
What we’re about
Welcome to the most popular hiking group in the Bay Area. We like meeting new people and respect the environment at all times. Bay Area Hiking and beyond.
Interested in spending more time on the weekends in nature? Want to explore more of the Bay Area? Are you an afternoon person? Like to walk at a moderate pace? This may be the group for you! This Meetup is great for beginner or intermediate hikers. We will host a hike most Saturdays and Sundays. The hikes will average about five miles -- some shorter; some longer. Most hikes will be in the Bay Area within 90 minutes of Palo Alto in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Marin counties, although some will be farther away, e.g., Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts in this group are not professional guides. The function of the organizer is only to organize the trip. each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests. By signing up for a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. Our hike organizers are not responsible for your safety, these are always “Hike at your Own Risk” events.
By accepting membership in this group you acknowledge you have fully read, understand, and agree to the above.
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Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Sycamore Grove LARPD: 5.6 mi Easy hikeSycamore Grove Park, Livermore, CA
SIGN WAIVER HERE: https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/
For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile)
CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.LENGTH: 5.6 miles,Loop
DIFFICULTY: Easy
DURATION: 3 hours
Elevation Gain/ Loss ± 558 feet
FEE: $5 parking fee
MAPS: Download from here:
http://www.larpd.org/open_space/Sycamore_trails_map.pdf
FACILITIES: picnic tables and restrooms at both entrances; hiking, bicycle and horse trails; barbecues at Arroyo Road entrance.
Please read our tutorial for hiking in the sun:
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/tutorials/how-to-hike-in-the-sun/OFFICIAL PARK RULES: Dogs on a leash are permitted on park trails. To allow people who fear or dislike dogs to keep a comfortable distance from your dog during the hike, we do not permit leashes longer than 6 feet. Please be considerate of others.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO TRAIL HEAD The Google map link near the top will give you directions to the park entrance.
MEETING PLACE: Trail head parking lot
Please use the Google Maps link above to familiarize yourself with the trip and explore various route options from your home. Zoom in all the way.
The GPS locations below and the map link above are accurate enough to find us by looking around with your eyes when you get there.
(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:
38°26'38.0"N 122°36'57.5"W
(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:
37.645129, -121.782155
Parking: Trail parking lot at park entrance. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to find parking and walk to the trail head.
Carpooling: We will use this link for carpooling:
https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/h6vsqd
Please sign up here.
CARPOOLING MANNERS:
Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.
Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.
Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.
Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".
Thank you for understanding.
SUMMARY:
This wooded park is home to a variety of wildlife. Along the Arroyo Del Valle you might see frogs, pond turtles, dragonflies, ducks or even muskrats. In addition to this riparian area there are grassland and oak woodland habitats. Deer, ground squirrels, butterflies, lizards and birds such as red-tail hawks, white-tail kites, scrub jays, magpies and meadowlarks are just few of the animals you might spot in these areas.
HIKING DIRECTIONS:
Winery Loop Trail -> Left branch on Winery Loop Trail -> Wagon Road Trail -> Valley View Trail -> Wagon Road Trail Winery Loop Trail -> Kingfisher Crossing -> Sycamore Trail
PLEASE READ THE EVENT DESCRIPTION ABOVE BEFORE POSTING A MESSAGE.
- Ed Levin to Mission Peak: 11.8 Mi Difficult HikeCity of Milpitas Dog Park at Ed Levin, Milpitas, CA
WAIVER: For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile):
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.
Level: Difficult
Ascent: 2923 ft
Distance: 11.7 miles
Time: 6 hours
Official Trail use: No Dogs.Parking fee: $6
Shade: Don't forget your sunhat for your own personal shade. Shade does not matter if you have your sunhat. I never leave home without it.
Facilities There are water and a toilet near the trail head, which is on the east side of the parking area.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO GO BEFORE YOU ARRIVE SO WE CAN START ON TIME.
Recommended Maps:
Ed Levin:
http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Documents/EdLevinGuideMap.pdf
Mission Peak:
http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Mission+Peak+map.pdf
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
• Please use the Google Maps link above to familiarize yourself with the trip and explore various route options from your home. Zoom in all the way.
• The GPS locations below and the map link above are accurate enough to find us by looking around with your eyes when you get there.
(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:
37°27'27.6"N 121°51'47.9"W
(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:
37.457660,-121.863312
Nearest Street Address:
901 Monument Peak Rd, Milpitas, CA 95035
The Google Waze app will route around "restricted access" roads, unlike the Google Maps app, using the same map data as Google Maps. Therefore, Waze is recommended over the Google Maps app for your phone.
If you have the Waze app installed on your phone, click this URL:
http://waze.to/?ll=37.457660,-121.863312&navigate=yes (http://waze.to/?ll=48.149491,17.108636&navigate=yes)
Just click it. It will open Waze and start navigating to the trail head.
• As always, it is good practice to confirm the night before that any app you use takes you to where you expect by comparing the destination with what is posted above on your PC/Mac.
• Most street addresses provided are approximate, and may be up to a couple of miles from the hike location. Use GPS coordinates when driving, if possible.
Parking:
Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking, and walk to the trail head.
Carpooling: We will use this link for carpooling:
https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/8jrmfq
Please sign up here.
CARPOOLING MANNERS:
Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.
Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.
Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.
Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".
Thank you for understanding.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Explore the high ground on the border of Alameda and Santa Clara counties via this aerobic route, which uses the Tularcitos, Agua Caliente, and Monument Peak trails, and you will be rewarded with great views and the chance to spot aerial hunters such as hawks, falcons , and even golden eagles. Open grasslands dominate here, but you also cross wooded canyons holding Calera and Scott creeks.
FACILITIES/ TRAILHEAD:
There are picnic tables, restrooms, and water beside the parking area. There is a phone beside a locked gate about 0.3 mile back on Downing Road. The trailhead is at the end of Downing Road, about 100 yards northeast of the parking area.
HIKING DIRECTIONS:
You climb east 0.2 miles to a junction on the Tularcitos Trail, a dirt road closed to bicycles and dogs.
Turing left, to enter Agua Caliente trail for 0.5 miles for a junction with Launch Site Road. Straight for 0.7 miles for a junction with Monument Peak trail on the right. Turn right, and head to Monument Peak Road.
Continue straight for about 300 ft, for a junction with Monument Peak Road. Cross the road staying on Monument Peak trail for 1.5 miles to arrive at junction with a trial on your right. Stay to the left on Monument Peak trail for 0.9 miles to arrive at a four way junction with Weller road. Cross Weller road and pass a junction on your left after 0.5 miles.
After another 0.5 miles cross other end of Weller road as it loop around. After 0.2 miles pass a trail on your left.
After 0.4 miles, enter Eagle Loop trail turning to the left for 0.2 miles for a junction with a short 300 ft connector trail to Horses Heaven trail.
Stay to the right on Horses Heaven trail to reach the Mission Peak Summit in 0.3 miles.
Now retrace your steps back to the starting point.
PLEASE READ THE EVENT DESCRIPTION ABOVE BEFORE POSTING A MESSAGE.
- Santa Teresa CP: Coyote Peak 9.3 mi Moderate HikeSanta Teresa County Park Joice-Gulnac-Bernal Ranch, San Jose, CA
WAIVER: For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile):
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/
CARPOOL REQUEST COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE GROUP. Please read below how to carpool.
Level: Moderate
Total Distance: 9.3 mile, loop
Hiking Time: 4.75 hours
Elevation Change: 956 feet.
Parking fee: Use street parking near this entrance.
Official Trail Use: No dogs at this entrance.
Please read our tutorial for hiking in the sun:
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/tutorials/how-to-hike-in-the-sun/Facilities Restrooms located off the parking lot.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO GO BEFORE YOU ARRIVE SO WE CAN START ON TIME.
Recommended Map Santa Teresa County Park
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Documents/Santa-Teresa-map.pdf
• Please use the Google Maps link above to familiarize yourself with the trip and explore various route options from your home. Zoom in all the way.
• The GPS locations below and the map link above are accurate enough to find us by looking around with your eyes when you get there.
(Most Cars) GPS Degrees Minutes Seconds Format:
37°13'34.1"N 121°47'55.9"W
(Google Maps) GPS Degrees Decimal Format:
37.226140, -121.798872
Nearest street address:
372 Manila Drive, San Jose, CA
The Google Waze app will route around "restricted access" roads, unlike the Google Maps app, using the same map data as Google Maps. Therefore, Waze is recommended over the Google Maps app for your phone.
If you have the Waze app installed on your phone, click this URL:
http://waze.to/?ll=37.226140,-121.798872&navigate=yes
Just click it. It will open Waze and start navigating to the trail head.
• As always, it is good practice to confirm the night before that any app you use takes you to where you expect by comparing the destination with what is posted above on your PC/Mac.
• Most street addresses provided are approximate, and may be up to a couple of miles from the hike location. Use GPS coordinates when driving, if possible.
Parking:
Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking, and walk to the trail head.
Carpooling: We will use this link for carpooling:
https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/8somap
Please sign up here.
CARPOOLING MANNERS:
Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.
Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.
Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.
Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".
Thank you for understanding.
HIGHLIGHTS
Santa Teresa County Park located in the Santa Teresa Hills ten miles south of downtown San Jose. This diverse 1,673 acre park, rich in history, offers spectacular views from its trails above the Almaden and Santa Clara Valleys. The secluded upland valleys of the park provide a quiet interlude for exploring the natural environment minutes away from the surrounding developed areas.
TRAIL HIKING DIRECTIONS
Joice Trail 1.1 miles -> Bernal Hill Trail 0.2 miles -> Mine Trail 0.5 miles -> Stile Ranch Trail 1.6 miles -? Fortini Trail 0.8 miles -> Mine Trail 0.3 miles -> Rocky Ridge Trail 1.8 miles -> Coyote Peak Trail 0.3 miles to arrive at Coyote Peak.
Coyote Peak Trail 0.4 miles -> Hidden Springs Trail 1.0 miles -> Ohlone Trail 0.1 miles -> Mine Trail 0.2 miles -> Norred Trail 0.8 miles -> Joice Trail 0.1 miles
PLEASE READ THE EVENT DESCRIPTION ABOVE BEFORE POSTING A MESSAGE.
- Marin Headlands: Miwok and Bobcat trail Loop 5.4 mi ModerateGerbode Valley Trailhead, Southwest Marin, CA
WAIVER: For us to hold our large events at local parks, the local parks require us to carry insurance for our events. To participate in our events, please sign this waiver (required by our insurance underwriter) for each event. Please do so online prior to arriving (works on mobile):
https://www.sleeplateandhike.com/waiver-signing-form/Level: Moderate
Total Distance: 5.4 miles round-trip
Hiking Time: 3 hours
Elevation Change: 1100 feet
FACILITIES/ TRAILHEAD: None
Official Trail Use: No dogsGPS Coordinates for meeting place:
Degrees Decimal Format for Google Maps:
37.832284, -122.515331
Degrees/Minutes/Seconds format for most cars:
Latitude 37°49'56.2"N
Longitude 122°30'55.2"WNearest street address:
For people with older GPS units that do not accept GPS coordinates:
The intersection of Simmonds Rd and Bunker Rd
Getting there:
Please use the Google maps link at the top to plan your own route from your home. And, download the PDF map below onto your phone before you start, or print it out.
NOTE: If possible, use the GPS coordinates when driving as the nearest street address may be a couple of miles away on some of our trips in some GPS maps. The nearest street address is there for people with older GPS units that do not accept coordinates.
Meeting place:
Parking lot at the intersection of Simmonds Rd and Bunker Rd.
Parking:
There is one parking lot at the trail head. Additional parking at the Marin headlands Visitor's Center. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to find parking and walk to the trail head.
Carpooling
We will use this link for carpooling:
https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/w62bui
Please sign up here.
CARPOOLING MANNERS:
Please refrain from trying to negotiate your carpool in the comments, as it is equivalent to sending multiple "Reply All" emails to everyone.
Please start your carpool quest, by first adding yourself to the carpool link above.
Then, use the contact info provided by the driver or rider in the link above to contact them directly and privately.
Please be considerate of others and resist the urge to "Reply All".
Thank you for understanding.
Recommended Map:
Download it. Print it out. Load it on your phone. Use it to get to the start location.
http://www.parksconservancy.org/assets/park-improvements/pdfs/marin-headlands-map.pdf
Summary:
This scenic loop uses the Miwok and Bobcat trails to circle Gerbode Valley, an area slated in the 1960s for urban development but later protected as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The hills surrounding Gerbode Valley, part of the Marin Headlands, are vibrant in the spring with wildflowers, and alive with birdsong and avian acrobatics most of the year, but especially during the fall raptor migration. Views of San Francisco, Marin, and the Pacific coast from the high points along this loop are superb. DIRECTIONS From Highway 101 northbound, just
Hiking Directions:
Walk north on a dirt-and-gravel path, cross a bridged creek, and reach a T-junction with the Miwok Trail, a dirt road. An information board here describes the fight to save Gerbode Valley from development . On your right is a low-lying marsh, formed by the creek that drains the valley and empties into Rodeo Lagoon. At the next junction, where the Bobcat Trail goes right, you continue straight.
In fall, the Marin Headlands is one of the best places on the West Coast to observe hawks and falcons in migration. These southward-bound raptors take advantage of rising air currents, called thermals, to gain elevation for their crossing of the Golden Gate.
Soon the trail begins a moderate but relentless and unshaded climb toward the east end of Wolf Ridge. Finally, just past 1 mile, you reach a notch with views northwest to Mt. Tamalpais, and west, over a declivity in a neighboring ridge, to the Pacific Ocean. A few paces ahead is a junction with the Wolf Ridge Trail, left. This trail is for hiking only, and dogs must be leashed. Your route, which from here on is closed to dogs, continues straight. At a four-way junction, you meet the Old Springs Trail, left, open to hikers, horses, and bicycles. Your route, from here on closed to bicycles, continues straight and begins to climb over severely eroded ground that alternates between moderate and steep.
Wildlife: In addition to the ever-present turkey vultures, you may see another large black bird, the common raven. These relatives of jays, crows, and magpies are able to make an astounding variety of sounds . And while Poe’s “Nevermore” may not truly be part of their vocabulary, other weirdly human sounds certainly are. Ravens are also great aerial acrobats, and seem to enjoy chasing each other in frenzied pursuit. Wild for Flowers In spring , especially after a wet winter, the hills are decorated with a dazzling display of California poppy, mule ears, paintbrush, Ithuriel’s spear, yarrow, blow wives, and blue-eyed grass. Nearly 50 species are listed in the pamphlet Frequently Seen Wildflowers of the Marin Headlands, available at the visitor center.
View northwest of Mt. Tamalpais from a high point on the Miwok Trail in the Marin Headlands. A single-track trail, right, climbs to a vantage point beside a fenced-in communication facility, used by the FAA to direct commercial aircraft. Just left of this junction are a few large rocks, a convenient place to sit and rest. After enjoying the scenery, continue uphill on a gentle grade, and then begin a moderate descent. The 1041-foot high point on the ridge dividing Tennessee and Gerbode valleys , home of the FAA facility, is uphill and right. Where a dirt road goes right to the FAA facility, you bear left and descend to a junction. Here the Miwok Trail turns left, but you go straight, now on the Bobcat Trail. Soon the Marincello Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, joins from the left. This trail is open to hikers, horses , and bicycles. Continuing straight and passing several unsigned dirt roads, you come to a junction with the road to Hawk Camp, right. Passing the road to Hawk Camp at about 3 miles, your route continues downhill on a gentle and then moderate grade, then follows a rolling course to a junction. Here, a short connector goes left to the Alta Trail, closed to bicycles, but you continue straight on the multi-use Bobcat Trail. Soon your route makes a sweeping right-hand bend and passes the Rodeo Valley Cutoff, a hiking-only trail veering left. The Bobcat Trail now zigzags gently down into Gerbode Valley. After passing through a eucalyptus grove, you enjoy a level walk parallel to the creek, which remains hidden from view behind a screen of willow thickets. You pass the Rodeo Valley Trail, left, then cross the creek, which passes under the road through a culvert. In about 50 feet, you close the loop at the Miwok Trail. Here you turn left and retrace your route to the parking area.
Some content from Weintraub, David (2004-09-29). Afoot and Afield: San Francisco Bay Area: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide (Kindle Locations 764-778). Wilderness Press. Kindle Edition.