60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

Bay Area parks and preserves offer a dramatic variety of landscapes, from rugged redwood-forested canyons to breezy coastal bluffs, grassy rolling hills to sunny chaparral-coated hillsides. Well-known destinations such as Point Reyes National Seashore, Mount Diablo State Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and many other more obscure jewels of the Bay Area park system are just a short drive from the heart of San Francisco. Completely updated and including several new hikes and a complete new map set, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco guides readers to a splendid assortment of trails in the nine counties surrounding one of the world's most beautiful cities. Whether hikers crave a quick and easy get-out-of-town stroll or a challenging day-long trek through wilderness, this book is the perfect trailblazer, for city natives and first-time visitors alike

Consider yourself warned: Hiking in the Bay Area can be an intense and addictive experience. Sure, other areas of California are home to more esteemed landforms and parks—Yosemite is one of many world-class parks within a day’s drive, and backpackers traverse the state as they trek one of the country’s longest routes, the Pacific Crest Trail. Throughout the Bay Area there are many "destination" parks, where people from all over the world flock to walk among giant redwoods or whale-watch from a wildflower-dotted coastal bluff. But there are hundreds of smaller parks unknown to most tourists and even lifelong residents, and short drives (or in some cases bus trips, walks, or bike rides) lead to numerous parks and preserves with stunning views, bountiful wildlife, and quiet trails. These "backyard" preserves are especially beneficial to the residents of the Bay Area’s most densely packed cities, San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. Local parks provide close-to-home outlets for exercise and nature exploration on a daily basis—thousands of people living in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais can literally walk from their front doors for miles, all the way to the top of the mountain if they like. Locals hike parks and open-space preserves bordering the towns of Berkeley, Mill Valley, and Woodside daily, and they take active roles in maintaining the trails. Getting to know your backyard means getting to love your backyard—and we fight for what we love. This dedication to open space has led many ordinary citizens in rallies to save some of our most cherished Bay Area spots.

The campaign to preserve open space began in the era of John Muir, and the list of protected parklands is long and impressive. Battles continue, and development still threatens many special areas. As you make your way over trails throughout the Bay Area, think of what we could have lost and have already preserved: old growth redwoods in Muir Woods saved from logging, Point Reyes National Seashore and the Marin Headlands saved from huge housing complexes, various small parks including Edgewood saved from development as golf courses, as well as many other "common" plots of land preserved to make life a little better for the surrounding community.
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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

Bay Area parks and preserves offer a dramatic variety of landscapes, from rugged redwood-forested canyons to breezy coastal bluffs, grassy rolling hills to sunny chaparral-coated hillsides. Well-known destinations such as Point Reyes National Seashore, Mount Diablo State Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and many other more obscure jewels of the Bay Area park system are just a short drive from the heart of San Francisco. Completely updated and including several new hikes and a complete new map set, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco guides readers to a splendid assortment of trails in the nine counties surrounding one of the world's most beautiful cities. Whether hikers crave a quick and easy get-out-of-town stroll or a challenging day-long trek through wilderness, this book is the perfect trailblazer, for city natives and first-time visitors alike

Consider yourself warned: Hiking in the Bay Area can be an intense and addictive experience. Sure, other areas of California are home to more esteemed landforms and parks—Yosemite is one of many world-class parks within a day’s drive, and backpackers traverse the state as they trek one of the country’s longest routes, the Pacific Crest Trail. Throughout the Bay Area there are many "destination" parks, where people from all over the world flock to walk among giant redwoods or whale-watch from a wildflower-dotted coastal bluff. But there are hundreds of smaller parks unknown to most tourists and even lifelong residents, and short drives (or in some cases bus trips, walks, or bike rides) lead to numerous parks and preserves with stunning views, bountiful wildlife, and quiet trails. These "backyard" preserves are especially beneficial to the residents of the Bay Area’s most densely packed cities, San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. Local parks provide close-to-home outlets for exercise and nature exploration on a daily basis—thousands of people living in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais can literally walk from their front doors for miles, all the way to the top of the mountain if they like. Locals hike parks and open-space preserves bordering the towns of Berkeley, Mill Valley, and Woodside daily, and they take active roles in maintaining the trails. Getting to know your backyard means getting to love your backyard—and we fight for what we love. This dedication to open space has led many ordinary citizens in rallies to save some of our most cherished Bay Area spots.

The campaign to preserve open space began in the era of John Muir, and the list of protected parklands is long and impressive. Battles continue, and development still threatens many special areas. As you make your way over trails throughout the Bay Area, think of what we could have lost and have already preserved: old growth redwoods in Muir Woods saved from logging, Point Reyes National Seashore and the Marin Headlands saved from huge housing complexes, various small parks including Edgewood saved from development as golf courses, as well as many other "common" plots of land preserved to make life a little better for the surrounding community.
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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Francisco: Including North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay

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Overview


Bay Area parks and preserves offer a dramatic variety of landscapes, from rugged redwood-forested canyons to breezy coastal bluffs, grassy rolling hills to sunny chaparral-coated hillsides. Well-known destinations such as Point Reyes National Seashore, Mount Diablo State Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and many other more obscure jewels of the Bay Area park system are just a short drive from the heart of San Francisco. Completely updated and including several new hikes and a complete new map set, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco guides readers to a splendid assortment of trails in the nine counties surrounding one of the world's most beautiful cities. Whether hikers crave a quick and easy get-out-of-town stroll or a challenging day-long trek through wilderness, this book is the perfect trailblazer, for city natives and first-time visitors alike

Consider yourself warned: Hiking in the Bay Area can be an intense and addictive experience. Sure, other areas of California are home to more esteemed landforms and parks—Yosemite is one of many world-class parks within a day’s drive, and backpackers traverse the state as they trek one of the country’s longest routes, the Pacific Crest Trail. Throughout the Bay Area there are many "destination" parks, where people from all over the world flock to walk among giant redwoods or whale-watch from a wildflower-dotted coastal bluff. But there are hundreds of smaller parks unknown to most tourists and even lifelong residents, and short drives (or in some cases bus trips, walks, or bike rides) lead to numerous parks and preserves with stunning views, bountiful wildlife, and quiet trails. These "backyard" preserves are especially beneficial to the residents of the Bay Area’s most densely packed cities, San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. Local parks provide close-to-home outlets for exercise and nature exploration on a daily basis—thousands of people living in the foothills of Mount Tamalpais can literally walk from their front doors for miles, all the way to the top of the mountain if they like. Locals hike parks and open-space preserves bordering the towns of Berkeley, Mill Valley, and Woodside daily, and they take active roles in maintaining the trails. Getting to know your backyard means getting to love your backyard—and we fight for what we love. This dedication to open space has led many ordinary citizens in rallies to save some of our most cherished Bay Area spots.

The campaign to preserve open space began in the era of John Muir, and the list of protected parklands is long and impressive. Battles continue, and development still threatens many special areas. As you make your way over trails throughout the Bay Area, think of what we could have lost and have already preserved: old growth redwoods in Muir Woods saved from logging, Point Reyes National Seashore and the Marin Headlands saved from huge housing complexes, various small parks including Edgewood saved from development as golf courses, as well as many other "common" plots of land preserved to make life a little better for the surrounding community.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780897325097
Publisher: Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date: 07/22/2013
Series: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 320
File size: 25 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

A native of rural New Jersey, Jane Huber lived in Boston and New York City before moving to San Francisco in 1991. Once she got over the shock of driving a stick shift pickup truck up and down San Francisco's steep streets, Huber began venturing out of the city to explore Bay Area parks and preserves. Seeking to share her hiking experiences with others, Huber created the Bay Area Hiker website in 1999. She and her family live in a San Francisco neighborhood populated with hawks and hummingbirds, where views stretch to Mount Diablo and Mount Tamalpais.

Read an Excerpt


Key At-A-Glance Information:

Length: 2.8 miles
Configuration: out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy
Scenery: Coastline
Exposure: Mix of shade and sun
Traffic: heavy
Trail Surface: Dirt fire road and trail with many steps
Hiking Time: 2 hours SEaSoN: Good anytime aCCESS: Free
Maps: trail map (under glass) at the trailhead's information signboard and at the website in Contacts, below. The Walker's Map of San Francisco, pub- lished by Pease Press, shows all trails in the area ($7.95; peasepress.com).
Facilities: restrooms, water, and food at the visitor center
Special Comments: Dogs welcome if leashed or under voice control. Be mindful of the additional dog regulations posted along the trails.
Contacts: 415-426-5240, parksconservancy.org/visit /park-sites/lands-end.html
Driving Distance: 5.5 miles from the San Francisco Civic Center

In Brief
Lands End is a rugged bit of coastline in the northwest corner of San Francisco, around the bend from the historic Cliff House and the flat expanse of Ocean Beach. Locals come here to jog or walk the trails, while tourists enjoy the views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Description
Coastal Trail is the "main street" at Lands End, popular with local runners, dog-walkers, stroller-pushing parents, and folks from out of town. Camino del Mar Trail runs along the bluff above Coastal Trail, departing from the War Memorial parking lot and ending near the Palace of the Legion of Honor. You can make a loop of both trails, but I don't recommend it, as this loop entails walking down the middle of a street dedicated to museum parking as well as a sidewalk past the museum and golf course.
In addition to trekking out and back on Coastal Trail, hikers can explore spur paths leading to the Sutro Bath ruins and Lands End proper. Veteran hikers will likely find Coastal Trail lovely but tame. The round trip to Eagle's Point is less than 3 miles, and the elevation change (albeit for two sets of steps) is slight. It's a good choice for beginners because it's an out-and-back hike--simply head back to the trailhead when you've had enough.

Directions
Lands End is in northwest San Francisco. Drive west on Geary Boulevard, which, past 39th avenue westbound, becomes Point Lobos avenue. Continue west on Point Lobos, cross 48th avenue, and turn right into the parking lot, on the right side of the street--if you reach the Cliff house, you've gone too far.

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