After hiking over the Carquinez Bridge we drive 1 mile to Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline…read more There is a 9 spot Free parking lot Bull Valley staging area, I didn't bother checking out cuz it looked full, instead continued on the road that leads down by Eckley Pier had 29 parking spots, Free parking. We walked to the Pier, they have 1 pit toilet we used. Had tp and hand sanitizer. Lots of folks fishing at the pier around 1pm. I asked one guy catch anything he said No. Then we hiked Bull Valley Trail, Carquinez Overlook Loop and back to car. About 2.02 miles. Nice views and about 4 benches I saw and 2 picnic tables at a view point.

I'm always looking for places to get my steps in, but to keep it interesting, I like to discover…read morepaths and trails that I had not trod before. I get bored easily. What can I say? Over the past year, I've been walking my way along San Pablo Bay first around Point Pinole and most recently the San Pablo Bay Regional Trail from Richmond to Rodeo. I've made my way eastward and found this area between Martinez and Port Costa. The centerpiece is the fully paved, car-free George Miller Trail. It winds its way along the hills that hug the coast of the Carquinez Strait. The bicyclists sped by but not that many, and foot traffic was fairly minimal. The views were quite pleasant with Benicia and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge in constant view. I walked further on Carquinez Scenic Drive, a real road but remote and quiet, in order to get to Port Costa. There was a nice short-cut through some pastoral hills where a cow or two would occasionally show up on the path. Definitely worth finding your way here. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Alhambra Creek Trail - we came back again and had to minus 1 star from our previous review for the…read moreamount of animal droppings along the trail. It attracted a lot of flies, gnats, and mosquitoes. Every few feet, there'll be a swarm of bugs circling. It's a nice trail with a little bit of elevation, but the swarms of bugs made the hike very unpleasant.

Absolute gem! We are so lucky to live minutes away from this incredible park. My husband and I have…read morebeen hiking from Lafayette to Martinez and back for years and the hike never gets old. It is beautiful in all seasons and such a reprieve.

This by far was one of the hardest trails I've ever hiked. The incline is insane! The entire trail…read morewas uphill, I was breathless. But the views the entire time made me just as choked up. It costs $10 to get into the park, gates open at 8AM. There's a 12 mile hike, loops the site. And an 8 mile hike to the Summit (round trip). At the top there's a museum inside which has an exhibit and gift shop. I got a cute T-shirt for $18, they also had a showing of the history behind the summit and how it came to be. We saw a couple deers, baby coyote, various species of birds, lizards, and butterflies. During this time of year, majority of the trail was dead. I rarely saw any hikers, mostly bikers! Most visitors drove up to the summit for pictures and views. The hardest part was definitely going up to the summit! We cut our time by half on the way back down. It was steep, so we temple ran our way down. Really fun! I highly recommend going early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the heat. Not a beginner friendly hike! Challenging. Trails not shaded. Park rangers are very friendly. Maps are also provided at entrance.

The Mary Bowerman Trail near the summit of Mount Diablo is a short .20 mile accessible trail. There…read moreis one accessible parking spot right at the start of the trail. The trail is paved and has a short incline.

The sunsets here are so pretty :) It's a great place to bring your friends/ family…read more The drive is a bit windy but nothing terrible and the views are totally worth it. Most people park their cars and watch from there but there's some space to bring a picnic blanket and sit as well! Definitely a must- see place if you're in the area :-)

One of the great views of the Bay area is Grizzly Peak…read more I came to visit and my friends took me here to get a view of the Bay area as a whole and it was so amazing. The winding roads that led to the peak were definitely something this Florida gal was not ready for but it was worth the drive! Not too long but definitely a bit winding path upwards. The view is free and you can see all parts of the Bay here, especially if it's a clear day. It seems like a lot of locals (especially kids) come here to hangout. A nice spot to detour and take people from out of town to hang.

I had forgotten just how gorgeous this hike is--the scenery is incredible the entire way. Be…read moreprepared for a steady climb through most of the route, with plenty of wooden stairs, gnarly roots, and rock steps, but the stunning views make every bit of effort worth it. There are many great spots to stop for photos, take a break, or enjoy a picnic--we did all three. Thanks to the recent rain, there was still plenty of water flowing, which made the trail even more beautiful. The picnic area at Laurel Dell is especially serene, with a babbling brook nearby. There's even an outhouse, which is always a welcome sight. I actually found climbing up much easier than descending as one has to really pay attention to their footing. We were happy seeing Alpine Lake again knowing we were close to end of hike.

Went here with a friend and her dog and had such a great time. Such a beautiful, peaceful hike and…read moredefinitely one of my favorites on Mount Tam. The drive in was beautiful too, the views of Alpine Lake along the way made the whole trip feel extra special before we even got to the trail. Be prepared for a lot of stairs, so it can definitely get your legs working, but the waterfalls make it completely worth it. Hearing the water and being surrounded by all the greenery made the whole hike feel so calm and relaxing. The views throughout the hike are gorgeous, and it's such a nice escape if you're looking for something peaceful and scenic. Definitely recommend checking out Cataract Falls if you're up for a little workout with a really rewarding payoff. Definitely will be coming back :)

This has got to be one of my favorites trials/ hikes in Pacifica so far! The weather was beautiful…read morewhen we went and a majority of the trails are quite wide so it doesn't feel crowded. The trails vary in difficulty and steepness, but the views are beautiful all around. Parking is very limited and there was a bit of traffic due to the one lane road, but it was worth it. After your hike you can talk a walk or picnic on the beach and drive down to one of the nearby restaurants.

Mori Point is absolutely amazing on a clear warm day...which is not that common in Pacifica. Hence…read morethe missing star... Not to mention the arduous task of dealing with parking when one does stumble upon that perfect day. I would still bring a light jacket if you think you will still be here around sunset. The coastal breeze brings a nice chill in the evening no matter how warm the day is. The hiking trail is not hard at all, perhaps a bit challenging for some older folks or someone very out of shape. "Located on a promontory just south of the city of Pacifica, the 110 acres of Mori Point are one of the newest additions to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. High up above the cold waves, the site boasts sweeping views from Point Reyes all the way to Pedro Point. It protrudes several hundred feet out into the Pacific and is plainly visible from any high point in the City of Pacifica." - https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/moripoint.htm I feel like a cheat; cut and paste...lol. Then again, I didn't know all this information about Mori Point. I didn't pay attention and actually thouth it was called Maori point and was somehow related to the Maori folks from the land of the long white cloud (aka New Zealand). "Restoration activities have helped the area recover from invasive species infestation and centuries of use by humans. In the 1700s, the Spanish mined a nearby limestone quarry to supply whitewash for San Francisco's Presidio buildings. An Italian immigrant, Stefano Mori, purchased 19 acres of farmland here in 1888. Mori built a guesthouse/restaurant, the Mori Point Inn, which developed a notorious reputation during the Prohibition days and was operated by the family until the 1940s. Mori Point was a site of gravel and sand extraction during World War II; quarrying and later off-road vehicle use left the landscape scarred. In 2000, with the help of the Pacifica Land Trust, the Coastal Conservancy, and concerned community members, Mori Point was purchased by the Trust for Public Land and added to the Golden Gate National Parks." - https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/mori-point History "For nearly a century, Mori Point served as a haven for settlers, travelers, boot-leggers and diners. Today, after a generation of development battles, this spectacular place serves as a haven for walkers and wildlife and is a link to national parklands on Sweeney Ridge and Milagra Ridge along the San Mateo coast." - https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/moripoint.htm " * The terrain here is varied; walks around Mori Point range from a level and easy 0.5-mile stroll to a steep and challenging 1.5-mile hike. * Beautiful wildflower blooms are at their peak in the springtime, with the most flowers usually present in April and May. * Parking is available on Mori Point Road or Bradford Way. * Walk to the tip of the promontory for stunning views; it's quite windy on the bluffs so dress accordingly. * Stroll down to Laguna Salada and listen for the croaking of the red-legged frog. * Walk barefoot on the black sands of Sharp Park Beach. * During WWII, workers used a pulley system of long cables attached to cement anchors to pull buckets of sand ashore. Several of these crumbling blocks remain on the western hillside." ~ "Tips and Highlights" - https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/mori-point Wish I had read this before. Some good tips and helpful information

The waterfall Loop of Mt Diablo is categorized as moderate 8 mile hike. I would say that's pretty…read moreaccurate. Park at the visitor center and get a paper map if you don't have a digital map. Fairly easy to follow all the markers. I wish they were all marked by numbers but they're not. The scenery is nice and lots of shade throughout the hike. Many of the roads are narrow and slippery. Hiking poles and good hiking boots are important. The waterfall was mini in beginning of December 2025 but there was a steady stream. Entire hike takes about 4-4-.5 hours to finish. Some steep inclines but not too grueling. Pay parking via QR code and a cc.

I really enjoyed this hike, it had views, wildflowers, streams with running water, and was a good…read moreworkout. I followed the All Trails version of the trail which took around 4 hours and was 8 miles. The hike was moderate to hard because there were some steep parts and parts that were rocky and easy to slip. I'd recommend hiking boots. To see the waterfalls I think the best time to go is Jan-early May but that's even pushing it. By May there are still wildflowers, but the brush is starting to turn brownish, and the water is drying up quick. Probably the most ideal picturesque time for this hike would be early March after a rain. I'd avoid it in the summertime unless you live in the desert and are used to hiking in high temperatures.