Urban Hiker SF

Distance: 3.5 miles Elevation Gain: 690 feet High Point: 1,330 feet Difficulty: Moderate Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes Fitness: Hikers, walkers, runners Family Friendly: Dog Friendly : Dogs are allowed under voice control on park trails. There is a dog fee of $2 per dog. (No fee for guide/service dogs.) Fees are collected on weekends and major holidays. Amenities: Numerous restrooms and picnic areas throughout the park. Contact: East Bay Regional Park District GPS: 37° 49' 53.9544'' N 122° 11' 5.6616'' W Map to: Redwood Regional Park Skyline Gate Staging Area Strava Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1526132512 There is just something so calming about hiking through redwoods. Perhaps it’s because as the tallest trees in the world, they make us realize just how small we are. Perhaps it’s because their thick canopy seems to block out the noise and chaos of the the outside world. Whatever it is, whenever I see them, I feel very l...

Distance: 8.7 miles Elevation: 1,627 feet Time: 3.5 hours  Route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1012052562 The wide Stream Trail Yesterday, two friends, my dog Jodie , and I headed to Redwood Regional Park across the bay from San Francisco in Oakland. I'd wanted to visit this park for years to see redwoods in a less busy and hectic setting than Muir Woods. For our route, we chose two longer trails that would create a large loop around the park. We started our hike on the southern side of the park near the Wayside Picnic Area. (You can click here for a trail map.) The entry fee was $5 for our car and $2 for the dog.  From the parking lot, we picked up the wide and peaceful Stream Trail that took us on a 3-mile ascent to the northern edge of the park. Along our way, we found plentiful restrooms and groves of redwoods to duck into. Redwood grove off the Stream Trail The trail ended at a parking lot, the Skyline Gate Staging Area. To return to our s...