Author: Sharon Bone

County: Alameda
Distance: 8.3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Explore the Ridge Trail in the East Bay
Hike, bike, or ride this section of Ridge Trail to see the varied beauty that East Bay has to offer. Start from the Skyline Gate and work your way south to Chabot Regional Park, traveling through redwoods, descending into wooded canyons, and climbing to open grasslands, ending at Bort Meadow. Go point to point, or make it a loop. Stay a little longer and explore nearby Oakland, Rockridge, or Berkeley.

Directions: Starting from the Skyline Gate, follow the Western Ridge Trail south. Continue on the Golden Spike Trail and connect with the Mac Donald trail and continue hiking south towards the Bort Meadow Staging Area.

Make it a loop: Follow the Western Ridge Trail and loop your way back to Skyline Gate via the Briddle and Stream Trail.

Point to Point: If you have two cars, park one on each end and shuttle back to your starting point at the end of your hike.

Redwood and Anthony Chabot Regional Parks Map
Redwood Regional Park Map
Anthony Chabot Regional Park Map

Refuel at some of our favorite nearby restaurants:
Breakfast:
Montclair Egg Shop
Beauty’s Bagel Shop

Simple lunch:
Cholita Linda

Less fancy dinner:
Daughter Thai Kitchen
Home Room
Burma Superstar
Bowl’d BBQ

Nicer dinners:
A16
Ramen Shop
Homestead

Once-in-a-lifetime dinner:
Commis

Decadent Desserts:
Fentons Creamery
Smitten Ice Cream

County: San Mateo/Santa Clara County
Distance:
Day 1: Saratoga Gap to Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve: 7.8 miles
Day 2: Sierra Azul (Hicks Road) to Lexington Reservoir: 11.8 miles
Day 3: Hicks Road to Mockingbird Trail Head: 4.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Explore the Ridge Trail in Los Gatos
Looking for a multi-day hike adventure? These trails offer a chance to see the wide variety of natural beauty the Peninsula and the South Bay has to offer. Book lodging in nearby Los Gatos and make it a fun mini-vacation. Below are guides for each day, using 2 cars. If you’re not up for a multi-day trek, try any of these as a standalone hike.

Day 1: Saratoga Gap to Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve 7.8 miles
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
Travel through moist evergreen forests, oak-madrone woodlands, and high grasslands along the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Stunning coast and bay views greet you on this Ridge Trail route through three Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserves and one county park. The trail roughly follows old Summit Road, a wagon route used by early settlers before Skyline Boulevard was built. Trail width and surface vary from a narrow path to a wide patrol road, soft in forests and along creekbeds, and firm and bare through grasslands. You’ll gain and lose 400 feet in elevation, plus experience several ups and downs en route of 100 to 300 feet. Be prepared for wind and fog on exposed ridgetops, and for heat on protected west and south-facing slopes. The Hickory Oak gate on Skyline Boulevard makes it easy to break this route into two trips–a shady, moderately level, 2-mile trip from Saratoga Gap to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, and a 5.8-mile trip from there to the Horseshoe Lake parking area in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve.

Car Instructions: Drive to Skyline Ridge Parking/Horseshoe Lake in Skyline Ridge Open Space on Hwy 35. Leave a car in the parking lot near Horseshoe Lake. Next, drive south on Hwy 35 (Skyline Blvd) to Saratoga Gap (jct w/Hwy 9) and park other car and begin hike heading northward. From Horseshoe Lake return to Saratoga Gap and pick up car.

Saratoga Gap to Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Map
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve

Day 2: Sierra Azul to Lexington Reservoir: 11.8 miles
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
Views from high points on this hike, which include an elevation gain of 1800 feet and a loss of 2200 feet, give an aerial view of Santa Clara County from Mt. Umunhum to the peaks of the Diablo Range. Overlooking the town of Los Gatos and the entire South Bay, Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve is the District’s largest preserve, encompassing over 18,000 acres of mostly rugged and steep terrain. One of the tallest peaks in the Santa Cruz mountain range. Mount Umunhum used to be home to the Almaden Air Force Station, which was deactivated in 1980 and only recently opened to the public in 2017.

This itinerary does not include a visit to the top of Mount Umunhum, but the map provides ideas for two or three ways to explore Sierra Azul including Mount Umunhum. If you decide to hit Mount Um and are going to park on the mountain, park before 9 AM to ensure a parking spot.

Car Instructions: Drive to Lexington Reservoir and leave a car in the parking lot. Return to Los Gatos, then to Hicks Rd @ Mt Umunhum Rd (21631 Hicks Rd). Park car and begin hike heading northward. From Lexington Reservoir return to Hicks Rd and pick up car.

Sierra Azul to Lexington Reservoir with Mount Umunhum Map
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve Map

Day 3: Almaden Quicksilver County Park (Hicks Road to Mockingbird Trail Head): 4.5 miles
Almaden Quicksilver County Park
Hike this steady climb to the slopes of Mt. Umunhum, taking you through lands once trod by miners searching for gold. This area is spectacular in natural diversity and a landmark of California history. The park is the site of over 135 years of mining activities and former home to more than 1,800 miners and their families. During early spring, this hike offers one of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the region. Remnants of the mining era also offer an exciting look into the mining operations of the latter part of the 19th century.

Car Instructions: Drive to Mockingbird Hill Lane and leave a car in the parking lot. Then drive to Hicks Rd trailhead (same place as yesterday), park car and begin hike heading southward. From Mockingbird Hill Lane return to Hicks Rd and pick up car.

Almaden Quicksilver County Park Map

After a hard days hike, rest your head at one of these centrally located Los Gatos hotels:
Toll House Hotel
Hotel Los Gatos
Best Western Los Gatos

Some of our favorite restaurants:

Hot chocolate and coffee:
Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company

Delicious Bakery:
Mama’s Bakery

Decadent breakfasts:
Cafe Dio
Southern Kitchen
Los Gatos Cafe

Simple lunch:
Purple Onion Cafe

Less fancy dinner:
Enoteca La Storia

Nicer dinners:
Nick’s Next Door
Dio Deka

Once-in-a-lifetime dinner:
Manresa

County: Sonoma
Distance: 7.1
1.2 miles in Helen Putnam Park, and a separate 5.9-mile section from McNear Park to Casa Grande Road.
Difficulty: Moderate

Explore the Ridge Trail in Petaluma
Helen Putnam Park:
Enjoy Helen Putnam Regional Park’s grassy hillsides and groves of heritage oaks. Use the staging area on the south side to begin your stroll along a paved section, from which to enjoy a playground, picnic area, fish pond, and views of the surrounding hills and town.

McNear Park to Casa Grande Road:
The next section begins at McNear Park where you will travel through tree-lined neighborhoods and local parks to the historic downtown area. Enjoy sampling the many lively shops and restaurants in the iron-front brick downtown commercial district.

Just before the historic D Street drawbridge, a new Ridge Trail segment adopted in 2016 turns northwest one block on 1st Street then continues on a pedestrian walkway beside an old railroad trestle.

For another glimpse of Petaluma’s waterfront, continue north from 1st Street across the D Street drawbridge then east on Copeland Street to Steamer Landing Park, and retrace your steps.

Get Petaluma Map

Make it a Loop
Out and back not your thing? Try these loops and bring your adventure full circle:
Helen Putnam 3-mile Loop
Shollenberger Park 4-mile Loop (planned Ridge Trail)

Make it a Date
Explore off the trail and see more of what Petaluma has to offer:
Savor something sweet at Lala’s Creamery
Grab a drink at the Lagunitas Taproom & Beer Sanctuary

County: Contra Costa
Miles: 9.3
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous

Climb to dramatic views from San Pablo Ridge, descend to wooded streamsides, and traverse open grasslands. This challenging trip along the spine of the East Bay Hills crosses varied landscapes on trails that range from wide and rocky service roads to duff-covered narrow paths. You’ll find sheltered, tree-covered sections and exposed, breezy segments, and often encounter fog. You’ll gain and lose considerable elevation in short stretches–an 860-foot gain in Tilden Regional Park and a 600-foot loss in Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve.
Make it longer: Join us for our annual East Bay Hills Hike and Ride and thru-hike for 1 to 5 days. Your choice!
Make it a loop: Create a smaller loop at either end of this trail with Tilden or Sibley’s many trails.

Get map

Counties: Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo
Miles: 80
Days: 7-10

Start out at Lucas Valley Open Space Preserve in Marin and enjoy the stunning views of Big Rock Ridge, Bolinas and Mount Tam. Cross the iconic Golden Gate bridge into the Presidio and cool off with San Francisco’s windswept bluffs. Then make your way through Pacifica to the Peninsula’s honey colored hills. Top it off with a docent-led hike through the Crystal Springs watershed at Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail.

Get maps:
Marin: Big Rock
Marin: Samuel P. Taylor
Marin: Mt. Tam
Marin Headlands
SF: Golden Gate
SF: Presidio
SF: Presidio to Stern Grove
SF: Stern Grove to Lake Merced
Daly City
Pacifica
San Francisco Watershed