The best hikes in the Bay Area, ranked: 10 trails from Mount Tam to Mount Diablo

The best hikes in the Bay Area start on Mount Tamalpais. The Steep Ravine, Dipsea, and Matt Davis loop packs a redwood canyon, a wooden ladder, an ocean town, and a mile of open ridge over the Pacific into one morning, and it doesn’t need a reservation. That’s #1. In October, though, the tule elk on Tomales Point are bugling, and that one pushes hard for the top spot. We’ll tell you why it’s #2 anyway.

This list ranks 10 trails across Marin, San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the East Bay. Every entry says why it beats the one below it, gives you distance and climb, and covers the parking situation honestly. We also checked every trailhead against this month’s park alerts, because the Bay Area has a few closures right now that the older lists online don’t mention.

How we ranked the best hikes in the Bay Area

Four things decide the order:

• Range per mile. How many different Bay Area landscapes you walk through. Redwoods to ocean to grassland in one loop beats one view stretched over eight miles.
• The payoff. A summit, a beach, a herd of elk, a waterfall. Something you remember on the drive home.
• How it holds up on a normal day. A hike that’s great at 7 a.m. on a Tuesday and miserable at 11 on a Saturday loses points.
• Access. Parking you can actually get, and no reservation chase.

Distances and elevation gain are for the standard route and are approximate. Park agencies and trail apps disagree by a few tenths, so treat the numbers as close, not exact. We left out hours and fees unless the park lists them clearly, because both change. Here’s the whole list at a glance:

1. Steep Ravine, Dipsea, and Matt Davis loop, Mount Tamalpais
2. Tomales Point Trail, Point Reyes
3. Eagle Peak loop, Mount Diablo
4. Lands End Coastal Trail, San Francisco
5. Whittemore Gulch and Harkins Ridge, Purisima Creek Redwoods
6. West Ridge and French Trail, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
7. Mission Peak, Fremont
8. Alamere Falls via Palomarin, Point Reyes
9. Alameda Creek Overlook (Little Yosemite), Sunol
10. Mori Point, Pacifica

The best hikes in the Bay Area, #1 to #3

1. Steep Ravine, Dipsea, and Matt Davis loop, Mount Tamalpais

About 7.2 miles, about 1,600 feet of gain. Start at Pantoll.

This is the Bay Area in one loop. Steep Ravine drops through a narrow redwood canyon along Webb Creek, with footbridges, ferns, and a short wooden ladder bolted up a rock step. The Dipsea carries you down to Stinson Beach. Then the Matt Davis Trail climbs back out through bay laurel and Douglas fir and breaks onto open grassland, where you walk a long contour with the whole coast laid out under you. Redwoods, beach town, and big ocean view, all in about four hours.

Why it’s #1: nothing else here covers this much ground in this few miles. Tomales Point has the better wildlife, but it’s one landscape for nine-plus miles. Steep Ravine changes every 20 minutes.

Insider detail: a lot of locals run it backward: down Matt Davis to Stinson first, then up the Dipsea and Steep Ravine. That way you climb the ladder instead of backing down it, and the steepest grades come in the shade. Pantoll is a paid State Parks lot, and on weekends it fills early. Ignore the Matt Davis Spur near Stinson. It’s permanently closed; the main Matt Davis Trail is the one you want.

Heads up: Steep Ravine was closed in summer 2025 after a retaining wall failed and reopened that September. It’s open now, but it’s the kind of trail that closes after big storms, so check the Mount Tamalpais State Park page in winter.

2. Tomales Point Trail, Point Reyes

About 9.5 miles out and back, roughly 1,100 feet of gain. Start at the Tomales Point trailhead near Pierce Point Ranch.

The trail runs out the narrow tip of Point Reyes with Tomales Bay on your right and the open Pacific on your left, and the tule elk are everywhere. Right now is the moment: the rut runs August through October, and mid-October is peak bugling. The bulls sound like a rusty gate being dragged up a hill, and they do it all day.

Why it’s #2: for pure “I can’t believe this is an hour from the city,” it beats everything on this list. But it’s long, exposed, usually windy, and out-and-back, and the last 1.7 miles to the point aren’t maintained and have cracked, crumbling bluff edges. Turning around early costs you very little; the elk are along the whole route. Steep Ravine gives you more variety in less time, every month of the year.

Insider detail: the first 3 miles follow an old ranch road, so the walking is easy; it’s the wind that wears you down. Bring a layer even if Inverness is warm. The dirt lot holds about 20 cars and is often full by 10 a.m. on busy days. Overflow parking is at the McClures Beach lot just down the road. Volunteer docents with spotting scopes set up at the trailhead on weekends. Give the bulls a wide berth this month, at least 75 feet, and more if one is staring at you.

3. Eagle Peak loop, Mount Diablo State Park

About 6.6 miles, about 2,170 feet of gain. Start at Mitchell Canyon, Clayton.

Mount Diablo’s summit sits at 3,849 feet, and on a clear winter day you can see the Sierra from up there. The Eagle Peak loop is the best way to earn it without driving to the top. You climb a narrow, rocky ridge to Eagle Peak, continue to Murchio Gap, and come down Mitchell Canyon through oak woodland. It’s steep, rocky, and fully exposed on the ridge, and it feels nothing like the coast.

Why it’s #3: it’s the best inland hike in the Bay Area, with a real summit feeling. It ranks below Tomales because from June through September it’s brutally hot, so it’s a great hike for about seven months a year instead of twelve. Want the actual summit instead? The Juniper loop is about 6.5 miles with about 1,860 feet of gain and finishes at the summit.

Insider detail: go up the Eagle Peak ridge first and come down Mitchell Canyon, so you’re climbing in the cool of the morning and descending the canyon road later. This is also the end of tarantula season. The males wander from late summer into early October, and by mid-month you’re lucky to see one. Our guide to Mount Diablo’s tarantulas covers where to look. The Castle Rock and Knobcone Point areas close every year from February 1 through July 31 for nesting peregrine falcons, so fall is when you can wander there.

#4 to #7: the city, the redwoods, and the one everyone posts

4. Lands End Coastal Trail, San Francisco

About 3 miles out and back, mostly flat with some stairs. Start at the Lands End Lookout above Sutro Baths.

The best view-per-mile in the Bay Area is inside city limits. The trail follows the old Cliff House railway grade through windswept cypress along the cliffs of the Outer Richmond, with the Golden Gate opening up ahead. You pass the concrete ruins of Sutro Baths at the start, and the payoff comes at Mile Rock.

Why it’s #4: it’s short and it’s in the city, which is exactly why it ranks above the redwood hikes for most people most weekends. It loses to Diablo because it’s a walk, not a hike. You’ll share it with strollers.

Insider detail: take the stairs down the Mile Rock Beach spur. The Golden Gate view from the bottom, framed between the rocks, is the best one on the trail, and most people walk right past the turnoff. The main path is wheelchair accessible as far as the Mile Rock overlook. You can get here on Muni, so skip the parking circle. Afterward, Clement Street is ten minutes away, and we ranked the best dim sum in San Francisco for exactly this situation.

5. Whittemore Gulch and Harkins Ridge, Purisima Creek Redwoods

About 6.5 miles, roughly 1,600 to 1,750 feet of gain. Start at the lower Purisima Creek Road lot outside Half Moon Bay.

This is the best redwood hike in the Bay Area that doesn’t involve a reservation or a tour bus. Whittemore Gulch climbs through second-growth redwood and then out into open coastal scrub with ocean views. Harkins Ridge brings you back down a long ridgeline into the canyon. The Purisima Creek Trail along the creek is the shady, gentle mile at the bottom.

Why it’s #5: it has better redwoods than Lands End and far fewer people than Muir Woods. It ranks below Lands End because it’s a real climb and a bit of a drive, and the bottom lot is tiny.

Insider detail: the lower lot has 7 spaces plus one accessible spot, and the no-parking zones along the road are enforced. If it’s full, drive up to the North Ridge lot on Highway 35 (41 spaces) and do the loop upside down. Starting from the bottom, you climb first and finish downhill, which is the order you want. No dogs. In October, pair it with the best pumpkin patches in Half Moon Bay, which are ten minutes down the road.

6. West Ridge and French Trail, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland

Choose your length. Start at Skyline Gate on Skyline Boulevard.

There’s a redwood forest in the Oakland hills, a short drive from downtown. The original giants here were logged in the 1800s, and what grew back is a tall second-growth forest in a deep canyon. The classic loop pairs the sunny West Ridge Trail with the French Trail, which drops into the redwoods and rolls through them on a narrow, rooty singletrack.

Why it’s #6: no other big redwood walk is this close to a downtown, and dogs are welcome here, which isn’t true at Purisima. It ranks below Purisima because the trees and the views are smaller, and the creekside Stream Trail is partly closed right now.

Heads up for this month: the park’s official name is now Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, and the East Bay Regional Park District has closed the Stream Trail between Trail’s End and the Fern Trail since late August, plus a section near the Old Church picnic area through October 31. That’s why we’re sending you along the ridge and the French Trail instead of up the canyon floor. Check ebparks.org/alerts before you go. The weekend parking fee applies at Redwood Gate, not up at Skyline.

Insider detail: from Skyline Gate, start on the West Ridge Trail. You’ll be out on the ridge in the morning sun, then down in the cool redwoods for the second half. If you’re proud of the hills you just walked, the In the 510 We Trust Oakland Pride T-Shirt says so plainly. Then go get a cup. We ranked the best coffee in Oakland, and several of them are a short drive down the hill.

7. Mission Peak, Fremont

About 6 miles out and back, more than 2,000 feet of gain. Start at the Stanford Avenue staging area.

It’s the Bay Area’s most-photographed summit: a steep, treeless grind up to a rocky 2,517-foot top with the South Bay laid out flat below, salt ponds and all. The photo everyone takes is at the “Mission Peeker,” a metal post with sighting tubes at the summit.

Why it’s #7: it’s a great workout with a big view, but it’s one long climb with no shade and a lot of company, and the whole point is the summit photo. Diablo gives you the same feeling with more trail variety. Purisima and Redwood Regional give you trees. Mission Peak gives you a sunburn if you start late.

Insider detail: start at dawn. The Stanford Avenue lot hours are enforced hard, with citations from $300, so read the posted times before you park for a sunset hike. On weekends and federal holidays the neighborhood streets around the trailhead are permit-only, and Fremont police ticket there too. Bring more water than you think you need.

#8 to #10: worth it, with an asterisk

8. Alamere Falls via Palomarin, Point Reyes

About 13.2 miles out and back on the official route. Start at Palomarin, past Bolinas.

Alamere is one of the few waterfalls in California that pours straight onto a beach. The official way is the Coast Trail past a string of lakes to Wildcat Camp, then 1.1 miles south along the beach, and that beach stretch is only passable at low tide.

Why it’s #8 and not higher: the payoff is unreal when the creek is running, but that’s mostly January through April, after rain. By mid-October, after a dry summer, it’s often a thin ribbon. It’s also a long day with a tide deadline.

Don’t take the shortcut. You’ll see a social trail that cuts down the bluff to the top of the falls. The National Park Service strongly discourages it, because the cliffs crumble and are full of poison oak, and rangers run rescues there almost every week. There is no official “Alamere Falls Trail.” Use the beach route and check a tide table. Palomarin’s lot fills very early on weekends all year, and late arrivals get turned away. The Palomarin Beach Trail is closed indefinitely, but that doesn’t affect the Coast Trail.

9. Alameda Creek Overlook (Little Yosemite), Sunol Regional Wilderness

About 4 miles out and back, moderate. Start at the Sunol visitor center.

Walk up Camp Ohlone Road along Alameda Creek and you reach a small gorge full of house-sized boulders and green pools that everyone has called Little Yosemite for decades. The park now signs it as the Alameda Creek Overlook. It’s an easy, rewarding walk in a valley that feels far more remote than it is.

Why it’s #9: it’s lovely, but it’s short and best in winter and spring, when the creek is loud and the hills are green. In October the hills are gold and the creek is quiet.

Insider detail: no swimming or wading in Alameda Creek. It’s protected habitat for endangered species, and the rule is enforced. No campfires or barbecues anywhere in the park.

10. Mori Point, Pacifica

About 1.4 miles for the peak loop, or about 2.4 miles with about 360 feet of gain via Bootlegger’s Steps and the bluffs. Start from the Mori Point Road entrance.

Mori Point is a small headland at the south end of Pacifica’s beach, with a boardwalk over restored freshwater ponds and a short, steep climb to a bluff over the ocean. The ponds were dug starting in 2005 as habitat for the California red-legged frog (federally threatened) and the San Francisco garter snake (endangered, and one of the prettiest snakes in North America). The land has been part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area since 2002.

Why it’s #10: it’s the shortest hike on this list that still feels like the wild coast, and it’s the best one to do with kids. It ranks last only because it’s over in an hour.

Insider detail: stay on the boardwalk around the ponds, because the whole point of them is to be left alone. Bootlegger’s Steps are steep and uneven, so take them up, not down, if your knees complain.

Honorable mentions, and three to skip right now

Ten slots isn’t enough for the Bay Area. These almost made it:

• Bootjack and Ben Johnson loop, Mount Tam (about 4 miles). Muir Woods’ redwoods without the Muir Woods parking reservation. From Pantoll, take the Alpine Trail down to Bootjack, cross into the canyon, climb Ben Johnson, and return on the Stapelveldt Trail. Muir Woods itself requires a parking reservation through GoMuirWoods, and there’s no cell service there to call a ride back.
• Tennessee Valley, Marin Headlands (about 3.5 miles round trip). An easy valley walk to a small cove beach, with one steep pitch near the end. It’s great for kids, but no dogs on the trail.
• Mount Livermore, Angel Island. A 788-foot summit in the middle of the bay, with San Francisco, the Golden Gate, Mount Tam, and Oakland all in one turn of your head. Golden Gate Ferry runs boats from the Ferry Building, and a separate ferry runs from Tiburon. Check schedules, because they’re seasonal.
• Chimney Rock, Point Reyes (1.8 miles round trip). Easy and spectacular in March and April for wildflowers, with an elephant seal overlook nearby and gray whales passing January through May.
• Verna Dunshee loop, East Peak of Mount Tam (about 0.75 miles). Paved, accessible, dog-friendly on leash, and it circles the 2,571-foot East Peak. It’s the best view in Marin for the least effort.
• Stephen E. Abbors Trail, Rancho San Antonio. It’s still “the PG&E Trail” to a lot of South Bay hikers. The Midpen open space district posts real-time lot availability online, which helps, because the lots are notorious on weekends.
• Black Diamond Mines, Antioch. Coal-mining history in the hills, and Rose Hill Cemetery is the stop people remember.

Skip these for now:

• Wildcat Peak via Laurel Canyon, Tilden. The upper 0.43 miles of the Laurel Canyon Trail is closed until further notice from storm damage, which breaks the usual loop. Wildcat Gorge is closed too.
• Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Oakland. As of this week, the lower loop is blocked by multiple fallen trees about 300 feet from the Skyline lot. It’s a lovely 1.7-mile loop when it’s clear. Watch the East Bay alerts page.
• Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin. Big Basin is partly open. The flat Redwood Loop is open, and day-use parking still requires a reservation. Much of the backcountry, including the classic route to Berry Creek Falls from park headquarters, is still reopening in phases after the 2020 fire. Don’t plan the long loop until State Parks says it’s open.

Castle Rock State Park’s waterfall loop is a great winter hike, but its 80-foot falls are dry or close to it in October. Save it for after the first big storms.

The best Bay Area hike for what you want

Different day, different hike. Here’s the short version:

• Redwoods: Purisima Creek (#5), then the Bootjack and Ben Johnson loop, then Redwood Regional (#6). Steep Ravine (#1) gives you a redwood canyon as part of a bigger loop.
• Biggest view: Mount Diablo (#3). Mission Peak (#7) if you’re in the South Bay and want it done before lunch.
• Wildlife: Tomales Point in the fall for elk (#2). Chimney Rock in winter for elephant seals and gray whales. Mori Point (#10) for frogs, if you’re patient and quiet.
• Kids: Mori Point, Lands End, Tennessee Valley, and the Verna Dunshee loop. All are short and all have a payoff. Keep small kids close on the Lands End and Mori Point bluffs.
• Dogs: Redwood Regional (#6) and the Verna Dunshee loop, on leash. Leave the dog home for Purisima, Rancho San Antonio, Castle Rock, and the Tennessee Valley Trail.
• No car: Lands End on Muni, Angel Island by ferry. For Muir Woods, rideshare drop-offs don’t need a reservation, but there’s no cell service for the ride back, so plan that part.
• Waterfalls: Alamere (#8) and Castle Rock, and only after real rain. January through April.
• A hard day out: Steep Ravine as written, then add the Eagle Peak loop on another weekend. Or do Alamere and time the tide.

When to hike the Bay Area: a month-by-month cheat sheet

The Bay Area has two hiking seasons that run in opposite directions. The coast is foggy in summer and clear in fall. Inland is scorching in summer and perfect in winter. Plan around that and you’ll rarely have a bad day.

• October (now): the best month on the coast. The fog backs off, the light is gold, and the elk are rutting on Tomales Point. Inland hills are dry and tan. Tarantula season on Diablo is winding down. It’s also fire-weather season, so check alerts on windy days (more on that below).
• November and December: the first real rain turns the hills green almost overnight, usually within two weeks. Creeks start running again.
• January through March: waterfall season, at Alamere, Castle Rock, and the creeks of Mount Tam. Gray whales pass Point Reyes from January into May, and elephant seals are on the beaches near Chimney Rock. In past years the Point Reyes headlands shuttle has run on weekends and holidays from late December to mid-April. Check NPS for this year’s dates.
• March and April: wildflowers. Chimney Rock, the slopes of Diablo, and Sunol are all at their best. This is the month to do Mission Peak, when it’s green and not yet hot.
• May through September: go coastal or go early. Diablo and Mission Peak are punishing by mid-morning. The coast is often socked in by fog, which is great for hiking and terrible for views. Mount Tam’s ridges often poke out above the fog layer, which is its own reason to go.

Parking, fog, and fire days: the stuff that ruins a hike

The trails are rarely the problem. The trailheads are. Here’s what trips people up:

Small lots and reservations

• Muir Woods requires a parking reservation (GoMuirWoods). The seasonal shuttle needs one too. Or skip it and do the Bootjack loop from Pantoll.
• Big Basin requires a day-use parking reservation, bookable in advance on the state’s reservation site.
• Purisima’s lower lot has 7 spaces. Tomales Point has about 20. Palomarin fills very early. On weekends, arriving before 9 a.m. is the real reservation system.
• Mission Peak has enforced lot hours and permit-only neighborhood streets on weekends.
• Pantoll and East Peak on Mount Tam are paid State Parks lots. Bring a card and some cash.

Red Flag days

Fall in the Bay Area brings dry offshore winds. When the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning, Marin Water closes its Mount Tam watershed lands and roads, and the East Bay Regional Park District can close its hill parks. As of this week there are no Red Flag closures, but the forecast can change in a day. Before a fall hike, check ebparks.org/alerts, the NPS alerts for Point Reyes and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and the State Parks page for your trail. If a park is closed for fire weather, there’s a good reason for it.

The small stuff

• Poison oak grows along almost every trail on this list. Shiny leaves in threes, and in fall they turn red. It’s beautiful, and you shouldn’t touch it.
• Ticks are in tall grass on Diablo, Sunol, and Point Reyes. Check yourself at the car.
• Layers. It can be 85 in Walnut Creek and 58 and blowing at Tomales Point the same afternoon.
• Cell service disappears at Muir Woods, Castle Rock, and much of Point Reyes. Download the map before you lose signal.

Best hikes in the Bay Area: FAQ

What is the single best hike in the Bay Area?

The Steep Ravine, Dipsea, and Matt Davis loop from Pantoll on Mount Tamalpais. It’s about 7.2 miles with about 1,600 feet of gain, and it covers redwood canyon, Stinson Beach, and open ocean ridge in one loop. In October, Tomales Point is a close second for the elk rut.

What’s the best easy hike in the Bay Area?

Lands End in San Francisco (about 3 miles out and back, mostly flat) or Mori Point in Pacifica (1.4 miles). For the best view with almost no effort, the paved Verna Dunshee loop at Mount Tam’s East Peak is about 0.75 miles.

Where can I see redwoods near San Francisco without a reservation?

Purisima Creek Redwoods off Highway 1 near Half Moon Bay, the Bootjack and Ben Johnson loop from Pantoll on Mount Tam, and Redwood Regional Park in the Oakland hills. None of them requires a reservation. Muir Woods and Big Basin both require parking reservations.

When is the best time to hike in the Bay Area?

Fall is best on the coast (clear skies, less fog). Winter and spring are best inland (green hills, cool temps, waterfalls after rain, wildflowers in March and April). Summer works on the coast and early mornings inland.

Which Bay Area hikes allow dogs?

Redwood Regional Park and the Verna Dunshee loop on Mount Tam allow leashed dogs. Purisima Creek, Rancho San Antonio, Castle Rock, and the Tennessee Valley Trail don’t. Rules vary by agency and even by trail, so check the specific trail before you go.

Is Alamere Falls flowing in October?

Usually barely. After a dry summer it’s often a trickle by fall. Go January through April after rain, take the official beach route at low tide, and skip the bluff shortcut.

If you only do one

Do Steep Ravine. Park at Pantoll early, go down Matt Davis while your legs are fresh, have lunch in Stinson, and climb the Dipsea and the ladder back up through the redwoods. You’ll have seen most of what makes the Bay Area worth living in by 2 p.m.

If it’s October and you can only get away once this month, though, drive out to Tomales Point instead. The bulls are bugling, the light is gold, and in three weeks it’ll be over. The trails will still be here in winter. The rut won’t.

Tell us the one we missed. We read every reply, and the next ranking is always better for it.