Hikers, prepare to get loopy: The Bay Area Ridge Trail loop, a 500-mile work in progress, is closer to completion each day, thanks to the excellent work of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. Here are three sweet slices ready for your weekend.

Ridgetop hiking? Check. Picnic-worthy lakes? Check. Sweeping ocean views? Check. It's hard to imagine all of this packed into one spot, but you can find it at the Peninsula's Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. Start this gentle 1.5-mile hike at Alpine Pond—if it's a sunny day, be on the lookout for turtles—and follow wooded pathways before emerging onto the preserve's dramatic slope-side trail. From there, layer upon layer of deep green mountains and golden hills rise and fall in all directions; if the weather is clear, you can see all the way to the white-capped Pacific. Continue until you reach Horseshoe Lake, where you can watch the ducks while you snack at one of the picnic tables that surround the lake. Then head back the way you came.

TIP: When you've finished the ridge route, relax and refresh at Thomas Fogarty Winery just up the road. Their gewürztraminer goes especially well with those gorgeous views of the South Bay.

Thomas Fogarty Winery, 19501 Skyline Blvd., Woodside; 650-851-6777.

Directions: Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve is west of Palo Alto off of Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd.). Park at the the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot on Alpine Rd., and follow the Bay Area Ridge Trail from Alpine Pond to Horseshoe Lake. For more information about Skyline Ridge and for directions to the hike, click here.

Just fifteen minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge in the Marin Headlands lies Gerbode Valley—the lesser-known (but equally rewarding) neighbor of Tennessee Valley. Enter this view-rich, bowl-shaped valley on Bobcat Trail, which climbs gently for 1.6 miles. (This part of the trail is exposed, so get an early start to maximize morning's cooler temperatures.) As you ascend, you can't help but peer into the valley to look for bobcats and red-tailed hawks. As you climb higher, Mt. Tam and the Pacific will come into view. If you're up for an adventure, near the top of the road, take the Rodeo Valley Cutoff Trail. Although this trail isn't well-maintained, especially toward the end, press on—you'll be on your own, crossing a ridge from one valley to another, with inspiring views. The cutoff ends at the Rodeo Valley Trail, where you'll have two options: down or up. Down will take you back to your starting point. But if you have time, go up a few hundred yards up to the mountainside-hugging and ridgetop-rolling SCA Trail. This will add two spectacular miles of bay and city vistas to your journey, and you'll likely have the trail to yourself. About fifteen minutes into this stretch, you'll reach a ridge that presents an iconic juxtaposition: on the right, the peaceful green and golden hills of the Headlands; on the left, the vibrant streets and skyscrapers of San Francisco.

Directions: To reach the trailhead by bus, take the 76 Marin Headlands line from San Francisco. To reach the trailhead by car from San Francisco, take the Alexander Ave. exit off Highway 101. Stay to the right on the exit ramp. Turn left on Bunker Rd. and go through the one-way tunnel. After about 1.5 miles, the trailhead is on the right, opposite a large field (if you pass the horse stables, you've gone too far).

Note: Bobcat Trail is multi-use (hikers, bikers, horses). Rodeo Valley Trail is used by hikers and horses. Rodeo Valley Cutoff Trail and the SCA Trail are used by hikers only. For more information, click here.

Don your comfiest pair of moon-boots and head for the volcano! Millions of years of volcanic action have sculpted the awe-inspiring geological dynamics of the Berkeley Hills' Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. After admiring vistas during the first half-mile of the 2.6-mile round-trip walk (on a clear day you can see beyond Mt. Diablo to the snowcapped Sierra Nevada), you'll dip down past remnants of old mining operations; this part of the hike more closely resembles the moon than the Bay Area. A large pit manifests the evidence of an ancient volcano. At the bottom of the pit, a serpentine labyrinth allows visitors a chance to wander, explore, and reflect. You may come away seeing the world in a new light.

Note: There is an unstaffed visitor center that provides a pamphlet that coordinates to numbered posts and a geologic tour. Be on the lookout for poison oak, as it is prevalent near the trail. The park is dog-friendly. For more information on Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, click here.

EXTRA CREDIT: Want to help complete the trail? Join the Bay Area Ridge Trail at their Second Annual Ridge Trail Cruz on Sept. 29. Click here for more information.

Topic 3 photo courtesy of Tensegrity Dan.

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Got a hankering for some Patagonia gear but waiting for the right opportunity? Now's the time. Patagonia is having its biggest sale of the year, from now until August 21. Get into their San Francisco store soon and benefit from storewide savings on the coolest, most durable and environmentally-sound clothing and gear. Save money and kick-start San Francisco's real summer season in style.

Patagonia's San Francisco Summer Sale
August 14–21
30–60% off retail prices on selected merchandise
Online at patagonia.com and in the Patagonia stores*

Patagonia San Francisco, 770 North Point St., San Francisco; 415-771-2050.

Miss a week? Click here to see an archive of Patagonia's 12 Weeks of Summer.

*Sales limited to stock on hand. Sale prices apply only to Patagonia merchandise on days specified. Patagonia Outlets, Patagonia Palo Alto, and Patagonia Cardiff-by-the-Sea are not participating in the sale. Surfboards and wetsuits are not on sale. Offer valid in USA only. Not valid with any other offer. Sale ends August 21, 2007. Call anytime: 800-638-6464.