The Top 10 Half-Day Hikes in the Bay Area

Hiking is an outdoor sport that can take up as much or as little time as you want it to. Nature lovers can spend days or even months tramping through the wilderness - and I absolutely love an all-day summit trail! Sometimes, though, you just want a hike that you can complete after work or one that helps you burn some calories on a Saturday morning before lunch with friends. Luckily, if you live in the Bay Area like I do, you have a plethora of trails to suit every need and every time budget! Here’s my list of favorite Bay Area trails that you can complete in half a day or less. 

EASY:

Sibley Roundtop and Volcanic loop 

Once you’ve learned that the East Bay has its very own ancient volcano, you won’t rest until you’ve gone there! This pleasant hike will take you through a forest and a plateau section with several interconnected mini-trails that you can have fun exploring. And, if you’re short on time, you can just do the Roundtop portion of the loop - you still get to see the labyrinth! 

Pedro Point Headlands Loop 

This is short (about 2.4 miles), but there are a couple of brief ups and downs that will get your heart racing. Elevation gain isn’t the only thing that’s breathtaking, though - once you reach the bluff, there are incomparable views of the ocean. And the way back goes through a delightfully wooded section that will make you marvel all over again at how many climates and ecosystems coexist in the Bay Area. 

Bear Valley Trail in Point Reyes National Seashore

This trail starts at the visitor center and takes you straight into the woods. It’s Marin County, so expect cool temperatures and pockets of mist - together, they create a near-mystical quietness punctuated only by the trickle of water or the rustle of grass underfoot. Go all the way to the end to get a glimpse of the coast. It’s foggy, filled with flowers, and utterly gorgeous. 

Moderate:

Dunn and Stream Trail loop

Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park is a local favourite, and for good reason. Tall, magnificent redwood trees surround you on all sides and make you feel like you’ve entered a silent, secret new world. This loop is a good way to get a taste of the park within a couple of hours - thanks to the descent into (and then ascent from) the main forest section, though, your lower body still gets a solid workout! There are several interconnected trails you can tack on too, like the Bridle or French trails.

Lake Chabot Loop 

Perhaps my favorite hike in the East Bay! This scenic 9-mile trail takes you all around the lake with some glorious views and wooded sections along the way. Not much elevation gain, but 9 miles is a solid length, so carry plenty of water with you. 

Smackdown Loop in Tilden Regional Park 

This is a moderate trail with both exposed and forested sections and some steep bits with loose gravel. The sunsets are lovely here, so plan your hike for the evening. And come back another day to ride on the Tilden steam train.

San Bruno Mountain Summit and Ridge Trail 

This is a lesser-known Bay Area trail that’s ideal for a weekday evening hike. Don’t let the word ‘summit’ scare you off, the climb is pretty gentle. The ridge section does have some steep and loose-gravel sections, but they’re all fairly short. And most evenings, you get to enjoy a lovely breeze. 

Hard:

Anthony Chabot to Skyline Staging Area

If you have 5 to 6 hours to spare, this is a fantastic 13-mile adventure! Start from the Lake Chabot loop trailhead at the Marina and go left, then keep going. (If you plot these two points on Google Maps, you get the exact trail.) It’s mostly shaded, and thus perfect for hotter days, but we didn’t see any water fountains until we got to the Reinhardt Redwood section of the hike, so carry plenty of water with you!

Montara Mountain Trail 

This lovely trail in Pacifica has almost constant elevation gain up to the top, making this a respectable workout that will test your calves. The actual summit is closed off to the public, but you get pretty dang near it! If you have some extra energy, head over to the Peak Mountain summit on your way back down. It’s just a few hundred feet from the Montara summit and offers some lovely views. 

Dipsea and Ben Jonson Trail via Stinson Beach

This 10-mile loop is a Marin County classic and a favorite among Bay Area hikers. It starts at the Stinson Beach trailhead and goes through gorgeously forested slopes that then give way to the Muir Woods National Monument. If you’d prefer not to pay the $15 entrance fee for this part, you can hike further up to the other end of the official Dipsea Trail and then return for a challenging out-and-back hike. Feeling extra feisty? Continue further up to the summit of Mount Tamalpais. Your quads will love you. 

Author bio:

Deya Bhattacharya is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast from India. She moved to the Bay Area earlier this summer and has spent almost every spare minute on the trail ever since. Deya loves long trails with 4000+ ft elevation gain, especially since she gets to drink Coke afterwards without the calorie guilt. When she's not hiking, she's playing with her cats. You can check out her hiking blog HERE and follow her on Instagram HERE!