Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 70.3 km / 43.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,539 m
- Typical duration
- 18 hr
- Coastal
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Best Mountain Hikes near San Francisco
The directory currently contains 16 quality-checked routes matching this guide near San Francisco. Their average mapped distance is 63.4 km and average recorded ascent is 1,612 m (5,289 ft); the longest route in the set is 308 km.
This subset represents 14% of the 111 quality-checked routes near San Francisco. Its average distance is 63.4 km, compared with 12.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 1,612 m (5,289 ft), versus 390 m (1,280 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.
These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 9 (56%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (6%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.
Data refreshed September 2026
Choose by the details
How do these routes differ?
A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.
Shortest mapped distance in this sample
55.8 km
ADT - California - T - Seg 7Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.
Lowest recorded ascent in this sample
1,020 m
ADT - California - T - Seg 86 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.
Return logistics
0 recorded loops
Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.
Plan the return journey →Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.
Trails
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 77.4 km / 48.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,020 m
- Typical duration
- 19 hr
- River
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 55.8 km / 34.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,646 m
- Typical duration
- 15 hr
- Mountain
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 55.9 km / 34.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,263 m
- Typical duration
- 14 hr
- Coastal
- Mountain
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 308 km / 191 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,538 m
- Typical duration
- 81 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 152 km / 94.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,980 m
- Typical duration
- 43 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 158 km / 98.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,645 m
- Typical duration
- 44 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 48.2 km / 30.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,225 m
- Typical duration
- 12 hr
- Mountain
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 48.1 km / 29.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,193 m
- Typical duration
- 12 hr
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 60 m
- Typical duration
- 44 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 10.2 km / 6.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 431 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 46 min
- Mountain
- Forest
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.2 km / 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 489 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 12 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 6.9 km / 4.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 434 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 6 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 8.2 km / 5.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 553 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 32 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 6.8 km / 4.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 670 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 25 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.7 km / 2.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 108 m
- Typical duration
- 56 min
- Mountain
The shortlist, side by side
The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Difficulty | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADT - California - T - Seg 9California | 70.3 km | 1,539 m | 18 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - California - T - Seg 8California | 77.4 km | 1,020 m | 19 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - California - T - Seg 7California | 55.8 km | 1,646 m | 15 hr | Expert | April to October |
| California Coastal TrailCalifornia | 55.9 km | 1,263 m | 14 hr | Expert | April to October |
| Bay Area Ridge Trail - 01 - North BayCalifornia | 308 km | 5,538 m | 81 hr | Expert | April to October |
| Bay Area Ridge Trail - 04 - San Francisco and PeninsulaCalifornia | 152 km | 4,980 m | 43 hr | Expert | April to October |
| Bay Area Ridge Trail - 02 - East BayCalifornia | 158 km | 4,645 m | 44 hr | Expert | April to October |
| Diablo Regional TrailCalifornia | 48.2 km | 1,225 m | 12 hr | Expert | April to October |
| East Bay Skyline National Recreation TrailCalifornia | 48.1 km | 1,193 m | 12 hr | Expert | April to October |
| Bay Area Ridge Trail - Section 01 - Golden Gate BridgeCalifornia | 3.1 km | 60 m | 44 min | Moderate | April to October |
ADT - California - T - Seg 9, ADT - California - T - Seg 8, ADT - California - T - Seg 7 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.
Frequently asked questions
Plan with more confidence
All planning articles →Choosing a route
How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label
Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.
Read article →Understanding the map
Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb
Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.
Read article →Planning your day
Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace
Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.
Read article →Related guides
Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.
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- Easy Hiking Trails in United States2332
- Family-Friendly Hikes in United States2298
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- Dog-Friendly Hikes in United States1092
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- Best Mountain Hikes in Switzerland860
- Hiking Trails Under 10 km in California829
- Hard Hiking Trails in United States778
- Moderate Hiking Trails in California722
- Best Autumn Hikes in California628
- Hiking Trails Under 5 km in California600
- Easy Hiking Trails in Connecticut565
- Family-Friendly Hikes in Connecticut564
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