Bay Area Hiking

State Parks

Andrew Molera State Park

Mouth of the Big Sur River, Andrew Molera State Park
This beautiful 4800-acre state park is next door to smaller but sometimes overly-popular Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It's much more primitive and less developed, so gets less traffic. Its walk-in campground is much less crowded, but less developed than Pfeiffer Big Sur's. Car access is only at the edges of the park, so long hikes are required to explore it. It has 20 miles of trails. It includes grassy meadows, riparian wetlands, coastal bluffs, and the Big Sur River. A 2-mile hike to the lovely beach takes you to the mouth of the river. Other trails lead along the coastal bluffs and through the forests. Links:

Virtual Parks - Andrew Molera
Bay Area Backroads Big Sur - Part 2.
Monterey Bay Pictures for some pictures of the coast here.
Pelican Network: more on the park.
Caltreasures pictures of the park.
Total Escape
Big Sur River Mouth and Pt. Sur

Angel Island State Park

Angel Island State Park is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay north of San Francisco. It's a mile across Raccoon Strait from Tiburon, which is the closest point of departure to it. It can be reached by ferries or private boats. Ferries depart from Tiburon, San Francisco, Oakland/Alameda, and Vallejo. Angel Island is a large island with varied geography. Its highest point is at 781-foot Mt. Caroline Livermore. 360-degree views from here are among the best in the Bay Area. Most of the Bay Area and San Francisco Bay is visible from here. You can hike, bike, kayak, or take a tram ride around the island. There's a hike-in primitive campground high up on the island, which must be one of the most spectacular campsites in California. Trails around the island take you to historic sites, such as the Chinese immigration center and army buildings that were used in the Civil War, WWI and WWII. More recently, it was used as a Nike missile base during the Cold War years. There are rocky and sandy beaches around the island. The park headquarters at Ayala Cove has a visitor's center, grassy lawns, snack bar, picnic grounds, and a sheltered beach and yacht harbor. Links:

ANGEL ISLAND - A Hell for Some Who Sought the Gold Mountain

Ano Nuevo State Reserve

This reserve is located on a point along the San Mateo Coast, about 30 miles south of Half Moon Bay. It's most famous as a sea elephant rookery. In the winter months, the huge marine mammals, which reach 20 feet long and weigh up to 2 1/2 tons, breed along the beaches. Guided tours lead to these breeding areas. Reservations are a must, and from Decmber to March access is available only to these ranger-led tours. At other times of the year, this area is a long, quiet beach. The high concentration of marine mammals attract their main predator, the great white shark. This is definitely no place to go swimming or surfing. Links:

UCB Parents Recommendations - Ano Nuevo Elephant Seal Walk

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve and the Austin Creek Recreation Area

Armstrong Redwoods is an 805-acre redwood preserve located above Guerneville on slopes above the Russian River. It has nature trails leading by some huge old-growth redwoods. It is the largest old-growth redwood forest in Sonoma County. Next to it is Austin Creek Recreation Area, a 5683-acre park with 20 miles of trails through open grasslands and oak woodlands. It also has primitive campsites.Links:

Sonoma Parks information about Armstrong Redwoods
Austin Creek
Armstrong Redwoods
Hiking in the Russian River Area
Armstrong Woods Pack Station
Southwest Parks - Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
Hiking Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve

Big Basin State Park

This is the granddaddy of all the state parks. It is the oldest state park, established in 1902. It's a huge park, covering 18,000 acres that reaches from the 2000 foot heights of the Santa Cruz Mountains down to the ocean. It has the largest continous stand of old-growth redwoods south of the Golden Gate. It is a very popular camping area for car campers and backpackers. Miles of trails lead through the steep mountains, redwoods forests, and waterfall-filled canyons of the park. The trails range from the 1/2 mile Redwood Trail that passes by some of the largest trees in the park, to the 12.5 mile Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail that runs down to Waddell Beach. Strenuous hikes leads to waterfalls along the Berry Creek Falls and the Skyline to the Sea Trail and

Silver Falls Trail. Links:

Butano State Park

This state park has 2200 acres of beautiful scenery, a campground, and hiking trails through redwood forests. It's located in a lush coastal canyon on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 5 miles south of the little village of Pescadero and 3 miles inland from Hwy 1 on Cloverdale Road. Though the campground is popular, requiring reservations, the hiking trails are rarely crowded. Trails pass through forests of pines and giant redwoods and over ridges with views of the Pacific Ocean and Ano Nuevo Island. Links:

Castle Rock State Park

Castle Rock

This 3600-acre state park is located on the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, west of Skyline Blvd. and a few miles south of Hwy 9. The Upper reaches of Sanborn-Skyline County Park are across Skyline Blvd. from it. This is relatively undeveloped for a state park, but it is full of natural riches. Its main attraction is its rock formations, particularly Castle Rock and Goat Rock. However, it also has a spectacular 50-foot waterfall, deep lush mixed forests, 32 miles of trails, incredible views, and a hike-in trail camp.

A .3 mile stroll from the main parking lot leads to Castle Rock, a huge 4-story tall sandstone rock formation riddled with tunnels and caves. Actually, it's part of a complex of similar smaller rock formations around it. Kids love to climb on and between the rocks and into the more easily-accessible caves. Rock climbers tackle the steeper climbs to the top of the rock. This is a good area to train for more serious rock climbing in the Sierras.

The trail down to Castle Rock Falls is a stroll of less than a mile from the parking lot, down a cool, shady canyon, following Eagle Creek. At the end of the trail is a viewing platform which allows you to see straight down the face of the falls and part of the canyon below. I've seen experienced rock climbers climb down and back up the sheer rock faces on either side of the falls. The viewing platform also affords a view of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay.

Two trails branch off just before the falls. The Ridge Trail, which passes by Goat Rock, splits off to the right and climbs up a hill. The Saratoga Gap Trail continues on past the falls. The two trails eventually join 3 miles farther at the trail camp, though there are connector trails closer in. The Saratoga Gap Trail continues on and leads to Saratoga Gap at the intersection of Hwy 9 and Skyline Blvd. The 6 mile loop trip along the Ridge Trail and Saratoga Gap Trail to the trail camp is a recommended 3-hour trip, going through a wide variety of terrain and with great views.

The Ridge Trail climbs up steeply along the rocky sides of Varian Peak and follows the ridge, winding through a wide variety of shady forests. It also goes by Goat Rock, which is another huge sandstone climbing rock, like Castle Rock, except it offers panoramic views of the area, unlike tree-shielded Castle Rock. There are many other smaller cave-riddled rock formations around it for exploring. A lookout point has views of Goat Rock, as well as Monterey Bay, the Monterey Peninsula, and a large part of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Ridge Trail ends at the Castle Rock Trail Camp, which is a good rest stop, with walk-in campsites, a bad-weather shelter, a nature trail, drinking water, picnic tables, a pay phone, and pit toilets. The park headquarters and ranger station are also there.

You can take several trails from here, but the most scenic and adventurous way back is on the Saratoga Gap Trail. Be warned that this stretch of trail is not for the faint-hearted or acrophobic and is mostly an exposed trail with only sporadic shade. It winds along a narrow footpath cut into the side of Varian Peak. Some parts of the trail are near steep cliff dropoffs. One particularly steep and narrow part has a cable to hold onto while crossing. Other parts are scrambles up and around boulders. Unlike the Ridge Trail, which only has occasional views through the trees, the Saratoga Gap Trail has continuous awesome 180-degree vistas. The unusual rock formations above and below the trail are also visible. Eventually, the trail runs through shady forests, past a garden of moss-covered boulders, and has views of Castle Rock Falls just before it returns to it.

View from the Castle Rock State Park Ridge Trail--Saratoga Gap Trail below, Monterey Bay and Peninsula in the distance.

Here are some links on Castle Rock State Park:

China Camp State Park

China Camp State Park is a 1640-acre park located on San Francisco Bay just 4 miles east of San Rafael on North San Pedro Road. The park is the site of former Chinese shrimp fishing village. A pier and beach are on the bay. A museum there describes the Chinese settlement. A hill in the center of the park has hiking trails and campsites. Trails up the hill offer great views of Marin and the Bay Area. The park has a total of 22 miles of trails. It also has oak forests, meadows, salt marshes, and islets. Its position on the bay but behind steep hills gives it nearly ideal cool, sunny weather. Links:

Forest of Nisene Marks State Park

This is a large (10,000 acres) park in the southwestern Santa Cruz mountains above Aptos. It consists mostly of undeveloped second-growth redwood forests. It has 30 miles of trails through the forests, with a hike-in trail camp. It's a popular park for hiking, jogging, and marathon runs. The park is famous as the epicenter of the Loma Prieta 7.1 magnitude earthquake of 1989 that caused massive destruction in San Francisco and Oakland, though they're more than 60 miles away. Links:

Mountain Biking Trails - The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Picture of fissures in the earth here caused by the Loma Prieta quake.
Picture of a giant redwood stump in the park.
Virtual Parks QTVR's of the park
Bay Area Backcountry - The Forest of Nisene Marks
The Bay News - Forest of Nisene Marks

Henry Coe State Park

This is a gigantic state park, the largest in Northern California, with nearly 81,000 acres. It has over 250 miles of trails. It's at the doorstep of the Bay Area, in the hills and mountains east of Morgan Hill and Gilroy. However, considering its size and proximity to the metropolis of the Bay Area, this park is relatively lightly used. That's because this is a fiercely demanding, no-frills back-country wilderness that is not easy to get to and tough to get around in. It covers some of the most rugged and remote regions of the Bay Area. It's a real challenge, but rewarding for those willing and able to make the effort. It also has several lakes with legendary fishing. Lnks:

Henry Cowell State Park

This beautiful and popular 1800-acre state park in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton is known for its redwood forests and its proximity to the steam train rides at Roaring Camp. The whistle of the steam train can be heard echoing through the canyons here, recalling a bygone era. A diesel train carries passengers from here through the San Lorenzo River Canyon down to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. The easily-accessible redwood grove next to the park's nature center and gift shop preserves some of the most impressive and unique old-growth redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It's like a redwood museum, with many unusual trees. Some have fired-carved cavities that are big enough to walk into or through. One, called the Fremont tree, reportedly sheltered John C. Fremont and his men during an expedition here. Some are like hollow chimneys that you can see the sky through. Others are just gigantic. A large campground is located in the higher elevations of the park in a pine forest. Trails lead down to the lower areas of the park, which lie along the San Lorenzo River. The river here is wide, quiet, cool, and a fun place for kids to wade and splash around in in the dry summer months. Another part of the park, the 2335-acre Fall Creek Unit, lies to the west along Fall Creek. It's known for its old limekiln ruins. Links:

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

This state park south of Big Sur has one of the most beautiful and famous sites on the coast: McWay Creek dropping 80 feet over a cliff into the ocean at the edge of a lovely cove. This is reachable by a short trail, that leads west of Hwy 1. Other trails lead inland up the steep mountainsides through dense redwood and oak forests and up to 3000-foot high ridges. More links:

McWay Falls and McWay Cove, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Mt. Diablo State Park

At 3849 feet high, Mt. Diablo is one of the highest points in the East Bay. Because it stands alone on the eastern edge of the Bay Area near the Central Valley and is surrounded by lowlands, it has unblocked panoramic views. The view from its summit encompases more land area (40,000 square miles) than from any other viewpoint in the world except for Mt. Kilimanjaro. On a clear day, you can see 35 of California's 58 counties. Yosemite's Half Dome can even be seen on very clear days. The park is located inland, so tends to be hot in the summer. High fire danger sometimes closes the park in the late summer. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. The upper reaches of the mountain often get covered with snow in the winter, affording Bay Area residents a chance to play in the snow without going all the way to the Sierras. Here are some links:

QTVR's of Mt. Diablo
Bay Area Backroads story on Mt. Diablo.
Information about the trails and wildflowers at Mt. Diablo.
Mike Thoma Nature Hikes - Dan Cook Canyon Trail

Mt. Tamalpais State Park

Mt. Tamalpais is one of the most prominent landmarks in the Bay Area. Its 2571-foot peak towers above Marin County. It can be seen from many parts of the Bay Area, including the South Bay. It's also one of the best viewpoints in the Bay Area, with most of the Bay Area being visible from its peak. On clear days, views can stretch all the way to the Sierra Nevadas. The state park covers 6300 acres around the mountain. There are more than 50 miles of trails within the park. Here are some links:

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and the Big Sur Coast

Big Sur Coastline

The Big Sur coast is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world. The Big Sur area is the legendary retreat for poets, artists, and Bohemians. There are rustic lodges, religious retreats, and luxury resorts here. Pfeiffer Big Sur is one of the most popular of all the state parks, even though it's not a big park, at only 821 acres. Its attractions are the Big Sur River, Pfeiffer Falls, the Ventana Wilderness, access to the nearby coastline, and hiking and camping in the redwoods. Its campground is one of the biggest (over 200 sites) and best in the area. Camping here is so popular, booking a reservation far in advance is a must (I speak from experience). It's located 26 miles south of Carmel off Hwy 1 in the village of Big Sur, a few miles inland from the coast. The town of Big Sur, adjacent to the park, has stores, private campgrounds, restaurants, and inns. The Big Sur Lodge is on the grounds of the state park itself. There's plenty to see if the surrounding area. North of the state park along Hwy 1 are the Point Sur Lightstation, Andrew Molera State Park, Garrapata State Beach, and Point Lobos State Reserve. South are Pfeiffer Beach and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Gorge Area, Big Sur River

Swimmng and wading in the Big Sur River is very popular, particularly on warm sunny days. The park is inland from the ocean, so is not as chilly as the coast. The river is mostly knee-deep in the summer, but there are some deep swimming holes. One of the most popular and spectacular is the gorge area (see above), a short walk from the end of the campground. The steep canyon walls converge into a narrow gorge here, with the river spilling over a rock shelf into a series of deep pools. Other swimming holes (see below) are next to the campground.

Swimming hole in the Big Sur River, near the campground

The park has several trails. There's a short nature trail that introduces you to the plant life in the park. A short trail, a 1-hour round trip, along Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek runs through redwood groves and ends at 60-foot Pfeiffer Falls. A more rugged 2-hour hike is along the Buzzards Roost Trail, which climbs steeply along the western edge of the park, through redwood and oak forests, ending at Pfeiffer Ridge, which has great views of the ocean and mountains. The Valley View trail climbs up from the Pfeiffer Falls trail to Valley View Overlook, which has views of the Big Sur Valley, Point Sur, and Andrew Molera State Park. The Oak Grove Trail runs through a variety of habitats, from cool redwood forests, to sunnier oak groves, and to sun-baked chapparal.

Here are some links about the state park and surrounding area:

See Bay Area Backroads Big Sur Travelers Guide and their story on the surrounding Ventana Wilderness.
Here is a "Cyberhike" along the Pfeiffer Falls and Valley View Trails.
A Guide to California's Big Sur
VIA Magazine "Driving the Country of the Big South"
CSAA - Via, March/April 1998, Coastal Hikes
Gallery - San Francisco - Pfeiffer Falls
Big Sur Lodge
Things to Do Along the Coast Highway...Big Sur Coast
Beat Places: Big Sur
Virtual Reality Panoramas of the Big Sur Coast
Big Sur, CA. (Photo 5)
Big Sur by Randy Wang
Picture Gallery- Big Sur and other locations (good shots of the campground)
Images Illustrating Environmental Subjects - Monterey and Big Sur
Big Sur California Chamber of Commerce
Onroute destinations: Big Sur
Outside Magazine: Deetjen's Inn, Big Sur, California
L.L. Bean: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
San Francisco Bay Traveler - Private, Peaceful Big Sur Destination in Itself
The Bay News - Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
The Bay News - Big Sur

Point Lobos State Reserve

Sea tunnel and rocks at Pt. Lobos

Located 3 miles south of Carmel on Hwy 1, Point Lobos is quite possibly the most scenic spot on the entire Pacific Coast. Even though nearby 17-Mile Drive receives more tourism and publicity, it's only a foretaste of the natural beauty at Point Lobos, which has been called "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world." Point Lobos has inspired countless artists and photographers. Robinson Jeffers, who lived in nearby Carmel, wrote some of his most famous poems about Point Lobos. As a state reserve, its purpose is to preserve the natural beauty of the area, not attract tourists, so it has limited facilities and access. Only a limited number of cars are allowed in at a time, so there's often a line to enter the park. You can walk or bike in, however. The best way to see the reserve is on foot anyway. Short, easy trails lead from the parking lots to incredible views of sheer rocky cliffs, small islets covered with sea lions and seabirds, sea caves and tunnels, sheltered coves, pocket beaches, and teeming tidepools. Here are some more Point Lobos links:

Park Website
Here is a photograph of the cypress grove at Point Lobos, taken by the famous photographer, Edward Weston.
Sierra Club--Santa Lucia Chapter: Point Lobos State Reserve
Bay Area Ramblings - Point Lobos State Reserve
Images of the California Environment: Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos
Picture of Cypress Cove, Point Lobos
Movietours: Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel River State Beach
L.L. Bean: Point Lobos State Reserve
Eco Guide to the California Coast: Point Lobos
Roy Latham: Point Lobos California
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Point Lobos State Reserve
GuestLife Monterey Bay - Big Sur

Point Sur State Historic Park

Point Sur contains the famous Point Sur Lightstation, which is perched high upon a huge 380-foot high rocky mound, which is like a miniature Rock of Gibraltar. A guided tour climbs up the rock to the lightstation perched near the top. When the weather is clear, the views of the Big Sur coastline are unsurpassed. Links:

Portola Redwoods State Park

This state park is located deep in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It's part of the Pescadero Creek Complex of parks, which also includes Pescadero, Sam McDonald, and Memorial County Parks. It's also joined to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. Portola State Park is in a narrow canyon area containing Pescadero and Peters Creeks. Trails lead over and along the creeks and up the surrounding ridges. There are shady second-growth redwood forests here, with some old-growth giants. Links:

Here are some pictures of the forest.
Here is my Web page on Portola State Park and the surrounding area, with more information and links

Samuel P. Taylor State Park

Samuel P. Taylor State Park is a 2600-acre redwood park located a few miles east of Point Reyes National Seashore on Sir Francis Drake Hwy in Marin, about 25 miles north of San Francisco and 15 miles west of San Rafael. It is located in hilly, wooded countryside. Part of the park has cool redwood forests. Other parts are open grasslands. Papermill Creek runs through the park. This was once the site of a paper mill owned by Samuel P. Taylor during the Gold Rush era. There is a 3-mile paved trail that runs through the park along an old railroad right-of-way. Other trails lead through the hills and along the creek. Links:

San Bruno Mountain State and County Park

San Bruno Mountain is the steep mound in South San Francisco and San Bruno that has the letters "South San Francisco The Industrial City" on its slopes. It is located at the northern end of the Santa Cruz Mountain range. Its 2266 acres range from 250 to 1314 feet in altitude. 12 miles of trails lead throughout the park. From its high points are some of the best views in the Bay Area. Its summit can be reached by car by driving up Radio Road. It is also a refuge for wildlife and includes habitats for several endangered species. Links:

Tomales Bay State Park

Indian Beach at Tomales Bay State Park

Tomales Bay is on the eastern edge of Point Reyes National Seashore. It's a long, narrow finger of water that was created by the San Andreas Fault, which runs under it. The high ridge at Point Reyes shields Tomales Bay from the wind and fog from the ocean, keeping the bay calm and warm. The waters here are some of the warmest, calmest, and most swimmable saltwater in northern California. Hearts Desire Beach is the most popular and accessible place in the park. Trails lead from there through shady forests to other more remote beaches, such as Pebble Beach and bigger Indian Beach. Trails also lead up into the surrounding ridgelands. One of the trails, the Jeppson Trail, leads through a stand of Bishop Pines. Other parts of the park lie along the windier western side of the Bay, with short trails leading along the shores. Links:

Wildflowers and wildlife along the trails and beaches at Tomales Bay.
Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve Maps - Tomales Bay
Virtual Reality Panorama of Shell Beach
Hiking Tomales Bay - Stalking the Narrow Gauge
Virtual Reality Panoramas of Inverness and Tomales Bay Marin County, California
Tomales Bay Camping

Wilder Ranch State Park

This large state park with 4505 acres is located on the coast just north of Santa Cruz. It's a former dairy ranch site. The dairy farm buildings have been preserved and are maintained by the state. 34 miles of trails run down to the coast and inland into the mountains. Links:

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Ron Horii, San Jose
Created 10/8/97. Last update: 7/22/01