

Project Azalea Hill Restoration Implementation 
Program A1F06 Reimbursable ‐ Split Grant Funding 
Project Number R17008
Contact Hagar Negash | HNegash@marinwater.org  / Shaun Horne | SHorne@marinwater.org 
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Map of Azalea Hill near Alpine Dam, along Azalea Hill Rd and Azalea Hill Trl
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Wooden bridge connected to dirt trail

Project Description 

Marin Water adopted an Amendment to the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) for the Restoration of Azalea Hill (Project) on May 14, 2019. The Project will: 1) remove approximately 4.4-miles of non-system roads and trails and restore those routes to natural conditions to improve habitat and water quality; 2) adopt and improve a 1.9-mile Class IV road comprised of the existing Liberty Gulch Road (1.2 miles) and convert an existing non-system trail (0.7 miles) to the wider, small vehicle route; 3) improve the hiking and equestrian route over Azalea Hill by correcting erosion and drainage problems along approximately 1.1 miles of existing Class VI trail, rerouting the trail around sensitive plants and adopting 250 feet of an existing non-system trail; and 4) treat the Azalea Hill parking lot to correct its erosion problems and improve the visitor amenities. 

Benefits

Upon its completion, the project would prevent up to an estimated 219 cubic yards of sediment from entering Azalea Hill’s creeks and Alpine Lake annually (or 4,380 cubic yards over 20 years) and would restore approximately one acre of habitat. 

Schedule and Status

Design: Winter 2009/10 - Winter 2018/19

Construction: Winter 2018/19 - Summer 2025

Expenditure Schedule

Actuals Through
FY 22 (Rounded)
FY 23
Estimate 
FY 24
Estimate 
FY 25
Estimate 
Total
$410,000
$470,000
$350,000
$1,200,000
$2,430,000

Funding Sources 

Capital Maintenance Fund*
Grants Paid to Others Azalea Hill Grant Funding Other Grants TBD*
Total
$200,000
$200,000
$700,000
$1,330,000
$2,430,000

*Seeking implementation grants which will require Capital Maintenance Fund matching funds to be determined.