Hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area, including East Bay, Marin and North Bay, the city of San Francisco and the South Bay.
Update. Original posted Aug. 2012 Point Reyes National Seashore is a birder’s paradise with more than 45% of North American avian species living in the park. It’s also home to 38 threatened and endangered plant and animal species. In the park — and on this hike — you’ll find crashing ocean cliffs, grassy meadows, evergreen-covered …
Wunderlich County Park in San Mateo County is a gem of a local hike spot with history. In addition to numerous hiking trails through redwoods, madrones and open meadows, there are beautifully restored estate buildings from the former Folger family ranch (yes, as in the coffee) which house a museum and active horse stables. This …
This quintessential hike on the northwestern shore of the city of San Francisco (Lands End) offers one of my favorite views of the Golden Gate Bridge, a meditation labyrinth on Lands End Point, a rocky beach break, Seacliff mansion gazing, a museum, the ruins of a once majestic bathhouse, the ominous roar of the ocean …
When visiting the Russian River Valley for a weekend wine getaway, it’s always good to mix a little exercise in with the indulgence. Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is in the heart of the valley near Guerneville, a quiet little riverside town, and offers majestic redwoods (and the cooling shade they can provide) without all …
China Camp State Park gets its name from the historic fishing village that thrived along the shoreline here in the 1880s. At one time the fishing village had more than 500 residents, mostly immigrants from China. Today the park offers a nearby Bay Area getaway, a historic look back at the former fishing village, walk-in …
The stretch of the Coastal Trail from Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach is one of my all-time favorites in the Bay Area with postcard perfect views of the Pacific shore that are truly breathtaking, especially on clear days (though foggy days have their own eerie appeal). The hike is made even better with a swing …
Muir Woods National Monument is a major tourist destination in the Bay Area with good reason. The majestic redwood trees are a wonder of Mother Nature as the only old-growth coastal redwood forest remaining in the Bay Area. The gurgling Redwood Creek runs through a forest that is lush and green with ferns, banana slugs and …
Saturday’s hike was our longest yet, 5.5 hours and a perfect round 12 miles (we walked a little extra distance in the parking lot to get it to that perfect 12). Though I’m familiar with many Mt. Diablo hikes, this is one I hadn’t done before. We started in the Mitchell Canyon parking lot, on …
Last weekend was a “buddy hike” in the Marin Headlands. For those who have been following the blog for awhile, you’ve heard that phrase before. Basically every weekend we have a team hike (each one getting progressively more difficult and longer) to train for the big hike in September, but interspersed are occasional buddy hikes …
San Bruno Mountain State Park is pretty unassuming. You drive past it on Highway 101 as you pass South San Francisco from SF. From the roadway beneath it looks like a relatively tree-less expanse of hills, covered in grass or brush that goes from springtime green to summertime brown. While not entirely untrue, the thing …
