Honoring a Family Legacy Through Trail Improvements at Mount Tamalpais State Park

An exciting project at Mount Tamalpais State Park has recently improved access, connectivity, and public safety for outdoor recreationists. Located in Marin County just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the park (affectionately known as Mount Tam) is a beloved landscape of sweeping hillsides and breathtaking vistas, where visitors hike, bike, and explore.  

Thanks in part to support from Brian and Wayne Best honoring the legacy of their parents, Alan and Joy Best, long-envisioned improvements to the Easy Grade Trail are now complete. The project introduced design modifications that allow cyclists to safely travel between Pantoll Station and the Mountain Theater, eliminating the need to navigate the narrow, winding Pantoll Road alongside vehicle traffic.  

After years of stalled progress due to limited funding, this effort was brought to life over the past year through trail rerouting, stonework, footbridge installation, and other critical upgrades — resulting in a safer, more connected experience for all who enjoy Mount Tam. 

A Family Legacy Rooted in Mount Tamalpais State Park 

In speaking with Brian Best about his family’s support of the Easy Grade Trail, it is clear that the story begins when Alan and Joy grew up in the Bay Area, each of them individually shaped by Marin County long before it became the bustling region it is today. Alan was born in San Francisco and spent his early years in a much more rural Marin, where his family kept a rustic summer home in Kentfield, complete with sleeping porches. After his parents separated during the Great Depression, his mother moved the family permanently to Marin, where Alan would remain for most of his life. He attended Tamalpais High School, commuting by train around Mount Tam each day, and later built a lifelong career with the Marin Municipal Water District. 

Joy’s upbringing echoed a similar Marin story. Raised in Larkspur in a home shaded by magnolia trees along Magnolia Avenue, she too attended Tam High School (though after Alan had already graduated) before transferring to Sir Francis Drake High School as part of its first graduating class. After college in Palo Alto, she returned home to Marin. It was there that fate, and a shared love of the outdoors, brought her together with Alan through a local ski group.  

The Best family’s connection to the outdoors, and to Mount Tam in particular, was not just recreational. It was deeply foundational to their lives and intertwined with their family memories. “Being outdoors and skiing was definitely an instrumental part of their lives,” Brian shared about his parents. For him and his brother Wayne, that meant growing up with Mount Tam as the backdrop. 

Some of Brian’s earliest memories date back to the California drought of the early 1970s, when Marin’s water supply depended heavily on the mountain. His father, working for the water district, would take him along on late-night trips up fire roads to check wells. Brian fondly recalls driving through the dark, spotting deer in the headlights. It was both adventure and education, rooted in the land that sustained their community. 

As kids, Brian and Wayne roamed those same fire roads on foot and by bike, years before mountain biking became mainstream — and before it was even legal. Using the fire roads, they could walk from their house and go hiking up the mountain without ever having to get in a car. They camped as Boy Scouts at Pantoll, fished in nearby lakes, and attended performances at the Mountain Theater. Even major life moments, like family weddings and graduations, unfolded with Mount Tam as a constant, quiet witness. 

How Philanthropy Helped Bring the Trail Project to Life 
 

That deep connection made the family’s recent support of improvements to the Easy Grade Trail at Mount Tam feel especially meaningful. The project creates a safer, more accessible route for cyclists and hikers between Pantoll and the Mountain Theater — something that reflects both Alan and Joy’s love of biking and their practical understanding of the risks that come with the mountain’s narrow, winding roads.  

“If you grew up in Marin, you know people who’ve been hurt or worse on those roads while on bikes,” Brian shared. “Creating a safer way to experience the mountain, it just made sense.” 

For the Best family, the gift is about more than infrastructure. It’s about legacy. It’s about carrying forward Alan and Joy’s belief in enabling new opportunities for others to connect with the outdoors. The timing of the project made it even more compelling. With a need for additional project funding and a temporary pause in Mountain Theater programming last year (making construction work uniquely possible), there was a critical window to move the project forward. “It felt like this magical moment,” Brian said. “Where kickstarting the project could really make the difference.” 

Why Community Support Matters for California’s State Parks 
 

Their philanthropy is rooted in a long-standing commitment to California’s state parks. A portion of the funds from Alan and Joy’s estate was intentionally set aside to support parks, reflecting a lifetime of experiences across places like China Camp State Park and Angel Island State Park. From early mountain biking adventures to Boy Scout camping trips, these parks were places of exploration, learning, and connection. The family sees the overall impact of state parks in enabling the conservation of some of the most magnificent parts of our state as deeply important. 

Brian emphasized that their giving strategy has evolved over time — from simply writing checks to engaging more deeply in projects that align with their family’s values. 

Partnering with California State Parks Foundation has allowed them to be more intentional, helping bring to life projects that might not otherwise happen. “In today’s government budget world, state parks are never going to be adequately funded through public dollars alone,” he noted. “Philanthropy can help make the difference and this project creates long-term access.” 

When asked how he thinks his parents would feel about the Easy Grade Trail project and knowing that their legacy is helping to ensure safety and expand access to state parks, Brian didn’t hesitate. “They would be super excited,” he said. “It’s a great combination because it overlaps Mount Tam geographically, biking and hiking, and enabling new access in a long-term manner. It’s even better than what they would have expected.” 

Honoring Loved Ones Through Giving to State Parks

Looking ahead, Brian hopes the project will do more than improve a trail. He hopes it inspires others to do more good and make our world a little bit better. For those considering honoring a loved one through philanthropy, Brian offers simple advice: start early, and get involved. “There’s a big difference between just giving money and really enabling something meaningful to happen,” he said. “Working with a partner like California State Parks Foundation that has a pulse on what is happening in parks and what the opportunities are makes it more fulfilling and meaningful.” 

In many ways, the Easy Grade Trail project is exactly that: a meaningful extension of Alan and Joy Best’s lives. A path forward, shaped by memory, grounded in place, and open to all who follow.   
 

If you would like to learn more about giving to California State Parks Foundation, please visit our website or reach out to our team at [email protected]. Your support will make a lasting difference in protecting the beauty and magic of California’s state parks.