Best Hikes and Bike Trails Around the Bay
Looking to opt outside this weekend? Explore some of the Bay Area’s best trails.
Friday, November 26th is known as Green Friday for the East Bay Regional Parks District. What does that mean? There’s no parking or entrance fees in any of its 79+ parks. EBRPD has celebrated Green Friday as part of the #OptOutside movement for the past seven years.
Mount Diablo State Park
Mount Diablo is the most prominent feature in all of the East Bay and can be seen from every city in Contra Costa County. Check out a few of the best areas on the mountain:
Rock City: Located off of South Gate Road approximately one mile north of South Gate Kiosk. Features include the Wind Caves, Elephant Rock, Sentinel Rock, Artist Point, and Fossil Ridge. Native American grinding rocks are located near Grotto. It’s a great place to picnic!
Mitchell Canyon: Located on the north side of the mountain, Mitchell Canyon is accessed by taking Ygnacio Valley Road to Clayton Road to Mitchell Canyon Road. A number of trails take off from Mitchell Canyon that range from easy to difficult. A small visitor center is located there, open on weekends and holidays. The Mitchell Canyon area is noted for its wildflower displays during spring.
Summit Trail: A 7-mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Danville that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The trail is accessible year-round and primarily used for hiking, running, nature trips, and bird watching.
Angel Island
Angel Island State Park, the largest natural island in the San Francisco Bay, offers some of the best views of the surrounding Bay Area. Angel Island is truly a hidden gem in the midst of the urban Bay Area and is only a short ferry ride away from Tiburon. Check out some of its best trails:
North Ridge and Sunset Trail Loop: A 4.8-mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Belvedere/Tiburon that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round.
Angel Island Perimeter Loop: This 6.2-mile easy trail is a heavily trafficked loop that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is open to bikers and hikers alike, and is accessible year-round.
China Camp State Park
China Camp is one of the few legal single track mountain biking offered in the Bay Area. The 7-mile Shoreline-Bayview Loop has a relatively easy climb, good amount of decent, and stunning views. Recent trail work has taken out some of the technical/ rocky features making this a great place for beginners to learn to mountain bike. Leave time to explore China Camp Village itself, which includes the remains of a late 19th-century shrimp fishing camp that is remarkably intact.
Crockett Hills
Crockett Hills is an excellent mountain biking park. There are great trails through the woods and over the hills with awesome views of the Carquinez Strait, Mount Tam, and Mount Diablo. Check out Trail Forks for an in-depth trail map. Be ready to climb, but the descents are flowy, fast, and definitely worth the climb!
Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods
Mount Tam, as it’s known locally, dominates the Marin County landscape. The state park that shares its name features every kind of topography Northern California is known for, with more than 200 miles of trails stretching all the way to the Pacific. Check out a few of our favorites:
Dipsea Trail to the Steep Ravine: This iconic 9.7-mile trail is known for hosting the oldest trail race in America. The race started in 1905 and is run the second Sunday in June every year. It is a steep mix of technical trail and stairs with breathtaking views of Stinson Beach miles below.
Muir Woods: Protected by the National Parks Service since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory, revealing our relationship with the living landscape. Visitors can walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog.
Muir Beach to Tennessee Beach - Hill 88 Loop: A quiet cove, beach, and lagoon favored by locals. Located on the Pacific Coast three miles west of Muir Woods, Muir Beach is accessed over a 450-foot long pedestrian bridge that connects the parking lot to the beach. The Coastal Trail is an 8.4-mile moderately trafficked loop that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate, according to All Trails. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, running, and bird watching. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.