1993 Map of San Rafael

Protective boundaries define the western landscape, with the iconic Muir Woods National Monument and the extensive Golden Gate National Recreation Area preserved against the urban tide. Drainage systems including Corte Madera Creek and Arroyo Corte Madera del Presidio flow into the tidal reaches of Richardson Bay, where the Corte Madera Marsh State Ecological Reserve protects vital shoreline habitat. The geography illustrates a region defined by its narrow valleys, from Homestead Valley to San Anselmo Creek, where infrastructure follows the contours of the land.