Golden Gate National Recreation Area Trails

Find your path to discovery and adventure

For many of us, the sprawling and spectacular trail system at Golden Gate is how we experience the parks and encounter their many wonders. More than just a line through the woods or a swath across a bluff, the trail is where we can marvel at nature, learn about culture, and understand history. Trails are as unique and complex as the ecosystems they help protect, or the extraordinary people who help care for them. Stay up to date on any closures. Introduce yourself to one of the trails in the Golden Gate National Parks. And get ready to meet magic.

Refine
A hiker looks out at scenic view of the pacific coastline from the Coastal Trail in Marin Headlands on a bright sunny day.
Trail
Difficulty: 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
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

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. The views offshore on a clear day are amazing, and the highlight was seeing a pond full of California newts in a...
Visitors hike up the Coastal Trail from Rodeo Beach
Trail
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.
Skyline view from Coyote Ridge Trail
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

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
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

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.
Sunset over Crissy Field Marsh
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

2.00 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.
Deer Park Fire Road
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

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 Trail
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...
Hikers enjoy views from the Dias Ridge Trail
Trail
Difficulty: Very Strenuous

Length

5.00 miles round-trip
Start at the charming 17th-century style Pelican Inn at Muir Beach in Marin and head up the chaparral-covered Dias Ridge . The five-mile trail loops across former dairy ranches and rises 700 feet. At every turn there is another dazzling panorama of the Pacific and the Marin Headlands . Parking...
Views from Dias Ridge
Trail
Difficulty: Easiest

Length

6.13 miles round-trip
Descend along a gorgeous new multi-use trail. From Panoramic Hwy you start out at 700' and drop down to sea level at Muir Beach with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean for most of the trip while passing over 20,000 newly planted native plants and grasses. The coastal breezes and...
Runner takes on the challenge of the Dipsea Trail
Trail
Difficulty: Strenuous

Length

4.00 miles round-trip
The historic Dipsea Trail and route of the famous foot race, contested since 1905, connects the east side of Mount Tamalpais at Mill Valley with the west side at Stinson Beach.
Runner takes on the challenge of the Dipsea Trail
Trail

Length

9.44 miles round-trip
Stretching from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach , the famed Dipsea Trail is for hikers looking for a challenge. It begins in Mill Valley, climbs over a Mt. Tam ridge, passes through Muir Woods , and descends to Stinson Beach . The top of Dipsea Ridge has spectacular ocean views.

Your parks need you now

Your support helps fight climate change and promote park sustainability—please give now.