Activities in the Parks

Can’t Choose Your Own Adventure? Start Here and Go!

Picturesque landscapes abound in the Golden Gate National Parks

Paul Myers/Parks Conservancy

With hundreds of miles of trails threading through 37 distinct sites across 80,000 acres of the Golden Gate National Parks, it can be hard to decide where to go and what to do. Let the Parks Conservancy’s experts be your guide! We’ve carefully curated our favorite hikes, walks, and excursions to share with you and your loved ones. There’s something (and some place) for everyone! We reveal some of the natural wonders and historical highlights you’ll experience along the way, but there are plenty more surprises for you to discover. So browse below, then grab your boots and backpack. Your national parks are waiting.

Aerial view of Rancho Corral de Tierra trails

Clipper Ridge Trail

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Trail Length: 3.74 miles round trip

The trailhead is near the intersection of Coral Reef Avenue and Sevilla Avenue in El Grenada, but parking can be tricky in the area (Quarry Park, half a mile away, is probably your best bet). The trail itself, one of the best ways to experience Rancho Corral de Tierra,

Coastal Trail

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Trail Length: 11.50 miles round trip

The Coastal Trail is the true connoisseur's way to drink deeply from the quintessence of the California experience.

Coastal Trail

Difficulty Level: Easiest

The Coastal Trail is the true connoisseur's way to drink deeply from the quintessence of the California experience. Get your sip along any segment, and enjoy some of the best landscapes and seascapes in the Golden State.

Battery Townsley "pond" in a former gun emplacement

Coastal Trail Marin Hike

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Trail Length: 1.90 miles round trip

This mellow hike was a joy in spring: wildflowers everywhere, great views, no fog. We chose the hiker-only trails where we could, but bike routes cover similar ground.

Visitors hike up the Coastal Trail from Rodeo Beach

Coastal Trail to Hill 88

Difficulty Level: Moderately Strenuous

Hill 88, towering 1,053 feet above Rodeo Beach, is reached via a 2.5-mile segment of the Coastal Trail. It starts flat but features a steep climb. Along the way, you'll pass Battery Townsley and ascend Wolf Ridge. A spur trail takes you to former gun emplacements and bunkers.

Coastal Trail Walk, with Newts

Hikes

Marin Headlands

This mellow hike was a joy in spring: wildflowers everywhere, great views, no fog. We chose the hiker-only trails where we could, but bike routes cover similar ground.

Coyote Ridge Trail

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Trail Length: 1.52 miles round trip

Running along Coyote Ridge, this trail presents visitors with panoramic, eye-popping views of San Francisco, the Pacific, the rolling hills and valleys of the Marin Headlands, and, on clear days, even Mt. Diablo far to the east.

This trail can be reached by a number of trails from Muir

Joggers enjoy the Crissy Field Promenade

Crissy Field Promenade Trail

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Trail Length: 3.44 miles round trip

Restored in 2001, Crissy Field wasted no time in becoming a San Francisco icon and a gem of the Parks Conservancy. The former military airfield now sports a clean, smooth promenade with views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, and the North and East Bays.

Crissy Field Waterfront Walk

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Trail Length: 2.00 miles round trip

Crissy Field Waterfront Walk

Biking

Birding

Hikes

Crissy Field

Deer Park Fire Road

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Trail Length: 4.81 miles round trip

This lovely trail in the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed features spectacular vistas, shady forests, springtime wildflowers, and plenty of connections with other trails. Be aware that this one is popular with mountain bikers, so everyone should stay alert and courteously share the trail.

Dias Ridge and Redwood Creek Watershed Loop

Difficulty Level: Moderately Strenuous

Trail Length: 6.14 miles round trip

Just across the street from the Pelican Inn and a short walk from Muir Beach, this trail ascends gradually and offers wonderful views of Muir Beach. Eventually you'll connect with the Miwok Trail.

A long-time favorite destination for recreation users, Dias Ridge is named after one of the Portuguese