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Best Mountain Hikes near San Jose

The directory currently contains 27 quality-checked routes matching this guide near San Jose. Their average mapped distance is 28.4 km and average recorded ascent is 962 m (3,156 ft); the longest route in the set is 164 km.

This subset represents 15% of the 178 quality-checked routes near San Jose. Its average distance is 28.4 km, compared with 6.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 962 m (3,156 ft), versus 264 m (866 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, 8 (30%) are rated hard or expert, and 3 (11%) 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

1.7 km

Summit Meadows Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

99 m

Summit Meadows Trail

6 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 Coastal Trail

California · United States

Distance
55.9 km
/ 34.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,263 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
Old ties from the Aptos Branch logging railroad in June 2018
Hard

Aptos Creek Fire Road

California · United States

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,016 m
Typical duration
6 hr 16 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Summit Meadows Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
99 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
ohlone wilderness trail - sunol
Expert

Ohlone Wilderness Trail

California · United States

Distance
42.5 km
/ 26.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,849 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Skyline To The Sea Trail

California · United States

Distance
40.1 km
/ 24.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,464 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Diablo Regional Trail

California · United States

Distance
48.2 km
/ 30.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,225 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
Moderate

Summit Rock Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
228 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
A view of Mount Diablo from Eagle Peak. Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Danville, CA. For some strange reason, there's a garbage can in the middle of the trail. Even more bizarrely, it is decorated with the sticker "Squaw Valley, USA", a s
Moderate

Las Trampas Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
431 m
Typical duration
2 hr 46 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

West Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
599 m
Typical duration
2 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
California bay tree (Umbellularia californica), wind-sculpted, along trail on exposed Rocky Ridge of Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, East Bay, California.
Moderate

Rocky Ridge Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
434 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
200 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
230 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Mountain
The Wilder Ranch preserved farmhouse, California, USA
Moderate

Wilder Ridge Loop

California · United States

Distance
14.7 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
344 m
Typical duration
3 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Oak Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
106 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Red Mountain Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Fire Road

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Big Ben Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Sweeney Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
553 m
Typical duration
2 hr 32 min
  • Mountain
Portolá Expedition camped near here on 11 November 1769 with the Quiroste.
Moderate

Whitehouse Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
1 hr 12 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Long Ridge Road

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
215 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Connection Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
145 m
Typical duration
29 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ridge Top Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
184 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Sunol Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.8 km
/ 4.2 mi
Elevation gain
670 m
Typical duration
2 hr 25 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.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
California Coastal TrailCalifornia55.9 km1,263 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Aptos Creek Fire RoadCalifornia21.8 km1,016 m6 hr 16 minHardApril to October
Bay Area Ridge Trail - 03 - South BayCalifornia164 km4,773 m45 hrExpertApril to October
Bay Area Ridge Trail - 04 - San Francisco and PeninsulaCalifornia152 km4,980 m43 hrExpertApril to October
Bay Area Ridge Trail - 02 - East BayCalifornia158 km4,645 m44 hrExpertApril to October
Summit Meadows TrailCalifornia1.7 km99 m30 minModerateApril to October
Ohlone Wilderness TrailCalifornia42.5 km1,849 m12 hrExpertApril to October
Skyline To The Sea TrailCalifornia40.1 km1,464 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Diablo Regional TrailCalifornia48.2 km1,225 m12 hrExpertApril to October
Summit Rock Loop TrailCalifornia3.1 km228 m59 minModerateApril to October

California Coastal Trail, Bay Area Ridge Trail - 03 - South Bay, Aptos Creek Fire Road 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 →

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