Hiking Recommendations

Best overall, in any season
North Bay:
Angel Island State Park
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Peninsula and South Bay:
Castle Rock State Park
San Bruno Mountain County Park
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

Winter
North Bay:
Mount Tamalpais: Cataract Falls
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Pine Mountain/MMWD: Carson Falls
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park
Buck Gulch Falls
East Bay:
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
Mount Diablo State Park: Donner Canyon Waterfall Loop
Peninsula and South Bay:
A�o Nuevo State Reserve
San Pedro Valley Park
Uvas Canyon County Park

Spring
North Bay:
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Point Reyes National Seashore: Chimney Rock
East Bay:
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Briones Regional Park
Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon-Eagle Peak Loop
Sunol Regional Wilderness
Peninsula and South Bay:
Edgewood Park and Preserve
Joseph D. Grant County Park
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
San Bruno Mountain County Park
Rancho Canada del Oro
Henry W. Coe State Park

Summer
North Bay:
Tomales Bay State Park
East Bay:
Huckleberry Regional Botanic Reserve
Redwood Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Portola Redwoods State Park

Autumn
North Bay:
China Camp State Park
Jack London State Historic Park
Olompali State Park
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
East Bay:
Briones Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Castle Rock State Park
Fall Creek Unit: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Sawyer Camp Trail

Wildflowers
North Bay:
Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve
Mount Tamalpais/MMWD: Phoenix Lake
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Point Reyes National Seashore: Chimney Rock
East Bay:
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Briones Regional Park
Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon-Eagle Peak Loop
Sunol Regional Wilderness
Peninsula and South Bay:
Coal Mine Ridge
Rancho Canada del Oro
Henry W. Coe State Park
Edgewood Park and Preserve
Joseph D. Grant County Park
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
San Bruno Mountain County Park
Stile Ranch Trail
Sweeney Ridge

Mostly shaded, for the hottest summer days
North Bay:
Armstrong Redwoods State Park
Tomales Bay State Park
East Bay:
Huckleberry Regional Botanic Reserve
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Fall Creek Unit, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Huddart County Park
Portola Redwoods State Park

Impressive Redwoods
North Bay:
Armstrong Redwoods State Park
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Mountain Home-Muir Woods Loop
East Bay:
Redwood Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Fall Creek Unit, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Huddart County Park
Sam McDonald County Park
Portola Redwoods State Park
Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

Wildlife- and Bird-Watching
San Francisco:
Lobos Creek Trail, the Presidio
North Bay:
Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, Audubon Canyon Ranch
Point Reyes National Seashore: Abbotts Lagoon
Point Reyes National Seashore: Tomales Point
East Bay:
Los Vaqueros Watershed
Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon-Eagle Peak Loop
Round Valley Regional Preserve
Peninsula and South Bay:
A�o Nuevo State Reserve
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
San Pedro Valley Park

Scenic viewpoints
North Bay:
Angel Island State Park
Marin Headlands: Gerbode Valley Loop
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
East Bay:
Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
Mount Diablo State Park: Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail
Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon-Eagle Peak Loop
Peninsula and South Bay:
Castle Rock State Park
McNee Ranch State Park
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
San Bruno Mountain County Park

Waterfalls
North Bay:
Dawn Falls: Baltimore Canyon Open Space Preserve
Cascade Falls: Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve
Carson Falls: Pine Mountain
Cataract Falls: Mount Tamalpais
Indian Valley Open Space Preserve
Loma Alta Open Space Preserve
Stairstep Falls: Samuel P. Taylor State Park
East Bay:
Mount Diablo State Park: Donner Canyon Waterfall Loop
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Castle Rock State Park
San Pedro Valley State Park
Tiptoe Falls: Portola Redwoods State Park
Uvas Canyon County Park

Coastal views and/or beach access
North Bay:
Bodega Head
Marin Headlands: Muir Beach
Marin Headlands: Rodeo Beach
Pinnacle Gulch
Point Reyes National Seashore: Estero to Drakes Bay
Point Reyes National Seashore: Palomarin
Point Reyes National Seashore: Tomales Point
Sonoma Coast State Beach: Kortum Trail
Peninsula and South Bay:
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
McNee Ranch State Park
Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve
Pillar Point

Camping and/or backpacking
North Bay:
Angel Island State Park
Austin Creek State Recreation Area
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
China Camp State Park
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Butano State Park
Castle Rock State Park
Henry W. Coe State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Portola Redwoods State Park
Go to Camping page for more choices

Where dogs are permitted
San Francisco:
Crissy Field
North Bay:
Alston Park
Sonoma Valley Regional Park
East Bay:
Del Valle Regional Park
Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Redwood Regional Park
Sibley Volcanic Park
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Pulgas Open Space Preserve
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Go to Dog Hikes page for more choices/be sure to read rules and restrictions

For families with small kids
North Bay:
Angel Island State Park
East Bay:
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Coyote Hills Regional Park
Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
Mount Diablo State Park: Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail
Tilden Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
A�o Nuevo State Reserve
Edgewood Park and Preserve 
Hidden Villa
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
Go to Hiking with Kids page for more choices

For runners
North Bay:
Marin Headlands: Gerbode Valley Loop
Mount Tamalpais: Phoenix Lake
East Bay:
Briones Regional Park 
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
Redwood Regional Park
Peninsula and South Bay:
Edgewood Park and Preserve
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
San Bruno Mountain County Park
Sweeney Ridge
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

Short and easy, with little elevation change
San Francisco:
The Presidio: Lobos Creek Trail
North Bay:
Mount Tamalpais State Park: East Peak
East Bay:
Mount Diablo State Park: Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail
Rush Ranch
Peninsula and South Bay:
Milagra Ridge
Pillar Point
Sawyer Camp Trail

Long and strenuous, with substantail elevation change
North Bay:
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park
East Bay:
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
Mount Diablo State Park: Mitchell Canyon-Eagle Peak Loop
Peninsula and South Bay:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Black Mountain: Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve

Accessible by public transportation
North Bay:
Angel Island State Park
Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
Marin Headlands: Gerbode Valley Loop
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop
Mount Tamalpais State Park: Mountain Home-Muir Woods Loop
Point Reyes National Seashore: Bear Valley to Arch Rock
East Bay:
Mission Peak Regional Preserve
Peninsula and South Bay:
San Pedro Valley Park
Wilder Ranch State Park
Note: Always check the transit schedule prior to your hike!