Hiking in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Complete Guide

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A Quick Bay Area Geography Overview

Before discussing the specific hikes, we should briefly describe the geography of San Francisco and its surrounding area.

The best aspect about the Bay Area is that you can essentially travel in any direction and find yourself in the midst of world-renowned wilderness.

We resided in San Francisco for nearly a decade, and still feel like there are parts of the Bay Area that we haven’t explored together.

There are a handful of treks in San Francisco itself (or on the outskirts of the city, more accurately). These hikes are a superb supplement to any San Francisco itinerary if you’re visiting the city, or they make a sound day out if you live here.

There are two places that we’re going to concentrate on because we think they’re the best spots to go hiking near the city – north of the city, and east of the city.

It’s important to note that we’re restricting these hikes to about an hour`s drive from San Francisco, which means places such as Mount Diablo State Park just miss the cut-off point.

Though visiting it when temperatures are cooler in the spring and fall is worthwhile.

North of the City: Marin County

North of San Francisco is Marin County, which is where Alysha grew up and where her mom still lives, which is where we spent most of our time from 2020 to 2023 (when we moved to Portland).

Several areas within Marin offer amazing hikes along varied terrain.

Going closest to the city to furthest, there’s the Marin Headlands, known for their amazing rolling hills and bluffs and coastal views.

Then there is Mt. Tamalpais, which offers everything – redwoods, coastal views, and sweeping perspectives across the bay from its East Peak.

Finally, but deserving the highest praise, is Point Reyes National Seashore, which offers a incredible diversity of scenic hiking paths, all of which highlight the natural beauty of the coastline.

East of the City: Oakland and Berkeley

Just across the Bay Bridge, on the eastern side you’ll find Oakland and Berkeley. The hilly areas above these two East Bay cities contain many hiking paths, which we had a chance to thoroughly explore during our six week stay here recently.

In Oakland, you’ll find a string of regional parks, headlined by Redwood Regional, which has one superb hike featuring, you guessed it, redwood trees!

Berkeley is home to the Berkeley Hills (go figure) and Tilden Regional Park.

Both areas offer great views of the city and are full of accessible hiking trails suitable for all experience and fitness levels.

Hiking in the Bay Area: The 15 Best Hikes near San Francisco

Now, onto the list of hikes! 

We’ve compiled this list of our favorite hikes within about an hour of San Francisco, and we hope to help discover a new trail to add to your list whether you’re a novice hiker or an experienced trail veteran on the hunt for a fresh path to tackle.

Or, what is most probable, you fall somewhere in between like us.

Unlike Oregon and Washington, the hiking trails in California are decidedly NOT dog-friendly.

State Parks (such as Mt. Tam) and National Recreation Areas (like the Marin Headlands and Pt. Reyes) do not allow canine companions on hiking trails.

A Note Before We Begin: All of the hikes that you’ll find below are within an hour of the city of San Francisco, which means they’re perfect for a day trip from San Francisco.

Some lists we’ve seen incorporate hikes as far away as Tahoe, which is four hours distant from San Francisco (not accounting for the inevitable Tahoe traffic to arrive there). And that’s really not near San Francisco, or even in the Bay Area.

So we’ve omitted those, and kept it tightly focused on the area around San Francisco.

Obviously, this list doesn’t include every single hike that you COULD do in the Bay Area. Instead, it’s a list of our favorites. And we’re DEFINITELY biased having spent most of our time in the city and north of the city.

Hikes in San Francisco (Inside the City Limits)

There are a couple good hikes within the San Francisco city boundaries, meaning you don’t even need to leave the city to get a quality hike in!

The first thing to know is that this trail connects two points. If you lack a vehicle, great! Get yourself to the starting point using public transit (the number 5 bus runs directly down Fulton and drops you near the beginning) or a transportation application.

If one has a car, park at one of the parking lots near Sutro Baths, and plan on taking a rideshare back to your car when you’re finished.

The second thing to know is traversing this hike from west to east, starting at Sutro Baths and ending at the bridge. Doing so allows the Golden Gate Bridge to remain within sight for the full journey.

Begin from Sutro Baths, which is a cool spot to visit in its own right. In the late 1800’s, a bathhouse was built here by some wealthy person, and it did not do so well as a business.

Eventually, they burnt down completely, and the land was never developed. Instead, it became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1974.

Nowadays, you can walk out amidst the ruins of the baths, which front directly onto the ocean.

Helpful Hint: There is a wonderful view of Ocean Beach from Sutro Heights ( here), which is a brief uphill walk from Sutro Baths.

From Sutro Baths, connect to the Lands End Trail via Point Lobos (great ocean views from here). At points, it becomes the Coastal Trail – as long as you’re walking east along the coast, you’re probably in the right place.

Your subsequent stop is the Lands End Labyrinth, which is a turnoff approximately 3⁄4 of a mile ahead. Head down the hill to examine the “labyrinth,” which consists of stones arranged in a pleasing set of circles overlooking the ocean.

Continue along the coastal trail, which will guide you through the ultra luxuriant neighborhood known as Sea Cliff on your way to Baker Beach.

From Baker Beach, you’ll have a spectacular perspective of the bridge, particularly from the northern end of the beach. Which also occurs to be a nude beach – understand that going in.

When you’re finished at Baker Beach, take what`s referred to as the sand steps back up to the trail, and continue on to the Golden Gate Bridge.

There are several cool photo opportunities at the WWII era defense installations along the way. Be sure to stop here for framing of the Golden Gate Bridge by a couple very photogenic trees.

You`re essentially reaching the trail`s end here. Make your way across the toll plaza over the bridge if the weather permits. Then, obtain transportation either home or back to your vehicle.

This hiking route is one-way, meaning you`ll need to get to the trailhead at the Golden Gate Bridge toll plaza (take public transportation like the bus) and back from Sausalito (take the ferry).

Begin from the toll booth and walk across the bridge. It will likely be breezy, and it might be cold and foggy, which will mean it’s not the most pleasant trek in the world.

Once across the bridge, head to the viewpoint on the east side (if walking north) of the bridge.

Take some images, then take the route that goes underneath the bridge, where you’ll connect with Conzelman road from this parking area.

Follow that down to the water, eventually you’ll find yourself at Fort Baker. The Presidio Yacht Club is a cool stop for a drink here before you continue, if you’re looking for a nice place to take a break.

Stroll along East Road to Alexander Avenue, then continue along Alexander Avenue where the natural splendor of Sausalito gradually emerges, with brightly painted homes perched on hills overlooking the vast San Francisco Bay.

Ultimately, Alexander Avenue becomes 2nd Street (briefly) before reaching the Bridgeway, which is the main drag in town.

Pause at Lappert’s for frozen dessert, Copita for tacos and margaritas, and browse the other shops on this stretch.

Note: I truly appreciate Luna Coffee Roasters, who are a roaster situated in Vancouver that do not operate their own cafe.

You could also camp overnight on Angel Island, which we did a few years ago, however permits are highly competitive and it`s walk-in camping, so you`ll need to carry your gear from the ferry to your campsite (which is probably not an issue for backpackers, but could be if you`re expecting car camping).

The most excellent hike on Angel Tropical island is the Perimeter Loop, which gives you fantastic views of the city from the south end of Angel Tropical island.

It`s six miles long, but it`s relatively flat (500 feet of elevation gain over six miles) and is suitable for most people – bring plenty of water and snacks.

Another option is summiting Mt. Livermore, but that means overlooks on the southern end of the island would be missed.

Pack a midday meal for after your time there – there`s a nice grass-covered area at the ferry dock where you can relax in the sunlight and wait for the ferry to arrive.

From there, you’ll have a pleasant vista of the City, the Bay, and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the west, and the San Pablo Reservoir and Mount Diablo to the east.

You can also lengthen this hike by making it a loop trail, following the Wildcat Peak Trail down to Jewel Lake and heading back to the parking area via Loop Road and the Meadows Canyon trail.

We enjoy this loop because the hike down the Wildcat Peak Trail gives you an ever-changing panoramic view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate as you descend.

The ascent back to the trailhead isn’t particularly difficult or noteworthy, though.

From here, you have the option for a scenic loop through the giant redwood trees by taking the prominent Stream Trail to the northwest from where you parked, following it to the notable Tres Sendas Trail, which is on the left side at around three kilometers into the hike.

The track reconnects with the French Trail guiding you back via rolling terrain among tall conifers. Ultimately, a short cut on the Chown Trail returns you to the starting point at Canyon Meadows and your mode of transportation.

The hike proved somewhat more challenging than anticipated, particularly once reaching the French Trail which traverses a ridge through the center of the park, rising and falling for a couple miles.

Still, it represents the most enjoyable segment of the trail, and remains a moderate challenge overall.

While the coastal redwoods here aren’t as grandiose as the ones on the Northern California Coast, it’s worth the brief trip out there to view them.

Now, this hike gets extremely busy on weekends, so while you can technically park near the trailhead without worrying about time, you SHOULD worry about timing in terms of crowds and actually getting a parking spot.

If starting this trail on a weekend, it is recommended to begin before 8am to better your chances of finding available parking.

This is a great hike in the Berkeley Hills that takes you up a steep ascent to Panoramic Hill, where you’ll be able to see both San Francisco and Oakland, among other things.

From there, the trail continues ascending, sticking close to a ridge until reaching the high point known as Chaparral Peak.

Then you’ll loop back around the rear side of the loop on the boundary of Tilden Regional Park before meeting up with the Strawberry Canyon Trail and wandering through some neighborhoods to return to your vehicle.

In total, it’s just over 6 miles, which implies it will likely take around three hours to complete, give or take half an hour depending on your hiking experience and fitness level.

If you’re trying to get an early morning hike in before work (or you’re worried about parking hours), you can shorten this loop in a couple of different ways.

We think that the beginning portions of this hike, specifically the first couple of miles, provide the best experience, so if time is limited, focus on hiking that section.

You could do the short but steep climb to Panoramic Hill, which is about 1.5 miles round trip with 650 feet of elevation gain.

Or, if you want to venture a bit farther, climb past Panoramic Hill (the ascent just after the vista point gets extremely steep) and continue along the ridge to a point at 1.8 miles in, where you can take the cutoff to your left and meet up with the latter section of the loop to guide you back to the starting location.

This is, roughly, four miles with just under 1,000 feet of elevation gain. 

There are segments of this trail that are SUPER steep and rocky. It was harder than we anticipated in places, but nothing so difficult that most hikers won’t be able to do it.

Bring ample water though, as the initial section of the loop is rather exposed (the final part of the trail on the descent is nicely shaded).

After hiking out to the scenic overlook above Muir Beach, circle back and head towards the trailhead once more.

Start from the Tennessee Valley Trailhead, which is a busy trailhead that fills up early on weekends (like basically every other trailhead on this list).

From there, undertaking the 1.7 mile hike out to the beach, and heading up to the viewpoint at the northern edge of the beach (referred to on Alltrails as the “WW2 outlook”).

Then, double back to the junction for the Coastal Trail, which takes you up to the bluffs above the beach to the north.

Be sure to make the brief detour down to Pirate’s Cove along the way, which is a pleasant little semi-sheltered cove where you can dip your toes in the ocean.

Continue until the turnoff for the Coastal Fire Road appears, heading up and to the right back towards the parking lot.

Take a moment here to search around and find a pleasing perspective of Muir Beach below you, which is one of our preferred spots in Northern California.

Follow the fire road until it intersects with the Fox Trail, which is the path that will guide you back to your vehicle. Along the way, look out for vistas of the city as you traverse the rolling hills.

There are COUNTLESS elk along this trail. There were a couple points along the trail where they were literally on the path and we had to wait for them to clear out (remember – they’re wild animals, so give them plenty of space).

There was also a mother elk and her young one that we sat watching for a while.

There are also plenty of spots to view whales during their migration seasons in the spring and fall!

The trail itself offered a pleasant route – you’ll meander out onto the spit, with undulating hills and coastal views throughout the entire journey. Near the end, for approximately the last mile, the trail transitions to sand and becomes somewhat troublesome, but it’s all worthwhile for those scenic vistas!

One aspect about the views though. This part of California gets lots of fog. Nearly constantly. It’s almost impossible to forecast when it’ll be foggy, and when it’ll be sunny.

Be sure to pack plenty of layers and a windbreaker for this hike. You might not need them, but chances are you will.

The parking area is small, and there aren’t many alternative places to park nearby the trailhead. Arrive by around 8:30am on weekends to ensure securing one of the spots.

Follow the Coastal Trail until meeting the Wolf Ridge Trail, which is briefly traveled before turning right onto the Miwok Trail, a fire road returning to the trailhead. More trail information, including maps, here.

There are interesting old batteries along the bluffs that were still operational more recently than expected, and the trail is always well-maintained.

The best part of this hike will be the Coastal Trail, with its broad ocean views, interesting former military installations, and other structures.

The Miwok Trail, which is a broad fire road also open to mountain bicycles, simply serves as a means to reach the ultimate goal – that goal being returning to the vehicle.

You are able to hike the loop in either direction – both routes are about equivalent concerning difficulty and grade. We have consistently hiked it clockwise, but there wasn`t any explicit reason behind that choice.

You can extend this hike by quickly traveling to the nearby Point Bonita Lighthouse, which increases the distance to 8.5 miles while adding little extra elevation.

To get to the lighthouse, which overlooks the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay, you cross a fascinating bridge, which is worth experiencing and seeing yourself.

Bear in mind that tours of the lighthouse itself are only available sporadically on weekends, but you can still visit the area and explore.

You can also begin this hike from the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, which has a tiny parking area that fills marginally later than the primary one, or the Miwok Trailhead, which has room for approximately 8-10 vehicles or so.

The incredible views along the initial stretch are abundant.

Making a slight detour to Battery Wagner is worthwhile, as it has a fantastic perspective of the bridge. It’s about a quarter of a mile along the trail.

Continuing the descent to sea level over about a mile, losing 400 feet in elevation, you`ll find yourself at Kirby Cove, where there`s a bathroom, a picnic area, and a VERY small campground.

From the bottom, nice views of the bridge await to the east, creating an ideal spot to watch the sunset.

Pack a picnic (and bottle of wine), a picnic blanket, and enjoy watching the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge light up in a vibrant shade of red as the sun sets.

Unfortunately the reality is often very different – around half the time (or more?) you`ll find yourself wearing windproof layers trying not to be blown away while waiting for the fog to clear, if it ever does, on the bridge.

Endeavor to do this on a clear day if possible, but those can sometimes be hard to come by.

If you want to stay overnight here, you`ll need a lot of luck securing a spot. We haven`t gotten a site yet, but you can try booking here.

You can also complete this hike from Pantoll Campground – bring $8 cash for parking and don’t forget to put the tag on your dashboard! – which is just under 9 miles, with 1,600 feet of elevation gain.

It’s a more challenging hike, but it remains possible. It`s arguably more scenic too, passing the Cushing Memorial Amphitheater and the West Point Inn along the route to the East Peak. But it’s not canine-friendly, and we wanted no less than one hike friendly to dogs on the list.

Initially, park at the lot opposite the Mountain Home Inn, located along the scenic Panoramic Highway. It`s a relatively small area for parking, so try to arrive as early as possible, preferably before 9am, to secure a spot.

The hike begins by taking the dirt road Hogback Road upwards, connecting to the Fern Creek trail which ultimately leads to the parking area serving East Peak, following the Railroad Grade fire road route.

Oh, right. There’s a parking area here, meaning people can directly access the peak by vehicle. But doesn’t it feel better knowing you achieved it through effort?

Head back down the way you came. 

Before beginning the hike, stop at the highly-rated Equator Coffees cafe in Mill Valley link.

Afterwards, head to Flour Craft Bakery – also in Mill Valley – and get some well-deserved treats and enjoy the sunshine on their great outdoor patio.

Hikers can choose either the top or bottom of the trail as a starting point. Beginning at Pantoll Campground means paying $8 cash and facing an initial descent followed by an uphill climb at the finish.

The bottom is near Stinson Beach, where parking is free and the ascent to Pantoll Campground comes first, followed by the downhill portion at the end.

We advise parking in the small parking area here – which signifies you need to be there incredibly early.

This means you’ll do the hike counter-clockwise from the bottom, starting with the ascent up the Dipsea Trail, and ending with the descent on the tight switchbacks of the Matt Davis Trail.

Starting from the parking lot and heading across the road to the path on the opposite side of the road, which is the Dipsea Trail.

Proceed along this route for approximately one mile while stopping to admire the splendid coastal panoramas of Stinson Beach behind, prior to reaching a junction bridging a small stream.

DO NOT CROSS THE BRIDGE. Instead, veer left to stay on the Dipsea Trail, which follows a beautifully forested ravine.

This section of the hike has it all – redwoods, a babbling brook, and a nice climb that will have you working hard for the scenery.

Eventually, you’ll arrive at Pantoll, which makes a great spot to stop and rest for a second before you encounter the downhill section.

When prepared, head to the northern end of the parking lot at Pantoll and locate the Matt Davis Trail.

This part of the hike initiates with a gentle descent through the trees just before emerging onto beautiful green bluffs gazing out at the ocean. In the spring, this is an incredible location to see wildflowers!

This brief section of the trail will leave your jaw dropping with its breathtaking coastal views.

For the final section of the trail, you’ll descend a set of steep, tight switchbacks, which will have you appreciating us for telling you to go counter-clockwise and avoid this ascent.

Here are the ways to do it. 

• If you’re traveling from San Francisco, it makes the most sense to undertake the journey from the Rock Spring start point.
• If traveling from Marin, it makes the most sense to begin from the trail access point along Bolinas Fairfax Road. Parking is very limited and slightly unsafe along a bend in the road, so arrive early.
• If you’re coming from the east (Oakland / Berkeley), the distances to each are roughly equivalent, so check Google Maps.

The hike from the Rock Spring Trailhead is a more extended one, because you have to hike for a time to even arrive at the falls.

It winds through the woodlands with a gentle downward slope, following the gurgling Cataract Creek. The interesting part of this hike begins around a mile in, where you`ll start to see waterfalls as you descend.

You likely don’t need to go all the way down to the lake, but we think you should make the descent down the switchbacks and stairs to see different parts of the falls.

That means you’ll need to be prepared to regain elevation upon your return.

Doing it from the bottom is significantly shorter in distance, but more challenging. You`ll start with climbing those aforementioned winding paths and stairs mentioned before, which is no simple feat.

You’ll traverse multiple portions of the path where you can pause and admire the falls before arriving at the primary attraction.

Continue along the creek until you reach the picnic area, about a mile and a half in, making a good spot to stop and turn around.

Frankly though, you probably only need to do a mile of the trail to see the best parts of it, which makes this a pretty short hike with a nice climb at the beginning.

Visitors will need to utilize the parking at the Mountain Home Inn along the Panoramic Highway, which is a relatively compact parking area and fills up early in the day, especially on weekends.

On the return trip, take the Fern Creek Trail, walking the path adjacent to Fern Creek as its name implies.

Eventually you`ll arrive at a junction where the Fern Creek Trail ends. Take a right onto the Lost Trail, which will connect back to the Canopy Trail and guide you back to your vehicle.

You could also do a similar loop starting from the Dipsea Trail and essentially follow the same route from a different starting point.

Other Great Hikes Near San Francisco

Here are some other options in the Bay Area, some of which are a little further than an hour away, which is why they don’t make the list.

Mount Diablo offers some quality hikes, but requires at least a 1.5 hour drive (without traffic) from the city, explaining its omission from this list. However, if you`re up for the more lengthy journey, both the Summit Trail (information here) exceptional year-round (despite intense summer heat), and the waterfall trail a superb choice for winter/spring.

Mori Point in Pacifica is a nice, coastal hike. Enjoy the wildflowers in April and May, and sunset on a clear evening along the coast (which can be scarce).

Check prices and train schedules for your dates on Omio, which was what we used in Spain to book trains and buses when the formal Renfe site wouldn’t accept our American credit card (which happened apparently randomly).

• Along the coast, summer means fog, which can ruin those stunning coastal views that you’re hoping for as a payoff for your effort. Summers in San Francisco and up and down the coast are going to be cool, gray, and probably windy, so bring plenty of layers (which is good advice for anyone visiting San Francisco, really).
• Further inland, in places like Mt. Diablo and the surrounding area, summer means VERY HOT weather. Temperatures can rise into the 90’s and even above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so bring plenty of water and try to start early to avoid the heat.

Generally, fall is considered the best time to visit San Francisco, which is applicable for hiking as well.

The coastal fog dissipates, temperatures start to decrease to a more bearable level in the East Bay, and the crowds of visitors begin to thin.

This period is perfect for exploring trails, but cascades will remain depleted from summer and wildfires, unfortunately increasing each year, pose a serious risk.

Winter actually makes for pleasant hiking provided sunny spells can be found. It does rain in winter, though less so than areas like Seattle or Portland, and dry stretches are common between showers.

Conditions will become cold, so pack numerous warm layers. The sun rises later and sets earlier, which can make it easier to witness sunrise without needing to awaken at an ungodly hour.

Spring possesses great beauty, particularly the brief period where the rolling hills of the East Bay and Marin transform into a stunning shade of vibrant green (usually persisting for one to two months before transitioning to brown around May).

Waterfalls will be roaring vigorously, making it an excellent time to tackle some of the top waterfall hikes near San Francisco such as Cataract Falls or Alamere Falls.

Weather has some variability – you’ll get rainy days and cooler days – but you’ll also have those weeks that make you question if summer`s arrived, where sunshine dominates and temperatures reach the 70s.

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