Spring break is over. SF State students are already pining for the next escape, but time and money are short.

There is no need to wait for summer or go deeper into poverty, though, as the next quest beckons a short distance north of the Golden Gate in Marin County's picturesque, 6,300-acre Mount Tamalpais State Park.

"This park is seriously like a paradise in our own backyard," said Marian Roth, a research assistant from San Francisco. "I come up here all the time to escape my day-to-day routine and recharge my mental batteries."

The iconic mountain rises to 2,571 feet above sea level at East Peak, marking the highest elevation in Marin. Symbolically and spiritually, it is to San Francisco what Mt. Fuji is to Tokyo.

Tamalpais takes its name from the Coast Miwok Indian word for "coast mountain," according to Lincoln Fairley in his book "Mount Tamalpais: A History." It became a state park in 1928 and its vast trail network, unspoiled open spaces and unparalleled Bay Area vistas, made it an instant recreational destination for locals fleeing city life to hike, explore, relax and picnic for the day.

Until 1930, the Mount Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railroad transported awestruck sightseers along a steep, serpentine route from Mill Valley up to East Peak, according to Fairley's book. Today, the railroad is a hiking trail and its transportation function supplanted by automobiles and bicycles on Panoramic Highway and Ridgecrest Boulevard.

"Tamalpais' presence -- immutable, evergreen, pristine, its famous profile visible from so vast an area -- provides an assurance of nature's timelessness in a world rapidly changing," said Marin resident Barry Spitz in his book, "Tamalpais Trails."

And the park, with its diverse ecosystem, microclimates and weather patterns, is alive with wildflowers, waterfalls and wildlife in spring. Stately redwoods and venerable oaks exist in great quantity. A park brochure warns of mountain lions and rattlesnakes, proving that this place within sight of the San Francisco skyline is still wild.

Dining options in the park are nonexistent. To maximize time spent outdoors, simply pack a cooler with food and beverages with a plan to picnic. Barbecuing is permitted in select areas. Drinking water is available occasionally, but it is best to bring your own.

One place worthy of a picnic is the Sidney B. Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre.

Complete with seating on gigantic blocks of stone, it was built in the 1930s by the
Civilian Conservation Corps to resemble a classic Greek amphitheater, according to Fairley's book. The Mountain Play Association has put on outdoor performances here from mid-May through mid-June since 1913.

The park's impressive network of trails accommodates hikers of all energy levels and physical abilities. One moderate hike takes you from the theater to the East Peak and back via the Rock Spring Trail and the Old Railroad Grade in only a few hours.

"I avoid the tourist crowds on weekends by coming to hike on the mountain during the week," said Philip Brahms, an engineer from Novato. "At times I feel like I have the whole place and the fresh air to myself, and I love that."

The park is open daily from 7 a.m. until sunset and some limited camping options are available. It costs $6 per day to park in many places, but thrifty travelers can find free parking along Ridgecrest Boulevard or in the Rock Spring parking lot.

Don't want to drive? West Marin Stagecoach Route 61 offers service between the Golden Gate Transit bus station in Marin City and park destinations along Panoramic Highway.

Over the years, writers from poet Ina Coolbrith to beat author Jack Kerouac have captured the legendary Mount Tam experience. Go there to relax and create your own memories, as Bay Area residents have been doing for generations.