Skip to content

Hard Hiking Trails near San Francisco

The directory currently contains 13 quality-checked routes matching this guide near San Francisco. Their average mapped distance is 82.1 km and average recorded ascent is 1,916 m (6,286 ft); the longest route in the set is 308 km.

This subset represents 12% of the 111 quality-checked routes near San Francisco. Its average distance is 82.1 km, compared with 12.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 1,916 m (6,286 ft), versus 390 m (1,280 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

This set contains routes rated hard or expert from their available distance and elevation measurements. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 13 (100%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) 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 7

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

1,020 m

ADT - California - T - Seg 8

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

Unconventional view, but it works. Bolinas Lagoon Preserve of Audubon Canyon Ranch, California. The coastal subspecies of Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus californicus , lacks the yellow band of median coverts, so we see only a red
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 9

California · United States

Distance
70.3 km
/ 43.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,539 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Looking West over the San Francisco Bay from the University of California.
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 8

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 Coastal Trail

California · United States

Distance
55.9 km
/ 34.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,263 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Coastal
  • 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
Expert

San Francisco Bay Trail

California · United States

Distance
39.8 km
/ 24.7 mi
Elevation gain
435 m
Typical duration
9 hr 42 min
Hard

Ivan Dickson Trail

California · United States

Distance
17.8 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
729 m
Typical duration
4 hr 53 min

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
ADT - California - T - Seg 9California70.3 km1,539 m18 hrExpertApril to October
ADT - California - T - Seg 8California77.4 km1,020 m19 hrExpertApril to October
ADT - California - T - Seg 7California55.8 km1,646 m15 hrExpertApril to October
California Coastal TrailCalifornia55.9 km1,263 m14 hrExpertApril to October
Bay Area Ridge Trail - 01 - North BayCalifornia308 km5,538 m81 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
Diablo Regional TrailCalifornia48.2 km1,225 m12 hrExpertApril to October
East Bay Skyline National Recreation TrailCalifornia48.1 km1,193 m12 hrExpertApril to October
San Francisco Bay TrailCalifornia39.8 km435 m9 hr 42 minExpertApril 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.

People also search for