Numero Bruno

Hike for Big Bay Area Views and Seasonal Wildflowers at San Bruno Mountain

03.29.2023

Just minutes from San Francisco, San Bruno Mountain is like an island of nature amid a sea of urban bustle. Surrounded by freeways and an airport, this high-riser beckons with a secluded 3.5-mile hike. With wildflower season starting to kick into high gear, spring is an ideal time to hike this floral wonderland.

From the main parking area, follow signs for the summit as you wend below the highway and past a field of brilliant yellow gorse flowers. At the intersection with the Summit Loop Trail, keep left to begin ascending the east side of the loop via a series of switchbacks leading through a eucalyptus forest. Soak up the minty scent before the trees give way to huge open views of San Francisco Bay. On clear days, you can see all the way across the water to Oakland.

Continue up the Summit Route Trail—lined with massive white-flowered hogweed bushes— until it intersects with Radio Road. This high point was once the location of a military radar site but now houses several transmitter towers. For the best views, turn left on Radio Road and soak up views of the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Peninsula to the west. To the northeast lies a beautiful panorama of San Francisco’s skyline, Treasure Island, and the Bay Bridge.

Keep going along Radio Road until it turns into a dirt path, then turn left onto the Ridge Trail. March through May is the best time to spot wildflowers: lupine, poppy, and ceanothus bring bright pops of purple, orange, and blue to the landscape. Turn right onto Summit Loop Trail and begin descending, relishing one of the best spots for a premier look at San Francisco surrounded by the water. At the intersection with Dairy Ravine Trail, turn right and follow the trail back down into the eucalyptus forest to the highway before retracing your steps back to the parking area.

San Bruno Mountain Park is located at 555 Guadalupe Canyon Pkwy. in Brisbane. From US 101, exit toward Cow Palace and merge onto Bayshore Blvd. Turn right onto Guadalupe Canyon Blvd., and after 2 miles, turn right into the picnic area and parking lot. A vehicle entry fee (check site for entry fee waivers) is collected at the gate. Bikes are not allowed on dirt trails. No dogs.

Story and photos by Heather Werner, @heath.er.wer.ner

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View