A group of friends hangs out at the top of Bernal Heights Park in San Francisco, looking out at the sunset

Rise to the Occasion

One of the many shining features of the SF Bay Area is how many Baymazing urban vistas are accessed via short hikes within city limits. Here are three scenic hikes that rise to the occasion for ideal group outings over the holidays.

Week: 12.10.2025
Regions: Northern CA

Orinda Original

Do a short urban hike to big views in Orinda Oaks Park

A woman looks out to the scenery while standing next to a bench on a high point on a hike in Orinda Oaks Park in the East Bay
Two people walking a wide and flat trail at Orinda Oaks Park in the East Bay
A woman walks her dog with views of the foothills in Orinda Oaks Park in the East Bay Contra Costa County
This 3.5-mile out-and-back through Orinda Oaks Park and Moraga offers scenic vistas right inside the city.
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Hike to New Lights

Hike Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve

For an enlightening late-day hike, catch the San Francisco skyline at sunset from high atop Ring Mountain in Tiburon. This 2-mile (round-trip) hike to Turtle Rock is a perfect late afternoon wander.
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Bernal Desire

Sunset Hike at Bernal Heights Park in San Francisco

A group of friends hangs out at the top of Bernal Heights Park in San Francisco, looking out at the sunset
Bernal Height Park San Francisco sunset
It's one of the best views in San Francisco. Bernal Heights Park is an underrated hilltop park that simply beams at sunset, with views of downtown SF, the Golden Gate, and the Bay Bridge.
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    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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