Best Bay Area Backpacking Destinations
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Best Bay Area Backpacking Destinations
The “Bay area” in California, comprised of the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, to name a few, and a whopping nine counties, is known for many things. Amongst the most popular of those is the cultural opportunities, diversity of residents, world class restaurants, exceptionally nice weather, and, of course, the Golden Gate Bridge. Some of the best wine country in the world, such as Napa Valley and Sonoma, also call the Bay area home. And, as if that weren’t enough, let’s not forget about Silicon Valley, where many of our favorite apps and tech companies operate or originated from. But that isn’t all, the Bay Area features some of the best backpacking places on the West coast!
With all of the hustle and bustle of this large metropolis, though, many of its environmentally-minded residents and visitors alike need some quiet reprieve in nature. Luckily, the Bay area also offers plenty of spectacular natural areas to unwind in as well! Thanks to the work of plate tectonics, this area has been provided with some amazingly diverse terrain for state parks and natural rec areas. Today we’re going to cover some of the best hikes and hiking areas the Bay area has to offer!
Editor’s Note: It’s always important to remember to pack a quality First Aid Kit!
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Rated #1 on AllTrails out of nearly 400 California state parks, you know Mount Tamalpais SP has to be a great place! Ranging from ocean views to wooded and mountainous hikes, this state park has just the right trail for anyone. Over 50 miles of trails can be found within the park, including a couple of short accessible trails, one of which is said to have “fantastic views”, according to the park website. Many of Mount Tamalpais’ trails are rated as moderate and range from a meager 2.4 miles to an extensive day hike of 16 miles.
Hiking to the top of Mt.Tamalpais is, of course, a goal of most people who visit the park, especially if you’re just visiting and don’t have the opportunity to do so all the time! At 2,572 feet tall, summiting this mountain can be moderate to difficult. There are at least two popular ways to reach the top, depending on how much time you have and distance you want to hike. If you start at Bootjack Camp, you will need to pay $8 to park and your trip will be around 10 miles roundtrip to East Peak. If you don’t feel like paying the fee, you can start at the Mountain Inn and your trip will be a little over 12 miles, so not too much of a difference between the two hikes. You can always just drive up the mountain too, but where’s the fun in that?
Be sure to see if they have any interpretive programs going on during your visit. There are several camping options available too if you plan to spend the night. If so, also look into the astronomy programs the Mountain Theater offers on Saturdays!
Mount Diablo State Park
If you’re really into mountain hikes, be sure to hit up Mount Diablo State Park too! Also rated high on AllTrails at #10 of California state parks, Mount Diablo SP is another local favorite. As you can guess, the trek up to Mount Diablo (3,849ft) is a popular one. You can take the Grand Loop Trail, rated as moderate and a decent 6.7 miles, for some of the best views in the area. Be sure to check out the observation deck once you reach the top. Although haze can sometimes diminish visibility, on a clear day you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond to the Farallon Islands and plenty of other mountains in the region, including Mount St.Helena, Mount Hamilton, and Mount Loma Prieta.
If you’re looking to spend some more time in the park, there are plenty of other hikes and natural wonders to keep you busy. Springtime is an especially great time to visit to view the wonderful wildflower displays. Mount Diablo is also known for its unique rock formations. If you’re into waterfalls (and who isn’t?), be sure to also check out the Waterfalls of Mount Diablo trail while you’re visiting. 7.9 miles and rated as difficult with an an elevation change of 1,700 feet, you can find around 5 waterfalls along the way! As per the norm for this area of the country, winter and spring rains provide more spectacular waterfall displays.
Angel Island State Park
If you’re looking for a unique view of the Bay area that’s easily accessible from town, Angel Island State Park is your ticket! As a matter of fact, you don’t even have to drive there. Simply hop on the public ferry from San Francisco (or one of the seasonal ferries from Tiburon) and make the short trip to the island.
Though not many trails are offered compared to most natural areas due to its limited size, you are sure to have a great view from any that you take at Angel Island SP. All of them are rated as easy and you will find stunning views of the San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge. Take the Sunset Trail to Mount Livermore for some really awesome 360 views of the city and the bay!
Angel Island is also a great place to visit while in the Bay area if you’re a history buff. Originally used for fishing and hunting by the Miwok Indians several thousand years ago, Angel Island was later a post for a Spanish explorer, used as a cattle ranch, and eventually an Army post. Today, part of the island is still used by the Coast Guard.
Marin Headlands
The Marin Headlands, on the other side of the bay from Angel Island, is another great place close to town to take in scenic views and wildlife in the Bay area. There are several trails to choose from, most of which are rated as easy or moderate and range from an easy 2.5 miles to 9.8.
If wildlife viewing is your thing, you definitely don’t want to pass up a visit to the Marin Headlands. Many species of shore and water birds call this area home, or at least pass through. The endangered brown pelican uses this area as a roosting site and hawks pass through the headlands in the fall during their migration.
Other than hiking, there are plenty of other things to keep busy at this rec area as well. You definitely won’t want to miss out visiting the Point Bonita Lighthouse, but be sure to come on a Sunday or Monday as those are the only two days of the week it is open to visitors during a very limited time. (It’s actually still occupied by the Coast Guard.) There is also the Headlands Center for the Arts and the Nike Missile Site if you are into art or history.
Golden Gate State Rec Area
Located right next door to the Marin Headlands (technically, the headlands are a part of this area) lies the Golden Gate State Rec Area. This rec area is interesting because it’s not one contiguous area like most, but includes different parks in the Bay area. It is the most visited entity the national park system operates and also ranks as one of the biggest urban parks in the world! Being such a large natural area, it also boasts 19 different types of ecosystems and is full of history.
As you can guess, you can get stunning views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate, and the Pacific Ocean and bay from many places in this park as well. One of the more popular trails here is the Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach trail. Rated as moderate, this 9 mile loop trail can get pretty busy on the weekends. You will wind up and down hills on one side as you take in awesome views of the Pacific and enjoy some much desired shade in the forest on the way back. Before you head back, though, it’s worth noting that Muir Beach makes a great picnic spot. You can also grab a refreshing drink or a bite to eat at The Pelican Inn there.
With so many awesome places to hike in the Bay area, we couldn’t help but come up with a “Runner Ups” list too. You can never have too many ideas for hikes and parks to explore, right?
Runners-Up
Castle Rock State Park – The Skyline to the Sea Trail is a particularly scenic one.
Quicksilver Park – Try the Quicksilver History Loop. It’s full of, you guessed it, history of the mines that used to occupy the area as well as beautiful backcountry views.
Henry Cowell Park – If you’re not in the mood to fight crowds while trying to enjoy nature, this park tends to be more secluded than a lot in the area.
Best Bay Area Backpacking Destinations - Conclusion
With such a diverse landscape to explore and lots of history to boot, you can’t really go wrong with any of these backpacking destinations in the Bay area. Have you been to any of these natural areas? What is your favorite Bay area hike? If you’re looking for other hiking destinations, check out our article “Hiking Trails in Malibu with Waterfalls“. On the other hand, if you’re looking for gear, check out our page on “Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad for Side Sleepers“. Happy traveling!
