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Northern California Hiking Bucket List for 2025

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Real Estate Agent with Bailey Properties, Inc. CA DRE # 01375721

Northern California Hiking Bucket List for 2025

Ready to lace up your boots for 2025? Here’s your month-by-month guide to explore Northern California’s most breathtaking trails.


January: Skyline Wilderness Park

Skyline Park Perimeter (9.8-mile loop)
Kickstart the year with this challenging trail through Napa Valley’s foothills. Highlights include Lake Marie, Sugarloaf Mountain, and sweeping vineyard views. With a 2,280-foot elevation gain, this hike will get your heart pumping and your New Year’s resolutions rolling.
📍 2201 Imola Ave. (Napa), skylinepark.org


February: Joseph D. Grant County Park

Yerba Buena to Halls Valley Trail (6.7-mile loop)
February brings lush green hillsides and stunning vistas in San Jose’s Mount Hamilton area. This scenic trail offers views of the Diablo Range and the iconic Lick Observatory. Start at Halls Valley Lake and enjoy this peaceful escape.
📍 18405 Mt. Hamilton Rd. (San Jose), parks.santaclaracounty.gov


March: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve

Clyma to Condor Loop (7.8-mile loop)
Spring is for wildflowers, and Morgan Territory delivers. This underrated East Bay park offers vibrant blooms, wooded valleys, and long-range views. Expect muddy trails and scenic surprises on this rollercoaster-like loop.
📍 9401 Morgan Territory Rd. (Livermore), ebparks.org


April: Robert Louis Stevenson State Park

Mount Saint Helena Trail (10 miles out-and-back)
Climb the Bay Area’s tallest peak in April! Follow trails named after Robert Louis Stevenson to breathtaking summit views. The hike’s 2,000-foot elevation gain is intense, but the panoramic scenery makes it all worthwhile.
📍 4824 Lake County Hwy #4774 (Calistoga), parks.ca.gov


May: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Fall Creek to Ridge Trail (4.2-mile loop)
Take a break from strenuous hikes and enjoy a serene loop through Santa Cruz’s towering redwoods. This trail meanders along creeks and gentle ridges for a perfect spring day in nature.
📍 Felton Empire Rd. (Felton), parks.ca.gov


June: San Francisco Crosstown Trail

16.9 miles point-to-point
Explore San Francisco like never before on this urban hike spanning neighborhoods, parks, and iconic landmarks. Take breaks for food and drinks while enjoying views from Candlestick to Lands End.
📍 500 Hunters Pt. Expwy (San Francisco), crosstowntrail.org


July: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

Eagle Lake (6.8 miles out-and-back)
Escape summer crowds and head to Eagle Lake, a stunning alpine destination at 10,000 feet. This trail features granite peaks, lush meadows, and abundant wildlife like marmots and bears.
📍 Mineral King Rd. at Hwy 198 (Three Rivers), nps.gov/seki


August: Golden Gate Park

Golden Heron Lake + Strawberry Hill (2.3-mile loop)
Soak in summer with a leisurely stroll around Golden Gate Park’s lake and up to Strawberry Hill. Don’t miss the peaceful Golden Gate Pavilion and Huntington Falls along the way.
📍 50 Stow Lake Dr. (San Francisco), sfrecpark.org


September: Mokelumne Wilderness

Woods, Winnemucca + Round Top Lakes (4.7 miles out-and-back)
This short but scenic trail offers incredible views of volcanic landscapes and alpine lakes. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic and a swim in the serene Mokelumne Wilderness.
📍 5519 Mokelumne Wilderness (Arnold), fs.usda.gov


October: Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

Stream Trail (5.7 miles out-and-back)
Cool off in Oakland’s shaded redwoods with a gentle trail along a babbling creek. The gradual incline and peaceful setting make for a perfect autumn escape.
📍 7867 Redwood Rd. (Oakland), ebparks.org


November: Joaquin Miller Park

Palos Colorados Sequoia Bayview (3-mile loop)
Before the holiday rush, enjoy a quick hike in Oakland’s redwoods. This trail combines steep climbs with bay views, making it an ideal way to reset and reflect.
📍 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd. (Oakland), oaklandparks.org


December: Los Padres National Forest

Coast Ridge Road to Terrace Creek Trail (8 miles out-and-back)
Close out the year with jaw-dropping views of Big Sur’s rugged coastline and redwood groves. This trail offers a unique blend of sea and forest, perfect for a winter adventure.
📍 Coast Ridge Rd. (Big Sur), fs.usda.gov/lpnf


From panoramic peaks to serene redwoods, 2025 is shaping up to be an epic year of hiking. Which trail will you tackle first?

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Created by: Amèlia Camps-McCaffrey

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Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

Good Evening Pete Cullen ~ Broker Associate, GRI,CRS 

I've never been further north in CA than Dixon. My bucket list is to visit truly Nothern CA while I can enjoy it

Jan 04, 2025 03:40 PM
Pete Cullen CRS/GRI/SRES /e-Pro/AHWD/ABR/CFSP

Doug, you will not be disappointed !!!  I imagine you have some beautiful country in your neck of the woods as well : )

Happy New Year !!!

Jan 04, 2025 03:45 PM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Pete. Not much of hiker anymore as my knees do not want to cooperate and the recovery time is becoming much longer. That said there was a day when I would have done a few, if not all, of these. Enjoy your day.

Jan 05, 2025 02:54 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Pete - I have never been a hiker, but I do enjoy the pleasures one can see while walking versus quickly driving by many sorts of sights.  And our state has no shortage of things to explore and discover.  Thank you for showcasing some from your Northern California hiking bucket list.  

Jan 05, 2025 04:32 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

What great ideas! I'll have to bookmark this just in case I'm ever in Northern California - I'd probably start with the few 4-5 mile treks.

Jan 05, 2025 04:57 AM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

What a great post, I am with Wayne Martin  my hiking days are behind me, unless if you consider walking my dog a hike:)Endre

Feb 01, 2025 07:30 PM