Tim Kizirian - Mount Burdell Preserve: Dawn-to-Desk Loop for Mid-Week Fitness

I’m Tim Kizirian—Chico resident, former Ernst & Young auditor, ex-Chico State professor, and ongoing mileage accountant. When a weekday client call lands at 11 a.m. in San Rafael, I squeeze in a pre-meeting climb on Mount Burdell. The preserve’s basic loop—San Andreas Fire Road up, Cobblestone down—delivers 6.3 miles and 1,400 feet gain, all before most commuters pick a podcast.

Parking and start

Pull up to the San Andreas Drive gate (Novato) by 6:40 a.m. Weekdays you’ll find curb space; weekends fill by 8. I log odometer and start time—old habit from audit mileage sheets—then step through the cattle gate onto a hard-packed road.

Up-track details (0–3.1 miles)

  • First mile: grade 6 percent, shaded live oaks, footing like compact gravel.

  • Mile 1–2: steeper switchbacks (10 percent) through open grass; sunrise paints Big Rock Ridge opposite.

  • Water trough at Mile 2.3: seasonal; I still carry two litres.

  • Summit spur at 3.1: short detour to the Big Tank and radio towers—worth it for 360-degree bay/valley view.

I tag the summit by 7:35 if I keep a mid-aerobic pace (HR 145). Ten-minute snack stop: PB tortilla and 12 oz water.

Descent via Cobblestone Trail (3.1–6.3 miles)

Cobblestone earns its name—loose rock marbles underfoot. I fold out trekking poles for the first half-mile, then stow them when grade eases. Quail flush from coyote brush; deer browse unbothered—weekday benefit.

Back at the gate by 8:40 a.m., elapsed two hours. Quick trunk change and I’m southbound on 101 with buffer time before the call.

Gear tally

Trail runners, collapsible poles, 2 L bladder, wind vest. No hydration pack “extras”; short loops reward light kits.

Stewardship note

Volunteers added small drainage swales this spring—step over, not through, so silt doesn’t re-fill the trench. Minor effort, long-term payoff.

Numbers recap
Distance 6.3 mi Gain 1,400 ft Moving 1 h 45 m
Calories (for me) ≈ 820

Mount Burdell is the perfect weekday ridge: brisk climb, steady descent, zero trailhead fees, back in time for work deliverables. That’s a ledger entry I’ll repeat every quarter.


Other popular hikes Hidden Waterfalls, Family Friendly Hikes, and Scenic View Hikes. 


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