What are some weird, unusual, interesting places to hike around the bay area? (San Francisco: trees, parks)

[cachibatches]

Not necessarily looking for anything life-changing...black Diamond mines, Mt. Diablo, Butano with its abandoned air strip are all favs. Just looking for something with an interesting story or feature to it.

Thanks!

[Ruth4Truth]

Fort Ross State Park has hiking trails that you can look up on hiking websites. It's the site of the old Russian fort from the days of Russian Alaska. Def. an interesting story.


https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=449

[mattja]

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland Hills is kind of cool. And there's Briones Regional Park, which is huge.

[ccm123]

I’ve always thought Mission Peak in Fremont was great for a hike. The views are awesome.

Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos is also nice.

[cachibatches]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Fort Ross State Park has hiking trails that you can look up on hiking websites. It's the site of the old Russian fort from the days of Russian Alaska. Def. an interesting story.


https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=449

I've been to the fort but not hiked the trails.

Thanks!

[Hemlock140]

My wife and I got married outdoors in Tilden Park, Oakland/Berkeley Hills. There are 10 miles of hiking trails, and some with great views, but I noticed today that there website has a warning of slides and fallen trees from recent storms.


https://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden

https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/c...-regional-park

[Snackmaster]

There's the Tomales Point trail in Pt. Reyes.

From AllTrails:

"The Tomales Point Trail offers spectacular views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Traveling to the end of the Point Reyes Peninsula, this hike is a Bay Area favorite! Visitors are drawn to majestic, clear views in the winter, vibrant blooms in the spring, and bugling and rutting Tule Elk in the summer and fall." You might see a weasel or bobcat too.

There are other good hikes in Pt. Reyes too, like Alamere Falls, which falls right onto the beach.

The Land's End trail in San Francisco gives great views of the GG Bridge and the bluffs below it.

I haven't been on it, but the Dipsea trail is very popular and supposed to have great views.

The Half Moon Bay coastal trail also has great ocean views.

[angelenomoreno]

The Sweeney Ridge area in Pacifica has World War II-era missile silos.

[SanMateoMom]

The area around the Mount Davidson Cross, which is a memorial to those who died in the Armenian genocide in 1915, stands out in my mind as an interesting and beautiful area that is right in the city. There are hiking trails around it.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by cachibatches

Not necessarily looking for anything life-changing...black Diamond mines, Mt. Diablo, Butano with its abandoned air strip are all favs. Just looking for something with an interesting story or feature to it.

Thanks!

Not sure if this fits, but my favorite hike in the Bay Area is the Steep-Ravine Trail -> Matt Davis Trail (which ends up being one big loop to/from Stinson Beach).