Best Hiking Trails Near San Francisco 2026

San Francisco is arguably the finest hiking city in the United States. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area encircles the city's north and west sides, the Marin Headlands and Mount Tamalpais are just across the Golden Gate Bridge, Point Reyes National Seashore protects 150 kilometres of wild Pacific coastline 60 kilometres north, and the East Bay's tilted ridges provide panoramic Bay Area views. Much of this hiking is accessible by public transit. Here are the best hiking options near San Francisco for 2026.

Mount Tamalpais: Steep Ravine and Matt Davis Trails

Mount Tamalpais (771m), the dominant peak of Marin County visible from across the Bay Area, provides the finest hiking directly across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The Pantoll Ranger Station on the southern slopes of Mount Tamalpais (accessible by the West Marin Stagecoach bus 61 from Marin City on weekends, or by car from the Golden Gate Bridge on Panoramic Highway) is the hub of the Mount Tamalpais State Park trail network. The Steep Ravine Trail descends through redwood canyon to the Stinson Beach coast (8km one-way), the Matt Davis Trail traverses the southern face of the mountain with Bay-to-ocean views, and the East Peak summit (accessible by Old Railroad Grade fire road or Verna Dunshee Trail) provides a 360-degree panorama of San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the Marin hills. Combine with a return from Stinson Beach via the Marin Transit Route 61 for a linear day hike.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore, 60 kilometres north of San Francisco on the Marin coast, is one of California's most dramatic coastal landscapes and provides 150 kilometres of trail on the wild Point Reyes peninsula, which sits on the Pacific tectonic plate and is slowly moving northwest relative to the North American plate. The Bear Valley Trail from Bear Valley Visitor Center to Arch Rock on the coast (13km return) passes through Douglas fir forest, open coastal grassland, and ends at the dramatic sea arch above the Pacific surf. The Tomales Point Trail (11km return) through the Tule Elk Reserve provides views of Tomales Bay and the open ocean with free-roaming tule elk. Point Reyes is accessible by weekend Golden Gate Transit bus or by private car from San Francisco.

Marin Headlands: Gerbode Valley and Coastal Trail

The Marin Headlands, the open ocean-facing hills immediately north of the Golden Gate Bridge accessible by foot or bicycle across the bridge or by Golden Gate Transit bus, provide the most dramatic views of the Golden Gate Bridge from above. The Coastal Trail along the headlands' ocean bluffs connects Battery Spencer (the photographic Golden Gate overlook used in virtually every aerial photograph of the bridge) to Rodeo Beach and the Gerbode Valley. The Hawk Hill summit (302m) directly above the Golden Gate is one of the finest hawk migration watch points in North America (September-November), with over 1 million raptors migrating past annually. The Tennessee Valley Trail (4.5km return from Tennessee Valley Road) provides an easy valley walk through coastal grassland to a small protected cove at Tennessee Beach, one of the Marin Headlands' most rewarding short trails.

Practical Guide to Hiking Near San Francisco

The Marin Headlands are accessible by bicycle across the Golden Gate Bridge or by Golden Gate Transit Bus 130 from the Transbay Transit Center. Mount Tamalpais is accessible by weekend West Marin Stagecoach from Marin City. Point Reyes is accessible by the West Marin Stagecoach Route 68 on weekends from San Rafael SMART station. California's coastal weather means fog is common in summer (June-August); the finest hiking conditions are in spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) when the fog clears and the light on the Bay and Pacific is at its most beautiful.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.