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The City by the Bay is at the center of it all: rugged coastlines, tree-filled canyons, cascading streams, wildflower meadows, chaparral-cloaked ridges, and windy summits. From Santa Rosa to San Jose, you're never far from a trailhead.
Top Trails San Francisco Bay Area describes the area's best sights in 44 "must-do" hikes, traversing panoramic Mt. Diablo, the surprising wilderness of Henry Coe State Park, redwood groves and Douglas-fir forests along Purisima Creek, and the dramatic summit of Mission Peak. The trails range from an easy mile-long amble through Coyote Hills to an all-day jaunt in Point Reyes. Whether you're looking for a scenic stroll or a full-day adventure, you'll find it here.
Each Hike Includes:
Clear and concise directions to the trailhead
A detailed route map and elevation profile
"Don't get lost" milestones
Expert trail commentary
San Francisco Bay Area Map iv
San Francisco Bay Area Trails Table vi
Using Top Trails xv
Organization of Top Trails xv
Choosing a Trail xviii
Introduction to the San Francisco Bay Area 1
Geography 1
Flora 2
Sudden Oak Death 4
Fauna 5
Seasons 6
Trail Selection 7
Key Features 8
Multiple Uses 8
Trail Safety 9
Note from the Authors 10
On the Trail 11
Have a Plan 11
Carry the Essentials 12
Useful but Less Than Essential 13
Trail Etiquette 14
Chapter 1 North Bay 17
1 Marin Headlands: Gerbode Valley 27
2 Muir Woods National Monument: Dipsea Trail 33
3 Mount Tamalpais: High Marsh Loop 39
4 Mount Tamalpais: Middle Peak 47
5 Pine Mountain 53
6 Samuel P. Taylor State Park: Barnabe Mountain 57
7 Point Reyes National Seashore: Sky Trail 61
8 China Camp State Park: Bay View-Shoreline Loop 67
9 Mt. Burdell Open Space Preserve 73
10 Mount St. Helena 79
11 Annadel State Park: Lake Ilsanjo 85
12 Jack London State Historic Park 91
13 Sugarloaf Ridge State Park: Bald Mountain 97
14 Skyline Wilderness Park: Sugarloaf Mountain 101
Chapter 2 East Bay 107
15 Wildcat Canyon Regional Park: San Pablo Ridge 117
16 Tilden Regional Park: Wildcat Peak 123
17 Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve: Round Top Loop 129
18 Redwood Regional Park: East Ridge 135
19 Briones Regional Park: Briones Crest 141
20 Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve: Stewartville Loop 147
21 Mount Diablo State Park: Grand Loop 155
22 Morgan Territory Regional Preserve: Bob Walker Ridge 163
23 Coyote Hills Regional Park: Red Hill 169
24 Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park: High RidgeLoop 173
25 Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park 179
26 Sunol Regional Wilderness: Maguire Peaks 185
27 Mission Peak Regional Preserve: Mission Peak 191
Chapter 3 South Bay 197
28 Ed R. Levin County Park 205
29 Joseph D. Grant County Park 211
30 Henry W. Coe State Park 215
31 Almaden Quicksilver County Park 221
32 Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve: Limekiln-Priest Rock Loop 227
33 Fremont Older Open Space Preserve 233
Chapter 4 Peninsula 239
34 Monte Bello Open Space Preserve 249
35 Long Ridge Open Space Preserve 257
36 Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve 261
37 Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve 267
38 Windy Hill Open Space Preserve 273
39 El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve 279
40 Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve 283
41 Kings Mountain 289
42 Montara Mountain 295
43 San Bruno Mountain State and County Park 301
44 Presidio of San Francisco 305
Appendixes 313
Top-Rated Trails 313
Governing Agencies 314
Outfitters 316
Internet Resources 318
Useful Books 319
Maps 321
Index 325
Authors and Series Creator 330
Overview
The City by the Bay is at the center of it all: rugged coastlines, tree-filled canyons, cascading streams, wildflower meadows, chaparral-cloaked ridges, and windy summits. From Santa Rosa to San Jose, you're never far from a trailhead.
Top Trails San Francisco Bay Area describes the area's best sights in 44 "must-do" hikes, traversing panoramic Mt. Diablo, the surprising wilderness of Henry Coe State Park, redwood groves and Douglas-fir forests along Purisima Creek, and the ...