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06.18.09

Epic Hikes

This weekend brings the longest day of the year—just the right time for a big day-hike. Here are three summer solstice-worthy treks, all within an hour of San Francisco.  

Hike Mount Tam to Stinson Beach

Best Tam Hike, Period

If epic views are your one demand for an epic hike, then the western flank of Mount Tam has the classic ramble for you. Starting half-way up the mountain at the Pantoll staging area, the Matt Davis Trail traverses Mount Tam at 1,600 feet, offering red-tailed hawk views of Stinson Beach, Bolinas Lagoon, and even the San Mateo coastline; 30 miles offshore, the Farallon Islands are perfectly silhouetted. Look for hang gliders, as the trail passes under three launching sites. Most hikers continue down the trail to Stinson Beach—but to keep the high times rolling, continue your traverse along the Coastal Trail. Then descend (steeply) down the Willow Camp Trail, and enter Stinson through its residential backroads. Take a break on the outdoor patio at the Sand Dollar Restaurant (great calamari and fish tacos) before hiking back up the mountain. The second half of the hike weaves through a redwood canyon, beside gently flowing creeks, and even up and over a wooden ladder. Tam, that's good!

Begin the 9-mile loop at the Pantoll Ranger Station parking lot off of Panoramic Hwy. (map), where you can also pick up a trail map. Take the Matt Davis Trail west to the Coastal Trail. Go right on the Coastal Trail and follow it 1.7 miles to Willow Camp Trail; turn left and descend 1.7 miles. Willow Camp Trail dumps out onto a fire road, which you descend 5 minutes to a gate at the end of Avenida Farralone. Go down this road, make a right on Lincoln Ave., right on Buena Vista Ave., right on Calle del Mar, and left on Shoreline Hwy. (aka Hwy 1). Pick up the Dipsea Trail on the left side of Shoreline Hwy., about 100 feet past the fire house. Go 1.2 miles on the Dipsea Trail. Make a left onto the Steep Ravine Trail and go 1.5 miles to Pantoll parking lot. No dogs. The Sand Dollar Restaurant is located at 3458 Shoreline Hwy., 415-868-0434.

Activity
Hike
Region
North Bay
Purisima Creek Redwoods

Purisima Charisma

Purisima Creek Redwoods is a buffet of the best elements of Bay Area hiking: great ocean views, towering redwood trees, fern-filled canyons, and almost no people! Take a 10-mile journey that touches all the highlights of this northern Santa Cruz Mountain preserve. This hike is like eating dessert first: You start with a sweet descent that serves up big views of Half Moon Bay and Pillar Point. The path along the North Ridge and Whittemore Gulch Trails winds in and out of the sun, through trees and down to the park's namesake creek, which flows year-round through a shaded green canyon. Take a break beneath tall sycamores and second-growth redwoods before the 2.3-mile gradual climb up the Purisima Creek Trail (the forest canopy will help keep you cool for this section). This leads to a 2.6-mile stretch along skinny, canyon-hugging Soda Gulch Trail, traversing redwoods and wooden bridges. End with the hardest part of the trip, a 1.4-mile climb up Harkins Ridge. Viva Purisima!

Start at Purisima Creek Redwoods North Ridge Trail trailhead on Skyline Blvd. (Hwy. 35), 4.5 miles south of Hwy. 92. Pick up a map at the kiosk. Take the hikers-only trail .5 mile down. Turn right on the North Ridge Trail, and go .5 mile. Make a left on Whittemore Gulch Trail and hike 2.8 miles down to Purisima Creek. Cross the bridge and continue up the Purisima Creek Trail for 2.3 miles. Make a left on Soda Gulch Trail and go 2.6 miles. At Harkins Ridge Trail make a right and climb 1.4 miles back to the trailhead. No dogs.

Activity
Hike
Region
Peninsula & South Bay
Point Reyes Sculptured Beach

Point Reyes Grand Slam

Wildflowers, hidden beaches, coastal forests, babbling creeks and awesome Pacific views are just a few of the things that make Point Reyes a world-class hiking destination. With so much to see, which hike should a person do? Do the one that's got it all! The Woodward Valley Loop is a hiking grand slam, going from forests to tidepools along a 13-mile route. Start the hike on the Bear Valley Trail while your legs are fresh; you'll soon be steadily climbing the Mt. Wittenburg Trail—the steepest in the park—to 1,260 feet. At the top, the trail crests, traversing wildflower-filled meadows and winding through Douglas fir forests awash with golden sunbeams. The Point Reyes Coastline comes into view as you descend the Sky and Woodward Valley Trails to the ocean-hugging Coast Trail. Break for lunch at the secluded Sculptured Beach, pictured here (watch for poison oak on the narrow spur trail that takes you to the beach); time your visit for low tide, and you can walk under a giant rock tunnel. Afterward, keep hiking on the easy flats of the Coast Trail; a huge eucalyptus tree marks the spot for checking out a second stretch of secret sand—sprawling Kelham Beach. For the last stretch of the hike, jaunt to the hulking, exposed Arch Rock and take in the last views of the Pacific before making your way back to the start on the popular Bear Valley Trail. Point well earned.

From Bear Valley Visitor Center, walk down the Bear Valley Trail. Make a right onto Mt. Wittenburg Trail and climb it up to the Sky Trail. Go left and descend until you reach Woodward Valley Trail; go right. Take this to the Coast Trail. Turn left on the Coast Trail. Keep an eye out for blink-and-you-miss-it signage to Sculptured Beach. The Kelham Beach spur trail is unsigned; look for a huge eucalyptus tree and take the informal trail down to the beach. Take the Bear Valley Trail back to the trailhead. No dogs.

Activity
Hike
Region
North Bay
Sports Club LA

Upgrade Your Workout

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