The Best North Bay Hikes

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Whether getting fit is part of your plan for the New Year or you’re just looking to spend more time outdoors, the hiking trails of Napa, Sonoma, and Marin Counties are the scenic way to get out, get active and explore the many wonders that the North Bay has to offer. With the over 590 hiking trails, covering some 946 miles, there’s a hike for every interest and skill level. Below are just a few local trails to get you started:

Mount St. Helena, Calistoga, CA
Trail: 5.6-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 4,312 feet;   Lowest point: 2,180 feet
Avg Grade: 7% (4°);  Max Grade: 22% (13°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial;  #498 in California

Table Rock Trail, Calistoga, CA
Trail: 2.0-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate/Difficult
Elevation:  Highest point: 2,740 feet;  Lowest point: 2,215 feet
Avg Grade: 11% (6°);  Max Grade: 30% (17°)
Trail Rankings:  #2 in Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial; #560 in California

Redwood Trail, Deer Park, CA
Trail: 1.5-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: Highest point: 689 feet; Lowest point: 352 feet
Avg Grade: 4% (2°); Max Grade: 7% (4°)
Trail Rankings:   #1 in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park;  #236 in California

Ritchey Canyon Trail, Deer Park, CA
Trail: 1.6-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 1,075 feet; Lowest point: 464 feet
Avg Grade: 7% (4°);  Max Grade: 25% (14°)
Trail Rankings:  #2 in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park; #265 in California

Point Reyes Lighthouse Trail, Inverness, CA
Trail: 0.7 mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: Highest point: 523 feet; Lowest point: 384 feet
Avg Grade: 6% (3°);  Max Grade: 19% (11°)
Trail Rankings: #1 in Point Reyes National Seashore; #103 in California

Bald Mountain Trail, Kenwood, CA
Trail: 2.4-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 2,724 feet; Lowest point: 1,352 feet
Avg Grade: 11% (6°); Max Grade: 28% (16°)
Trail Rankings: #1 in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park; #142 in California

Mark West Creek Trail, Larkfield-Wikiup, CA
Trail: 1.1-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation:  Highest point: 644 feet; Lowest point: 589 feet
Avg Grade: 2% (1°); Max Grade: 6% (3°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Shiloh Ranch Regional Park; #205 in California

Plankwalk Trail, Larkspur, CA
Trail: 0.3 mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation: Highest point: 2,563 feet; Lowest point: 2,378 feet |
Avg Grade: 12% (7°); Max Grade: 17% (10°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Mount Tamalpais State Park; #100 in California

Dipsea Trail, Mill Valley, CA
Trail: 6.6-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate/Difficult
Elevation: Highest point: 1,360 feet; Lowest point: 82 feet
Avg Grade: 10% (6°); Max Grade: 34% (19°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Muir Woods National Monument: #5 in California

Fern Creek Trail, Mill Valley, CA
Trail: 0.4 mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy/Intermediate
Elevation: Highest point: 342 feet  Lowest Point: 213 feet
Avg Grade: 7% (4°); Max Grade: 18% (10°)
Trail Rankings:   #2 in Muir Woods National Monument; #111 in California

Sunset Trail, Rohnert Park, CA
Trail:  0.2 mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy/Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 456 feet;  Lowest point: 356 feet
Avg Grade: 8% (5°); Max Grade: 16% (9°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Crane Creek Regional Park;  #354 in California

Moore Creek Trail, Saint Helena, CA
Trail: 3.1-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 764 feet;  Lowest point: 355 feet
Avg Grade: 5% (3°),  Max Grade: 15% (8°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Moore Creek Park; #708 in California

SCA Trail, Sausalito, CA
Trail: 1.1-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 890 feet; Low: 675 feet
Avg Grade: 4% (2°); Max Grade: 9% (5°)
Trail Rankings: #1 in Marin Headlands; #49 in California

Blackberry Trail, Sebastopol, CA
Trail: 1.5-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: Highest point: 179 feet; Low: 126 feet
Avg Grade: 1% (1°); Max Grade: 5% (3°)
Trail Rankings:   #1 in Ragle Ranch Regional Park;  #232 in California

Alta Vista Trail, Windsor, CA
Trail: 0.8-mile point-to-point
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation:  Highest point: 556 feet; Lowest point: 236 feet
Avg Grade: 12% (7°); Max Grade: 27% (15°)
Trail Rankings:  #1 in Foothill Regional Park; #331 in California

*Information and rankings from the American Hiking Society Hiking Resources & The Hiking Project

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