The word “hiker” conjures up visions of a person with a backpack towering over their head, high-tech hiking boots and a pouch of tepid water nestled in the small of their back that’s being fed into their mouth by a tube.
This is not me. I have no special gear. I often forget to bring water. I wear gym sneakers. And after over a decade of living at sea level, any kind of altitude makes me collapse in on myself like a dying star.
And yet two or three times a month, I jump into the car and get myself out of the city.
For every person who has never heard of one of the hikes I mention below, someone else will claim the same place as their weekly trail run. But one can hope, so here are six new-to-you trails to check out this summer:
1. San Bruno Mountain State Park (Brisbane)
Despite the fact that this park is a scant five-minute drive outside the San Francisco city limits, I have rarely seen a full parking lot here.
The Saddle Loop Trail is an easy climb through brush and wildflowers that ends with stunning views of San Francisco. It’s a great place to take visitors to for photo ops. You can continue on to other trails, all in the easy to moderate range, or you can cut down the Day Camp Service Road to shoot straight back to the parking lot.
If you’re up for a bit more of a challenge, cross the road using the underpass to the Summit Loop Trail. Here you can get even better city views along with ocean views. The trail is only two miles long and under 700 feet in elevation gain, so you’ll still be able to get back in time for lunch.
2. Purisima Creek Redwood Open Space Preserve (Half Moon Bay)
There are two main spots where you can kick off your hike here. My choice is from the south parking lot, which has the super-flat all-access Redwood Trail. You can wind your way through moss-covered redwood trunks and look for banana slugs. The Purisima Creek Trail, also accessible from the south parking lot, is wider and more exposed, with a few hills, but still quite easy.
If you’re looking for a bit more drama and have good knees, backtrack along Highway 35 for a few miles, and start from the north parking lot instead. Here you will be faced with a trail split. Both end at the same place, but the trail on the left is wide and a steep drop down, while the one on the right switchbacks through the trees. I recommend a straight shot down, both to enjoy the ocean views and to get yourself quickly down into the gulch full of the redwoods that everyone comes here for. There is no water at either lot, and nowhere to sit and snack on the north side, so bring your own water and snacks.
3. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve (Antioch)
Yes, Antioch still counts as the Bay Area — there’s a BART station there now, remember? “Black diamonds” are what miners used to call coal, and this preserve spent some years as a sand mine. Yes, there is still a mine shaft, and yes, you can absolutely tour it.
Above ground, the Black Diamond Mines Loop Trail is the most popular — it’s pretty moderate and a good medium-length hike at just over five miles — and will take you past an old cemetery. The Chapparal Loop Trail is easier and shorter if you’re squeezing in a hike along with a mine tour. On either route, keep an eye open for cows and rattlesnakes.
Bonus: this location offers all kinds of cool programs in addition to guided mine tours, from Evening in the Wild West End guided night hikes to Owl Barfology classes, which is exactly what it sounds like.
4. Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve (Cupertino)
The very definition of a morning-trip hike is one that begins and ends at a winery. Picchetti Winery is in Cupertino, and from there you can enjoy four miles of trails all around the preserve. What it lacks in stunning scenery it makes up for in opportunities for wildlife spotting: deer, quail, frogs and newts (if the pond is not dry).
Most of the trail loops follow the pond close to the winery. If you want a longer hike, head out on the Zinfandel Trail, which extends another 1.5 miles past the pond. The only bummer is that there is no loop. While there are a few other trails that branch out at the other end, as well as a picnic area, in order to get back to your car — and wine — you just have to turn around and come back.
5. San Pedro Valley County Park (Pacifica)
Hidden between Highway 1 and 280, San Pedro is often ignored for its even more accessible cousin, Mori Point. But at this park you can avoid the crowds and take an easy climb to see wide ocean views. The Brooks Falls Loop Trail will give you the most value for your time. It’s rated as easy, is just 2.2 miles and will give you both ocean and waterfall views — although depending on the time of year, it might be more of a trickle than a waterfall.
If you’re tough, take the Montara Mountian Trail instead. Here it gets steep and exposed, but the views are incredible. The summit is around 1,800 feet and well worth the slog, but bring lots of water; be wary of poison oak; and don’t be disappointed if you become swathed in fog at the top.
6. Martin Griffin Preserve (Stinson Beach)
This preserve involves a carsick-inducing drive up Highway 1’s hairpin turns, and is open only on Saturdays, May through July — talk about hidden.
Sitting on a platform with binoculars, you can peer across the little valley at the tiny hatching egrets. Claire Seda, the weekend program coordinator, said that in 2013 predation in the valley intensified, and all the egrets moved their nesting area across the lagoon.
The simplest hike starts at the telescope lookout. You go up a short nature trail, past an ethereal clearing surrounded with buckeye trees, then continue up the Skip Schwartz Trail for an easy one-mile loop. One warning: poison oak is prevalent, as in keep-your-hands-and-feet-inside-the-ride-at-all-times prevalent. If you’re not sure what it looks like, be sure to check with one of the volunteer at the main building — you can’t miss them, as they’re more than excited to talk with you and sometimes outnumber the visitors.
The best trails are the ones least taken. If we’ve missed any secret spots, let us know below!
Hey! The Bold Italic recently launched a podcast, This Is Your Life in Silicon Valley. Check out the full season or listen to the episode below featuring photographer and investor Chris Michel. More coming soon, so stay tuned!
