Seven fab hikes
Deliver food to the body and soul
One thing that has sustained Bay Area residents through a difficult year of pandemic and political upheaval has been our access to some of the most gorgeous nature in the world. Nothing can calm the mind or nurture the body like a stroll through lush redwoods or a hike atop a ridge offering panoramic views of valleys, forests, bay and ocean.
Our appreciation for the beauty of our parks, beaches and open spaces only grew when we were told to temporarily stay away due to COVID-19 restrictions or when wildfires broke out in August, blanketing the region in smoke, burning trees and destroying historic buildings in Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
But nature comes through, with Big Basin’s scorched redwoods offering a testament to resilience. Scientists say the centuries-old trees have already begun their recovery and will sprout new leaves as early as this winter. Bay Area residents can continue to find a sense of healing and renewal, as wildfire season recedes, and a growing number of local,
state and national parks reopen and make themselves available for hikes and other ways to enjoy time outdoors.
In this challenging year, it’s best to call or check websites before you go to make sure parks are open and learn about any safety restrictions or parking lot closures due to COVID-19 or wildfire damage. Visits to some sites may require advance reservations. Above all, be a good citizen and wear a mask or have one handy to pull up when you pass other nature lovers on the trails.
Here are seven stellar trail options, plus suggestions for where to refuel apres-hike.
1 & 2
OLD TREE AND PETERS CREEK LOOP, PORTOLA REDWOODS STATE PARK
The narrow road leading to this 2,800-acre park drops from Skyline Boulevard into a lush and deeply shaded redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Even on trails near the visitor center, expect near silence as you follow meandering creeks and pass through groves of ancient, towering trees.
We have two favorite trails here, starting with a 1.2-mile roundtrip hike that leads to Old Tree, which is more than 300 feet tall and estimated to be more than 1,200 years old. This hike spotlights majestic trees with charred trunks that survived forest fires centuries ago — and which continue to thrive. The Peters Creek Loop — a more strenuous 11.9-mile round trip — winds among some of the region’s oldest trees. www.parks.ca.gov/
Apres hike: Portola Redwoods State Park is fairly isolated, so you’ll need to travel back a bit into civilization for a post-hike meal. The closest option is Alice’s Restaurant, a favorite destination for hikers, bikers, artists and entrepreneurs. It serves gourmet burgers, scrambles, housemade pies and local wines and beer. Open daily at 17288 Skyline Blvd. in Woodside; www. alicesrestaurant.com.
3
TOMALES POINT TRAIL, MARIN COUNTY
Want to feel like you’re traveling to the top of the world? That’s the sense offered by the 9.7-mile roundtrip hike to Tomales Point, just north of Point Reyes National Seashore. The hike starts at Pierce Point Ranch, a historic dairy, and follows the crest of a peninsula that narrows the further north you go. The Pacific roars hundreds of feet below on mostly open, sandy bluffs as you pass herds of grazing tule elk and take in spectacular 360-degree views on non-foggy days, including of the ocean to the west, Tomales Bay to the east and the coastline stretching north to Bodega Bay and beyond. www.nps.gov/pore
Après-hike: Due West Tavern took over from a longtime Olema roadhouse just off Highway 1. The tavern serves classic roadhouse fare, but with a contemporary, farm-to-table ethos. The burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and Hog Island oysters are prepared with
produce, meat, seafood and dairy sourced from local farms and purveyors. Prefer take-out? Pick up lunch and to-go snacks at the adjacent Due West Market, which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tavern is open for lunch on weekends and dinner daily at 10021 Coastal Highway in Olema; https://olemahouse. com/due-west-restaurant/
4
EAGLE PEAK, LAS TRAMPAS REGIONAL WILDERNESS
Need a good hill workout? Follow a trail that starts at the end of Camille Lane, a cozy residential street between Alamo and Danville, then climb up — and then up even more, through meadows and oak forest, until you’re staring across the San Ramon Valley to Mount Diablo. As you climb the trail higher still, you can see the Tri-valley to the south and Suisun Bay to the north. The 1,400-foot climb leads to 1,720-foot tall Eagle Peak, one of the three summits in the East Bay Regional Park wilderness; www.ebparks.org.
You can also take a half-mile side trip to visit the grounds of the Eugene O’neill National Historic Site. The Nobel Prize-winning playwright wrote his bestknown dramas while living at this gracious estate, known as Tao House, from 1937 to 1943. Advance reservations are needed to visit the house itself and take a self-guided tour.
Après-hike: A local favorite, Alamo’s Peasant’s Courtyard is known for its all-day offerings of breakfast, lunch and dinner classics, from Eggs Benedict to French dip and chicken parm, and its picturesque courtyard, surrounded by redwoods. Open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 3195 Danville Blvd., Alamo, https://rodneyworth.com/peasants-courtyard/
5
ALBANY TO RICHMOND BAY TRAIL
For much of the 20th century, the best views of San Francisco Bay belonged to factories and shipyards, all off limits to the public. That changed in the 1980s, when more than 40 local governments came together to create some 500 miles of hiking and bicycle trails to link existing parks, restore wetlands and form a perimeter around San Francisco and San Pablo bays.
More than 18 miles of the Bay Trail run from the “Albany Bulb” to Richmond. You can pick up the trail at any number of locations. The flat trail offers killer views of the San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the Marin hills, as well as reminders of an industrial past. Richmond’s Craneway Pavilion, for example, once housed the largest Ford assembly plant on the West Coast. In non-pandemic times, it’s a scenic venue for concerts, conventions and weddings. https://baytrail.org/
The Rosie the Riveter World War II Homefront Historical Park, which has been closed during the lockdown, is next door.
Après-hike: Point Richmond locals frequent Little Louie’s Cafe, some taking their dogs to the back patio to enjoy time with friends or read the newspaper, while digging into special egg scrambles or panini. Open for lunch and dinner daily, starting at 7 a.m. 49 Washington St., Point Richmond; www.littlelouies.com
6
BAY RIDGE TRAIL, PRESIDIO, SAN FRANCISCO
This sprawling park at the northwest corner of San Francisco covers 1,500 acres and centuries of history, from its days as the home of the Ohlone people through its stint as a U.S. military base. But even with such an expanse of geography and time, the Presidio is manageable for all levels of hikers. The 2.5-mile Bay Ridge Trail takes you from Pacific Heights to the Golden Gate Bridge in a little more than an hour. Well-marked routes through the park lead to a variety of landscapes, from hidden forest groves to Crissy
Field’s sunny esplanade and mysterious Fort Point, made famous in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo.” https:// www.presidio.gov/trails
Après-hike: As of press time, several Presidio restaurants were still temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but the Presidio Cafe serves all-day comfort food — fish tacos, chicken salad and quesadillas — which can be enjoyed on a large patio overlooking the Presidio Golf Course. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 300 Finley Road in San Francisco, www.presidiocafe.com.
7
SEQUOIA AUDUBON TRAIL, PESCADERO MARSH NATURAL PRESERVE
This 1.5-mile round-trip trail offers a gentle stroll through the largest coastal wetland between San Francisco and Monterey counties. The 235-acre preserve lies across Highway 1 from Pescadero State beach and is home to several habitats, including tidal estuary, freshwater marsh, dense riparian woods and northern coastal scrub.
The preserve is also a birders’ paradise, with more than 200 species known to hang out there. Access the trail from the central Pescadero State Beach parking lot via a walkway under Highway 1 to the lagoon. www.coastsidestateparks.org Après-hike: Duarte’s Tavern, the historic Pescadero tavern, is a short drive away. It’s famed for its olallieberry pie, artichoke soup and seafood dishes. Open from noon to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, until 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 202 Stage Road in Pescadero; www.duartestavern.com.