Presidio of San Francisco Of 13 Top-Rated Hiking Trails near San Francisco

13 Top-Rated Hiking Trails near San Francisco, CA
Written by Brad Lane
Dec 16, 2019

With beautiful bayside views and coastal redwood forests, San Francisco hiking trails illustrate what makes the City by the Bay one of the greatest in the world. With iconic landscapes and attractions like Muir Woods, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Land's End, many stunning day hikes can be accessed from "The City." For hikes within San Francisco, one of the first places to head is Twin Peaks to get a view of downtown Market Street and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The illustrious Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the true backbone of hiking trails in the Bay Area. Encompassing over 80,000 acres and 37 distinct park units north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge, it contains quintessential hiking areas like the San Francisco Presidio and the Marin Headlands. Located north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands features other coastal hiking areas, including Point Bonita Lighthouse and the verdant Tennessee Valley.

South of the city in Pacifica, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area also oversees Mori Point, which itself oversees a grand ocean view. Near Oakland, the East Bay Regional Park District manages campgrounds and hiking trails at Redwood and Anthony Chabot Regional Parks. For a true gem in the San Francisco Bay, the hiking trail that circles the scarcely developed Angel Island State Park is only accessible by ferry.

For more ideas on where to hike around the City by the Bay, see our list of the best hiking trails near San Francisco.

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1. Presidio of San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio
Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane
Encompassing nearly 1,500 acres on the northern tip of San Francisco, connected to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio of San Francisco is an iconic destination for Bay Area views. A former military post until 1994, the park features numerous hiking trails, swimming beaches, and historic military structures. Cultural attractions like the Presidio Officers' Club and the Walt Disney Family Museum are also found within this defining San Francisco public space.

Vehicles are allowed on the roads of the Presidio, but the best way to take in the Bay Area beauty is on foot and walking near the shore. East of the Golden Gate Bridge, near the historic Fort Mason, visitors can access the Golden Gate Promenade and Crissy Field alongside a sandy beach where dogs can run leash-free.

Hikers, bikers, and joggers can continue through the historic Crissy Airfield until reaching the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center less than two miles away.

A coastal trail stretches along the southwest shoreline from the Golden Gate Bridge, where hikers come across the Batteries to Bluff Trail with stunning views of the bridge. This side of the Presidio also lends access to Baker Beach—one of the best beaches in San Francisco. The equally iconic Lands End Trail is farther southwest along the shore from Baker Beach.

Official site: https://www.nps.gov/prsf/index.htm