One of the great things about living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the multitude of parks, beaches and preserves that welcome dogs, many of which allow our companion animals to exercise off-leash. Otis and I have enjoyed hiking in the Bay Area—both on- and off-leash—for nearly all her 14 years, and we are happy to share our favorite adventures with you.
I have included a description of each hiking trail or beach, links to relevant websites, and a Google Maps link to the trailhead or parking lot. Be aware that roads, trails and access guidelines change; the rules may be different than when we last visited, so be sure to check websites and posted signs.
Visit About Jeff to learn about my training services and my Blog/Articles link to read about positive training methods. Happy trails to you and your four-legged companions.
Soquel / Santa Cruz County
Hidden in the hills of Soquel just south of Santa Cruz, the Land of Medicine Buddha is a magical place where California redwoods and Tibetan traditions come together in perfect harmony. Spread across 108 acres, these gorgeous trails traverse the Santa Cruz Mountains, winding along quiet streams and through second-growth redwood forests.
Marin Headlands
Tennessee Valley is right across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The views are stellar and there are points from which you can see many of the Bay Area’s most prominent landmarks, including the blue Pacific ocean, downtown and the Salesforce Tower, Sutro Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Diablo, Tiburon, Mount Tam, and of course, Muir Beach
San Ramon / East Bay
Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve offers 5,778 acres of wilderness and a trail system that allows hikers and dogs to enjoy its remote and rugged areas. The park’s size and terrain allow visitors a feeling of privacy and escape from urban hustle and bustle while enjoying stunning views of the area and as far as San Francisco.
Oakland / East Bay
Oakland’s Redwood Regional Park is a beauty, with miles of trails through 150-foot tall, second-growth coast redwood trees. This park allows dogs on all of its well-marked hiking trails; some areas require leashes, in particular the Stream Trail that runs along Redwood Creek, protected due to a unique species of salmon. Other trails allow off-leash as long as dogs are under voice control.
Novato / Marin County
This is Marin County’s largest open space preserve, an oak-studded mountain that rises 1,559 feet to a summit offering breathtaking views of the entire Bay Area. The west slope of Mount Burdell holds the remnants of a quarry that supplied cobblestones for San Francisco streets in the late 1880s. Lush grasslands and impressive forests contain some of the oldest oak and bay trees in the county.
Marinwood / Marin County
The highlight of Lucas Valley Preserve is the summit at Big Rock Ridge which at 1,895 feet is the second highest point in Marin County after Mount Tamalpais. The views from the top are spectacular, including 360-degree panorama of the entire Bay Area. This is a challenging hike, very steep in places, but it’s all on fire roads, which means dogs can be off-leash if under voice control.
Half Moon Bay / San Mateo County
Redondo Beach (also known as “Wavecrest Beach) is clean and wide, with tall cliffs to the east and the beautiful, pounding Pacific Ocean to the west. While this location looks similar to San Francisco’s Fort Funston, this beach is cleaner in all respects, and the sand has an appealing quality that will keep your dog romping and digging for hours.
Woodacre / Marin County
This ruggedly beautiful and desolate preserve is one of the most underused we’ve encountered, so you might just have it to yourselves. Some of the exquisite dwarf Sargent Cypress trees are hundreds of years old but have been dwarfed by serpentine soil.
Castro Valley / East Bay
Lake Chabot Reservoir was built in 1875 as a primary source of water for the East Bay. The 315-acre lake has several fishing piers and is stocked with trout and catfish. Lake Chabot offers over 20 miles of hiking trails, which connect to an additional 70 miles of trails in adjoining Anthony Chabot Regional Park.
Fairfax / Marin County
Loma Alta’s ridge lines—and the exquisite hiking trails that run along them—define and divide the four major watersheds in the county: Miller Creek, Corte Madera Creek, Lagunitas Creek and Nicasio Creek. When hiking these trails with my dog I have rarely run into other hikers or cyclists, so this is the perfect spot for some quiet solitude.
San Carlos / San Mateo County
Pulgas Ridge Preserve is the only property in the Mid-Peninsula Open Space Preserve system that has a designated off-leash area. The 293 acres that comprise this preserve were formerly a tuberculosis sanitarium owned by the City of San Francisco, the Hassler Health Farm. MROSD purchased the land in 1983 and the sanatorium buildings were demolished; most non-native plants have been removed.