Our family loves hiking and we are always on the lookout for new and fun hikes to do in the San Francisco Bay Area with the kids. As our children have gotten older, our ability to go on bigger hikes has improved, including completing hikes with bigger elevation changes. Even though we are usually looking for a good challenge, we also enjoy leisurely hikes, especially if they come with amazing views–which there are a lot of here in the Bay Area!

Here is a list of some of our favorite hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area to do with kids. Make sure you check this post every once in a while because I’ll continue to add more hikes as we discover more of our beautiful area!

San Francisco

San Francisco is full of parks and places to explore, and one of the greatest parts of living here is the wonderful options for getting outside. The hikes in San Francisco are truly epic! As you on walk some of these trails, you’ll have a hard time believing you are still in a city!

Batteries to Bluffs Trail (~2 miles)

This hike offers stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the vast Pacific Ocean. Depending on tides, you can spend some time at the beach climbing rocks and enjoying the view. Keep an eye out for whales if hiking this trail during the right season (especially January).

There’re many variations of this hike, but this is the loop we usually do: Park at the Sand Ladder parking area and take the Batteries to Bluffs trail down to Battery Crosby and then on to Marshall Beach. The hike down to the beach is a bit over a half mile. Before you plan on going down to the beach, I recommend you check the tide charts to make sure there is actually a beach when you get there!

From Marshall Beach you can retrace your steps and go back to parking area, or you can continue on to see more batteries and get even better views of the Golden Gate Bridge (as a heads-up, there are a lot of stairs in either direction!). If you decide to continue, climb back up to the Batteries to Bluffs trail and turn left to go the opposite way you came. About 0.1 miles into the trail there is a split. Turn left to stay on the trail. From here you’ll spend the next half mile walking through old historic Batteries and enjoying excellent views of the bridge and the entrance to the Bay.

To go back, you can simply follow the California Coastal Trail for one mile and it will lead you back to the Sand Ladder parking area. I’ve included a map of the hike here.

Land’s End Trail (~2 miles)

Land’s End is one of the most beautiful hikes in San Francisco! It offers amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean, and it’s just breathtaking throughout. It is also a great workout because of all the stairs you’ll have to climb!

We usually start the hike at the Land’s End Trailhead and walk all the way down to Mile Rock beach, where we have a snack before heading up again to the Lands’ End Labyrinth. From the labyrinth, we follow the footpath back to the main trail (there are a couple of footpaths, but they all lead back) and retrace your steps back to the trailhead. The trails are well-signed so it’s easy to keep track of where you are going.

There are a lot of stairs on this trail (about 300!), so be prepared to climb back up, and to potentially have to carry little ones for part of the way!

Fort Point (1.5 miles)

We’ve seen the Golden Gate Bridge from many different angles, but the views from the trail to Fort Point are the best! The short trail weaves down the bluff to a road right by the water. While walking on this road, make sure you keep an eye on passing cars, and also on the breaking waves. We’ve seen more than one person get splashed on this walk!

We parked on the Battery East parking lot and walked down to the fort from there. The trail is well marked so it’s easy to know which way to go, just follow the signs. Some days you might see surfers riding waves right underneath the bridge. If you are interested in visiting the inside of this historic site, click here.

If you are looking to do a bigger hike, you could connect this trail with the Batteries to Bluff trail. You could hike down to Marshall Beach or farther down to Baker Beach via the Sand Ladder stairs.

North Bay

The North Bay offers such amazing variety of trails with unparalleled views! Exploring the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area never disappoints. We can’t wait to hike some of the longer trails once our kids are older. In the meantime, here are some great trails we’ve found and love.

Kirby Cove (3 miles)

This is a nice 3-mile roundtrip hike just outside the city. Beware that the hike starts straight down on a fire road to Kirby Cove, so you will have to climb up the 561 vertical feet on the way back. We managed to keep the kids entertained by playing an “I spy a color” game. The climb is not super difficult but can be challenging for little ones. Overall, the amazing views make any challenges worth it!

The hike to the cove begins at the parking area above Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road. The trail is mostly exposed until you get closer to the beach where there are some trees. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge are really beautiful from this isolated beach. You can enjoy a picnic with a view at one of the many picnic tables. Our kids also loved climbing around and exploring Battery Kirby.

There are four campsites in Kirby Cove as well as bathrooms. The campgrounds were closed when we were there last winter, but we are hoping to camp there after it reopens!

If you want to photograph the bridge, I recommend you do this hike in the afternoon for better light. If you want to have the beach all to yourself, then hike this trail early in the morning.

Owl Trail from Muir Beach Overlook to Tide Pools (3 miles)

This is a great hike with kids! The trail is just the right amount of challenging, and the views are stunning! The trail goes past Slide Ranch (a non profit educational farm), and it takes you down to a beach to see tide pools! Make sure to check the tide charts before you plan your hike. Aim for low tide for the best tide pools and to make sure there’s a beach to go down to.

Start this 3-mile out-and-back hike at the Muir Beach Overlook parking lot. Follow the oceanfront path north of the parking lot for about a mile down to the Slide Ranch. At the ranch you’ll see sheep, goats, chickens and more adorable farm animals. This is a great stop for a snack or quick break before walking the last half mile down to the beach. Keep young children close by as this last stretch can be tricky in certain spots.

Once you reach the beach, enjoy looking for sea creatures in the tide pools! We found lots of different anemones, barnacles, crabs, and a starfish. Always keep an eye on the ocean for rising tides, and make sure you have enough space to find your way back to the trail before the water is too high. From the beach it’s 1.5 miles back to the parking lot on the same trail. We were lucky to time the tides with sunset and saw the sun setting from the trail. It was a beautiful sight!

Drown Trail Road Hike (~1.5 miles)

If you can do this hike at sunset, you won’t regret it! The trail takes you up a fire road through a eucalyptus forest, followed by an exposed trail and some stairs down to a grassy field at the end.

Start at the parking lot near Fort Baker and take the trail to the left back up towards the road. Go up some stairs, cross the road and the gate, and then follow the Drown Road Trail up. You could also choose to park at the at the gate here (for Google maps enter Drown Trail Road & East Rd.). Keep walking on the fire road until you reach a set of stairs going down on your left. Walk down the trail, pass the cute chapel to Cavallo Point Lodge.

This ~1-mile trail has spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay and San Francisco and is perfect for children. Once you get to Point Cavallo Lodge you can spend some time playing on the grassy fields or you can head back to your car and into Sausalito for some more exploring.

Ring Mountain (3 miles)

This 3-mile hike in Corte Madera is a big favorite of ours! We sometimes joke about this trail making us feel like we went hiking in the Scottish highlands because of the rolling hills and greenery. There are some amazing climbing trees along the way, which is always a bonus with kids!

Last time we were there we experienced three seasons in a couple of hours so make sure you wear layers.

There are several different points to access the trails in this preserve, but we usually park at Paradise Rd. and the end of Westward Dr. and start our hike there. Once at the trailhead follow the Phyllis Ellman trail until the split at then take the Loop trail (left). Follow this trail all the way up to the Ring Mountain Fire Road and then continue to Turtle Rock. This is a popular spot for climbers to practice, and also a great place to enjoy panoramic views of the Bay, the San Francisco skyline, and more.

Turtle Rock is a great place to sit down for a snack while you enjoy the view. Once you are ready to keep going, continue on Ring Mountain Fire Road to Phyllis Ellman trail and head back down to the parking lot.

Tomales Point (up to 9.4 miles)

This is a great and easy hike with kids! This out-and-back coastal trail is actually 9.4 miles, but you can choose to hike out as far as you want. I like this trail for kids because it shows their hiking progress as they usually get a bit farther every time we hike it. So far, the farthest out we’ve gone has been 2.3 miles, or about half of the way to the point.

Park on the lot right outside Pierce Point Ranch (Google maps pin here). You can explore the old ranch before or after your hike, but make sure you do because it’s a pretty neat place to see. If you get there early, you might get to see foxes and coyotes. Regardless of the time, you are pretty much guaranteed to see Tule Elk as this hike is inside the Tule Elk Preserve.

Once you hit the trail, it’s up to you to decide how far you’ll go. The trail gets a bit sandy towards the end, which adds a bit challenge for little feet. There are a lot of fun rocks for kids to climb along the way, or to have a quick rest and a snack. Once you’re done, simply turn around and head back to the parking lot.

Enjoy the amazing views of the bay and the surrounding area. Make sure you bring layers as the weather can quickly change from sunny and warm to windy and wet.

Bobcat Trail in the Marin Headlands (3.5 miles)

This is a great little (but hilly!) hike in the Headlands! The hike is hilly and offers great views of the surrounding area, including sneaky peaks of the Golden Gate Bridge. Start the hike counter clockwise to avoid a steep and rocky downhill.

The trail starts at the Rodeo Trailhead in the Marin Headlands. From the parking lot, follow the Rodeo Avenue trail for 0.7 miles. Turn right at the fork (for the counter clockwise loop) onto the Alta trail. Hike the Alta trail for 0.1 miles to where the trail splits again. Bear left and start climbing. This part of the trail is hilly, and it has fabulous views of the bay, Angel Islands, Tiburon and more. Stay on this trail for 0.6 miles until you reach the Bobcat Trail. Turn left on the Bobcat trail and follow it for 0.6 miles back to the Alta trail and turn left onto it. Follow the Alta trail for 0.2 miles until you get back to the Rodeo Avenue trail. From here, walk down the trail back to the parking area.

Here’s a map of the trail for your reference.

Cataract Trail to Benstein Trail (3.6 miles)

This is a great winter hike when the creeks and waterfalls are full of water! We’ve learned from experience to always pack a set of summer clothes when we plan on doing this hike because it can be significantly warmer on this hike than in San Francisco, especially in fully exposed areas. Also, make sure to pack lots of water (and snacks!) on warm days.

This is another hike that gives you plenty of different options to make it longer, shorter, or just different. The trails here are so diverse in terrain and so are the views, which makes it extra special! You’ll walk through forests, meadows, rocky terrain, etc. And we’ve encountered a coyote and a snake hiking here, so it’s also a great place to spot wildlife.

Start the hike from the Rock Spring Trailhead parking lot in Mt. Tamalpais are. Follow the Cataract trail for 1.3 miles to the Mickey O’Brien trail and turn right at the junction. This part of the trail wraps around the hillside in a densely forested area. On warm days you could dunk your head in the creek to cool off a bit. Continue on the Mickey O’Brien trail for 0.6 miles.

At the junction, bear left to go up the Barths Retreat Road to join the Laurel Dells fire road and turn right. You’ll walk on these two roads for about 0.3 miles until you reach the Benstein Trail. Turn right at the junction and follow the Benstein Trail for 1.2 miles. About 0.4 miles the trail joins a fire road for 0.1 miles before getting back onto the trail again. Stay on the trail until you reach a fork. Make sure you stay on the Benstein trail and not the Benstein Spur. Continue on this trail until you hit the Simmons trail and turn left at the junction. Follow the Simmons trail for 0.1 miles back to Cataract trail, and turn left towards the parking lot.

There is a great map of all the trails at the Rock Springs Trailhead. Take a photo of it with your phone so you can keep track of what trails you are following. Just in case, here’s a map of the hike for your reference.

Old St. Hillary’s Preserve in Tiburon (~3 miles)

We wanted to explore more of Tiburon so we picked this hike by looking at a map and we are so glad we did! This hike offers amazing views of San Francisco’s skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge, and leads you to a cute chapel at the end!

There are two main trails running through this preserve, but there are several well-worn footpaths that allow you to make this hike as long or short as you want. The preserve is very small so you don’t have to worry about getting lost if you decide to explore!

We parked here, and started our hike down the hilly Heathcliff Fire Road (one of the main paths). Our goal with this hike was to reach Old St. Hillary’s Chapel so we meandered down the different footpaths to Vistazo St. W (the other main path in the preserve), and then followed that fire road to the footpath that led to the chapel.

The area right outside the chapel is home the endangered Tiburon Jewelflower. We plan to return there in the Spring to see them blooming. Also, because of this sensitive habitat, make sure you stay on the designated trails and footpaths to avoid trampling the ground where these precious and delicate flowers grow.

Once you are ready, retrace your steps back to your car. Be aware that most of the hike back will be on a steep uphill.

South Bay

So many trails to choose from in this area! We especially love some of the coastal trails as well as the redwood hikes.

Mori Point (2 miles)

There are lots of trails around Mori Point, and some of them go on for a long ways and connect to other trails, like the ones at Montara Mountain. Most of the trails are fully exposed, especially the ones closer to the ocean, and offer incredible views of the coastline.

Start your hike at Mori Point Parking Lot. From the parking lot walk a couple hundred feet to the Timigtac Trail. This trail climbs straight up over a hill for about a half mile to a junction with multiple trail options. Turn left and follow the Coastal Trail for 0.5 miles to the Mori Bluff trail. This part of the trail can be tricky because there are a lot of footpaths all over the place. You can choose whatever path you want as long as it’s headed towards the ocean to reach the Mori Bluff trail.

Once you reach the Mori Bluff trail, turn right. Stay on the trail for about 0.3 miles until your reach a big junction. This trail is narrow and somewhat steep, so it might not be a good fit for everyone.

At the junction, you can walk down the Mori Headlands trail to the point to enjoy the fabulous ocean views. When you are ready to head back, you can walk back via the Coastal trail/Lishumsha trail to Old Mori Road for 0.4 miles, and then another 0.2 miles to the parking lot. You could also walk down Bootlegger’s steps to Old Mori Road and head back to the parking lot that way. If you choose to go down the stairs, keep an eye out for the swing at the bottom. This is a fun spot for a picnic or just to take some cute photos of the kids!

There is an easier way to reach Mori Point that is a bit over a mile long. If you just want to reach Mori Point, follow the Old Mori Point trail all the way to the beach and climb the Bootlegger’s steps on your left. From the top you’ll see the footpath to the point. Retrace your steps to go back to the car, or follow the directions above in the opposite order.

Here’s a map of our preferred hiking route in Mori Point.

Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail (as long as you want)

The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail is a great place to go for a leisurely stroll or bike ride. The path is flat and runs mostly right next to the ocean. There are some beach access along if you feel like playing in the sand, and there are some restrooms at the campground.

We usually park on the lot by Poplar Beach, or at the end of the Mirada Road. The distance between these two parking spots is 3.2 miles so you can choose to make this trail as long or as short as you’d like. This has been a great place for our kids to practice riding their bikes for longer distances.

It is best to start this hike/bike-ride early in the morning as this trail is popular and it does get crowded. There are a lot of fun trees along the way for kids to climb, as well as parts of a whale skull you can check out nearby Francis Beach.

Purisima Redwoods (2.5 – 10 miles)

This is one of our favorite hikes on the South Bay and one of our favorite places to see redwoods. If you are looking for an alternative to Muir Woods in the area, check out this preserve! There are several trailheads for this hike, but we usually start at the Higgins Road Trailhead.

This hike follows the Purisima Creek through beautiful redwood groves. You can cross the creek on several spots, which is super fun for the kids. Start your hike pass the restrooms and stay on the Purisima Creek trail for 1.2 miles until you reach the fork for Grabtown Gulch Trail. We usually turn around at this point, but you can keep going for as long as you want.

If you wish to continue to the end of the Purisima Creek trail, you’ll reach the South Parking lot after a bit over 4 miles. If you have two drivers, one option would be to park a second car at this end and circle back to the Higgings parking lot. We’ve never done this because I don’t drive, but we have started the trail from the South lot and enjoyed the hike on that side very much too.

Montara Mountain Trails (1 – 7 miles)

Montara Mountain and McNee Ranch State Park offer several trails to explore, including summiting Montara Mountain. The start of the trail goes through a tunnel of cypress trees and eventually becomes fully exposed with some patches of trees along the way.

The trail to the top of Montara Mountain is about 7 miles long and has an elevation gain of over 1,800 feet. We did this hike before kids a couple of times and really loved it, but we don’t think our kids are ready to take on such a hike quite yet. Fortunately, there are many other fun loops to do in the park that are good for little ones!

Park at the Montara Mountain trailhead. Make sure you arrive early because the lot is quite small and fills up quickly.

From the parking lot start up North Peak Access Road for about 0.8 miles. At the fork, turn left onto Pedro Mountain Road and continue on that road for a bit over a mile until you hit Gray Whale Cove Trail. This last stretch of the hike is on the ocean cliffs with amazing views of the coastline. Continue on Gray Whale Cove Trail for about 0.3 miles until you rejoin the North Peak Access Road and walk back to the parking lot. Here’s a map of the hike.

Sam McDonalds County Park – Heritage Grove Loop Trail (4+ miles)

Once again, we found this park by looking at the map and choosing a green space on it. After finding one, I looked up trails online and chose a route that would work for our family. We chose this hike because of the Heritage Redwood Grove, and it didn’t disappoint! This hike is a mix of old growth redwood trees and mountain views, and it’s truly delightful. The map at the parking lot describes it as a 5-mile hike but we think it’s closer to 4 miles. The elevation gain for this hike is almost 900 feet.

The trailhead leaves from the Sam McDonald Park Parking lot. We chose to start the hike by going straight up the Towne Fire Road. The first half mile of the hike winds through redwood trees, some of which were quite impressive in size! At about 0.6 miles you’ll hit a junction. Walk pass the horse area, and stay on the Towne Fire Road for another mile or so. Once you get out of the forest, you’ll be walking on the fully exposed ridge so remember to pack a hat and sunscreen!

After 1.3 miles on the Towne Fire Road, turn left at the junction with the Heritage Grove Trai to head down to the grove and follow it for about 0.6 miles to a fork and follow the trail down to the grove. If you want to visit the grove you actually need to do a 0.1 mile detour down to it, which is well signed. There is a creek right by the grove, and this is a lovely place to stop for a snack and to rest your legs. After you visit the grove, head back to the Heritage Grove Trail and continue on for about 1.5 miles back to the parking lot. This last stretch goes through a beautiful forested area and pass some cool tree stumps where the kids had a great time playing!

This hike was really beautiful and energizing! We saw a California Newt and lots of mushrooms in January. I should also point out that the trail was basically empty. We only saw a handful of other hikers while doing this loop. Apparently, this park is not very popular, which is great for those of us looking for quiet trails!

Here’s a map of the trail. You can also take a photo of the map at the parking lot.

Happy hiking! For more California fun, click here.