Top 10 Hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area – South Bay

I always enjoyed hiking. Ever since I had Ariel, hiking has been my weekly routine. My original goal was to get some exercise for both myself and Ariel and preferably some nice views as well. Over time, I found hiking not only helps me stay active physically but also is my mental therapy. I could empty my head when in nature, focusing only on my dog’s smile. Breathing in fresh air and sweating resets my body and mind. I don’t do lots of planning for hikes. My trips are mostly spontaneous. I typically use AllTrails to pick my trail and have several criteria:

1. Obviously, the trail has to be dog friendly. This actually excludes most of the state parks because they prohibit dogs.
2. The trail is intermediate level with 8 miles and 1,200 feet elevation at maximum. I want a good workout but not so tiring that I need to take time to recover from it. Most of the trails I have been on are around 5 miles long and 700-800 feet high.
3. The trail is wide enough for Ariel and I to walk in parallele – Ariel prefers to walk next to me.
4. The trail is not too crowded. I wear masks on hikes due to COVID and want to be able to take it off once a while. If the trail is too crowded, I don’t feel safe.
5. The trail is easily accessible, i.e., easy to find and easy to park.

These were my favorite spots in the South Bay Area over the past two years in the order from my most favorite to the least favorite. My definition of the South Bay Area is from Palo Alto to Milpitas. In my opinion, the best time to hike in the South Bay Area is spring to early summer. Most of the trails have no shade and the mountains will turn brown as the grass dries up in summer, which makes the trails less hikable or less pretty from summer to winter. 

1. Sanborn County Park

This park is such a gem and offers numerous great hikes at various difficulties. It’s my number one choice for summer because of the shade. Over the past 6 months, I have been there at least four times. It is very popular, but the trails are not crowded because there are so many of them. My favorite ones are San Andreas and Madrone Loop, Skyline Trail, and Lake Ranch Trail to John Nicholas Trail. After hiking, you can have a good rest and hang out at the picnic areas.

2. Mission Peak Regional Preserve

This is probably the first hiking destination for most people when they first come to the South Bay Area thanks to the famous Mission Peak. I’m never a fan of the trail to the peak. It’s strenuous and provides no shade. More importantly, the view at the top is not that special – you can have it from many trails in the area.

However, the regional preserve is beautiful, especially in the spring. You have to check out the long range of green mountains. Cows are lazily chewing on the moist grass while enjoying the overlook of San Jose. Unlike most of the trails, this preserve is open till pretty late at night. It’s great for people who enjoy sunset hikes and night views. I would recommend the Peak Meadow Trail, which is much easier, but you still get to have a full experience of this area.

3. Ed R. Levin County Park

This park is stunning in spring. It’s a great place to see wildflowers. It’s called the Little Switzerland because its beauty mimics that of Switzerland. My favorite trail is Agua Caliente, Sierra Caliente and Monument Peak. It’s a bit challenging because it has no shade and 1,700+ feet elevation. But it’s worth the effort. At the top, you will also have the full overlook of the South Bay Area as in the Mission Peak Regional Preserve. There are lots of other activities in the park as well from golf, paragliding, and hang gliding.

4. Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve 

Sunol is a little less accessible than Mission Peak. But it doesn’t stop me going there because the hiking trails and views simply have more variety. The most famous section of the area is probably Little Yosemite. It’s a short and easy hike, but you get to see everything from mountains, meadows, to creeks and waterfalls. In fall, you will also get to see California fall colors which are rare to find. If you prefer more tough hikes, I would recommend Flag Hill Loop Trail. It’s the right amount of workout for me. 

5. Hellyer County Park

There are not many county parks where I want to go more than once. Hellyer County Park is one of them because of the Coyote Creek Parkway. This trail starts from the Cottonwood Lake in the country park and goes all the way to the Sliver Creek Valley. It’s flat but long enough that you can bike, jog, or walk. It’s also mostly paved and partially shaded, which makes it a year-round trail. The fall colors are also beautiful here as well. In addition, there’s a dog park nearby.

6. Uvas Canyon County Park

You would have to make a reservation to get into this park during COVID. I went on the Uvas Canyon Short Waterfall Loop. It’s only 1.8 miles, but the elevation is good, around 620 feet. It features waterfalls which is always a plus. While waterfalls in California are dried out most of the time during the year, it’s not the case for this one. I still saw a decent amount of water in summer for all pools and waterfalls in the park.

7. Los Gatos Creek County Park to Lexington Reservoir 

Los Gatos Creek County Park is connected to the Lexington Reservoir area through the lengthy Los Gatos Creek Trail. It’s a big area and has many beautiful options for hikes. Vasona Lake County Park is in between. Vasona Lake Loop is a must-try. It’s flat, around the lake, and great for jogging. 

Further down to the south is the St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve where Jones Trail Loop is very popular because of the evergreen St. Joseph’s Hill and the overlook of the Lexington Reservoir at the top. It’s very likely for you to encounter deers on the way. Right next to it is the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. I really like the Lexington Reservoir Trail. It’s never too crowded. The 1,200+ feet elevation makes it a good exercise.

8. Stevens Creek County Park

This park is on the list mainly due to its accessibility – it’s right next to Cupertino, a short drive to transit from city to nature. It has a reservoir as well. The Stevens Canyon Trail connects the reservoir to the mountains. Another popular spot is Hunter’s Point where you will see Apple Park from the distance. There are lots of trails that route to Hunter’s Point, for example, the Seven Springs Loop. 

9. Santa Teresa County Park

This is a big county park in South San Jose featuring large green, grassy areas. It’s less exciting compared to other county park hikes mentioned above because there’s no water in this one. I have been on the Coyote Peak and Ridge Trail Loop. It’s a decent trail but has no shade. The view is the best during spring. This trail is less crowded, which I really like.

10. Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

I found trails at this preserve either very easy or pretty challenging. The one I went on, Spring Ridge Trail to Windy Hill, is still on the challenging side but doable. The view is not particularly beautiful, but part of it is always green year round and views are very open.