There is no shortage of amazing hikes in the Bay Area. Each year we revisit some of our favorite hikes and try dozens of new ones. As a family, we rank each hike and come up with a top 10 list each year, but here we’re listing our overall top Bay Area Hikes which I’ll keep updated as we find new favorites. We’ve covered San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, the South Bay, Santa Cruz, and the East Bay. These Bay Area hikes range from easy to challenging, city views to ocean views, redwoods, waterfalls, swimming holes, bridges, and an old abandoned highway – there’s truly something for everyone! If you’re looking for a great Bay Area hike, look no further!
San Francisco
San Francisco hiking? Yes! For a major city that is just 49 square miles, there are a surprising number of hiking trails in San Francisco. There are gorgeous places to hike in San Francisco, all along the northern & western edges, like Lands End & Batteries to Bluffs with gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, and the Marin Headlands. There are other San Francisco hikes with a more urban feel sprinkled throughout the city, some with amazing skyline views, and others traverse through fun neighborhoods. These are some of the best hikes in San Francisco!
Lands End Trail
Lands End Trail is the perfect San Francisco hike for amazing views, a little history, and a lot of nature. Park in the lot at Lands End Lookout which is next to the Sutro Baths and the trailhead. Lots of signage along the way explaining the history of the area from the Ohlone Indians to shipwrecks in the Golden Gate Strait, and learn about the steam train that once ran along the same path. Take the offshoot trail to Mile Rock Beach and look for the rock labyrinth along the way.
Lands End Trail Details
- 3.5 miles
- Difficulty: moderate (there are a lot of stairs)
- Dogs OK on leash
- Kid-friendly, but not stroller friendly
- Free Parking
- Location: 680 Point Lobos Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
- Restrooms: at Lands End Lookout
Check out the full guide here.
Batteries to Bluffs
Batteries to Bluffs Trail is undoubtedly one of the best hikes in San Francisco! Start at Baker Beach and hike all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy views of the Pacific, the Bridge, and the Headlands while climbing 470 stairs on this recently refurbished trail. Head down to Marshall Beach at low tide for iconic views of the bridge and explore the many batteries along the trail.
Batteries to Bluffs Details
- 3.5 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- 450 feet elevation gain including 470 stairs
- Kid-friendly (I’d recommend a minimum of 5 years because of all the stairs)
- No dogs on the Batteries to Bluff section but allowed on other trails
- Free Parking & Restrooms at Baker Beach
Check out the full guide here.
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is another one of the best hikes around San Francisco. Twin Peaks is a much more urban hike and was a winner with everyone in our family. It was short & easy with fantastic city views. We parked on Twin Peaks Blvd (near Clarendon Ave) and hiked up and over Twin Peaks and then wrapped around to the overlook before heading back down to our car. It’s possible to stay on the paved road the entire time (most of it is closed to traffic) though once we got to the top of Twin Peaks Blvd, we followed the dirt trail over the peaks (part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail) which was steep and rocky and made it feel a little more like a “hike” rather than a “walk”.
Twin Peaks Details
- Distance: 2.1 miles
- Elevation: 272’ gain
- Our rating: Easy
- Dog Friendly: Yes
- Parking: Free on the side of the road
- Restrooms: At the overlook
SF Peninsula
There is a wide variety of hikes on the San Francisco peninsula: hikes along the Pacific coast, bayside hikes, and inland hikes nestled among the oaks and redwoods. Below are our family’s top-rated Bay Area hikes on the peninsula.
Mori Point
The stunning views along Mori Point will keep me coming back time & time again. Many trails hug the bluff with a steep dropoff (so keep little kids close). It’s a popular hiking area so go early. We like to hike Mori Point Road straight to the Beach and then head up Bootleggers Steps to The Bluff trail which goes to the peak.
Our kids generally like this one because it’s not too long and the views keep them engaged. Their one complaint is that there’s a lot of uphill!
Mori Point Details
- Pacifica
- Varies, but around 2.5 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- 436 feet elevation gain
- Kid-friendly, but lots of bluffs with steep drops
- Dog Friendly
- Free Parking
Devil’s Slide Coastal Trail
Devil’s Slide Trail in Pacifica is unique in that it has been converted from an old segment of Highway 1. It’s a wide paved trail (2.6 miles out-and-back) that allows dogs, bikes, and equestrians. There are quite a few overlooks along the way as well as signage describing the history, geography, and wildlife.
Devil’s Slide Details
- Pacifica
- Distance: 2.6 miles (out & back)
- Elevation: 436’ gain
- Our rating: Easy
- Dog/Bike/Stroller/Equestrian Friendly
- Parking: Free at both the northern & southern trailheads
- Restrooms: Yes
Wilbur’s Watch
An under-the-radar easy hike that packs a big punch! The elevation gain is minimal and the views of the Pacific at golden hour are stunning, especially on a clear day! At the top, there’s a great viewpoint with redwood benches and a telescope. We looked for whales, found Pigeon Point Lighthouse in the distance, and the moon too.
Make sure to explore Pigeon Point Lighthouse, the beach & tidepools, and Whaler’s Overlook (just minutes away) – full details here.
Wilbur’s Watch Details
- Pescadero
- Distance: 2 miles
- Elevation: 260’
- Our rating: Easy
- No dogs
- Parking: Free at the trailhead
- Restrooms: Yes at the trailhead
San Bruno Mountain
San Bruno Mountain is one of the most underrated spots on the peninsula! It has spectacular views of the entire Bay Area! On a clear day it’s possible to see south past the airport, Mt. Diablo in the East Bay, the Bay Bridge, downtown SF, Marin Headlands all the way to the Pacific Ocean! And if you’re a plane geek like me, then you’ll enjoy the large planes taking off from SFO and flying directly overhead.
We like to hike Saddle Loop Trail which is 2.7 miles and finishes under a canopy of trees. The trails are wide and well-marked. There are options to make the hike a little shorter or much longer. We want to try the more challenging Summit Loop at some point too.
Saddle Loop Trail Details
- San Bruno
- Distance: 2.7 miles
- Elevation: 236’
- Our rating: Easy
- No dogs
- Parking: $6 entrance fee as of July 2022
- Restrooms: Yes at the trailhead
Pulgas Ridge
Pulgas Ridge is located in San Carlos and is dog friendly. Our favorite loop (just under 3 miles) starts on the Cordilleras Trail to Polly Geraci and then back down on the Dick Bishop Trail. There is also a large off-leash dog area (note: that it is not fenced in). There are cool canyons filled with oak trees, ridgetop views towards the bay, beautiful wildflowers in the spring, and the trails are well-marked.
Cordilleras -> Polly Geraci -> Dick Bishop Trail Details
- San Carlos
- Distance: 2.6 miles
- Elevation: 400’
- Our rating: Easy
- Dog Friendly
- Parking: Small parking lot – lots of street parking
- Restrooms: Yes at the trailhead
Marin North Bay
There are so many amazing hikes in the Bay Area. The hiking north of San Francisco is fantastic and if I had to choose my favorite place to hike in the Bay Area it would definitely be Marin! I grew up hiking in Marin – Mt Tam and the Marin Headlands will always hold a special place in my heart. Some of my favorite hikes today are ones I did as a kid.
Slacker Hill
Enjoy panoramic views on Slacker Hill Trail in the Marin Headlands! Begin on the Coastal Trail and after a quarter of a mile, the trail crosses Conzelman Road and from that point, there are fabulous views. First, the trail overlooks Fort Baker, Cavallo Point and the Bay Area Discovery Museum – and out towards Angel Island and Belvedere with the Golden Gate Bridge to the south. Then the trail shifts west with views out towards the Pacific and down the San Mateo coastline. Finally, it rounds back towards the bridge and reaches a plateau at the top of Slacker Hill. There is a great spot to sit on the hillside overlooking the bridge, which looks enormous from this vantage point, and San Francisco a little further in the distance. Hiking time is approximately 90 minutes, but plan for longer because you’ll want to stay and admire the views for a while!
Slacker Hill Details
- Marin Headlands
- Distance: 3.3 miles roundtrip
- Elevation: 810’ gain
- Our rating: Easy
- Dog Friendly: No
- Parking: Near Golden Gate Bridge, but lot fills up quickly on weekends and nice days!
- Restrooms: Port-a-potties in parking lot, but they were locked when we were there!
Hawk Hill
The hiking trails in the Marin Headlands all connect so it’s possible to continue to Hawk Hill from Slacker Hill (take Slacker Hill Trail to the Coastal Trail which would add several miles roundtrip).
While there is a parking lot at the base of Hawk Hill, I like to work for my views and chose to hike from the small parking lot near Black Sands Beach. From there, we hiked up the Coastal Trail (which follows Conzelman Road) for approximately half a mile until the trail crosses Conzelman Road and heads up the hill via an impressive staircase towards Hawk Hill and Battery Construction 129. We used this route as a guide, but only followed it to Hawk Hill and then turned around.
Hawk Hill is expansive and there is a lot of space to explore with many different vantage points of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. The views extend down the San Mateo coastline and even out towards Point Bonita and Rodeo Beach. And yes, we saw a lot of hawks too!
Hawk Hill Details
- Marin Headlands
- Distance: 2.2 miles roundtrip
- Elevation: 587’ gain
- Our rating: Moderate
- Dog Friendly: No
- Parking: In lot on Conzelman Road near Black Sands Beach
- Restrooms: Yes
Dipsea Trail
There are many variations of The Dipsea hike which vary in distance and difficulty (ranging from a few miles to 15+). As a family, we have only done the easier routes, but it’s still a moderate hike with many stairs and drop-dead gorgeous views.
We began at the Pantoll parking area and hiked the Old Mine –> Dipsea –> Steep Ravine loop. I recommend going in the order above (clockwise). The Dipsea trail is exposed with little shade which makes it better for the downhill portion and it faces towards the Pacific. The Steep Ravine portion is like taking a step back into time with redwoods, ferns, and waterfalls. It’s cool and shady and better for the uphill climb. There are a ton of steps, bridges, and even a ladder to climb. As a kid, this ladder always stood out to me – I loved it and looked forward to it.
Dipsea Trail to Steep Ravine Trail Loop Details
- Mt Tam
- Distance: 4.5 miles
- Elevation: 1000’
- Our rating: Moderate
- No dogs
- Parking: $10 at the Pantoll parking area
- Restrooms: Yes at trailhead
Kehoe Beach Trail
Kehoe Beach Trail is an easy one – the hardest part is climbing over the sand dunes at the end to reach the beach. Kehoe Beach is huge with plenty of space to spread out and let pups run. I love the beaches up here as they feel so rugged – we saw lots of kelp, seaweed, jellyfish, and crab all over the beach. The kids loved running around the beach and chasing waves with our dog. The trail was nice and we felt like we had it to ourselves, but the beach was the real winner here.
Kehoe Beach Trail
- Point Reyes
- Distance: 2.5 miles (out & back)
- Elevation: Flat
- Our rating: Easy
- Dogs on leash
- Parking: Free on the side of the road
- Restrooms: Yes at the trailhead
South Bay
There are so many places to hike in the San Jose area! We are still learning about new hikes all the time, but here are some of our favorites!
Uvas Waterfall Loop
We did the 1.8 mile Short Waterfall Loop trail, but there is also a longer loop (~3.5 miles) which starts out the same way on Waterfall Loop Trail, but then veers onto Contour Trail and then returns to the start via Alec Canyon Trail. The trail meanders along a creek for most of the way and passes by 3 waterfalls: Black Rock Falls, Basin Falls, and Upper Falls. Our kids enjoyed climbing the rocks, finding sticks, and exploring each area. This is a wonderful area to let kids explore & play.
Uvas Waterfall Loop Trail Details
- Gilroy
- Distance: 1.8 miles
- Elevation: 620’ gain
- Our rating: Easy
- Dog Friendly: Yes
- Parking: Plenty of parking. $6 entry fee and reservations required.
- Restrooms: Yes
Mt. Umunhum
Mt. Um is one of the highest peaks in the Santa Cruz mountains at 3,486 feet. We had a 360-degree view at the top – from the Pacific to the Sierra Nevada!
The trail was clearly marked the entire way, was extremely well maintained, and wasn’t very crowded. We went on a very warm day and appreciated that there was a fair amount of shade on the trail. We had great views, plus we saw lots of wildflowers, oaks, and native plants. This mountain has an interesting history – first home to the Ohlone, then in 1845 mercury or “quicksilver” mining began which was essential to process gold during the Gold Rush, next it was procured by the US Government in the late 1950s for use as an Air Force Base during the Cold War. The mountain was cleaned up and opened to the public in 2017.
Mt Umunhum Details
- Los Gatos
- Distance: 7.7 miles
- Elevation: 1187’ gain
- Our rating: Moderate
- Dog Friendly: No
- Parking: Limited parking at Bald Mountain Parking Area (we got the last spot at 9:15am on a Sunday)
- Restrooms: Yes
- Note – we didn’t see garbage cans anywhere so be prepared to pack out what you pack in!
Santa Cruz
Big Rock Hole
Truth be told, we were only interested in the swimming hole found about .75 miles from the trailhead. We hiked straight there, hung out for a couple of hours, and then turned around and hiked back. While the entire hike is a 5-mile loop (Big Rock Hole -> Redwood Grove -> Ox Trail Path), we only hiked about a mile and a half of that. This is the Alltrails map – we hiked counterclockwise and the swimming hole was right along the San Lorenzo River ~ .75 miles from the start.
We brought a picnic lunch, blankets, and floaties and it was one of our best summer days. We went early on a weekday in an effort to avoid crowds and had it mostly to ourselves, but we saw groups heading down the trail with floaties as we were hiking out.
Big Rock Hole Details
- Henry Cowell State Park
- Distance: 5 miles loop (or about 1.5 miles roundtrip to the swimming hole)
- Elevation: 800’
- Our rating: Easy
- No dogs
- Parking: Free at the trailhead
- Restrooms: Nowhere that I saw!
Maple Falls
This trail starts out down a fire road and then begins to weave through the forest filled with redwoods, ferns, bright green moss, and creeks. It’s magical. We crossed a creek around 15 times, balanced on logs, hopped across creeks, and scrambled up rocks. My then 11yo compared the latter half of the hike to a parkour course. January – March would be a great time to do this hike (or anytime after a good rain) to hopefully see the falls in full force. The falls are not huge (about 30 feet), but any time we come across a waterfall it’s a good day! It was also pretty muddy in places so hiking shoes are a must.
Maple Falls Details
- Aptos
- Distance: 8 miles
- Elevation: 950’ gain
- Our rating: Moderate
- No dogs; no strollers
- Parking: $8 park entrance fee
- Restrooms: Yes
East Bay
We are still on the search for all the best East Bay hikes, but Mission Peak in Fremont is one of my Bay Area favorites!
Mission Peak
Mission Peak is a tough climb with a fabulous payoff! The trail is wide and well maintained except for the last push towards the peak which is rocky and uneven. Even though we passed many hikers, we never felt crowded on the trail. I loved the expansive views looking out over the bay and towards the peninsula. As we approached the peak, the sun broke through and we finished above the fog.
The most important thing to know is that there is essentially no shade on this trail. The fog had almost completely burned off on our way back down and it was hot. The trail is dog friendly but there are a lot of signs warning against heat exhaustion. Go early to avoid the crowds and the heat and be sure to bring plenty of water for you & your dog!
We started at the Stanford Avenue Staging Area. There is a lot for about 30 cars at the Stanford Avenue trailhead with overflow parking on Vineyard Avenue (this is where we parked when we arrived at 7:30AM on a Friday). Alternatively, you can begin from Ohlone College where the route is a little longer (~8 miles), there are fewer crowds, and this trail stays open until 10PM making it a great option for a sunset hike! There is a small day-use fee (~$4) to park at nearby Ohlone College, but supposedly there is much more parking here.
Mission Peak Details
- Fremont
- Distance: 6.2 miles
- Elevation: 2135’ gain
- Our rating: Challenging
- Dogs Friendly
- Parking: small parking lot at Stanford Ave trailhead – residential parking with posted limitations
- Restrooms: Yes
Any hikes you think belong on this list?? Let me know in the comments so I can check them out!
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