Stairways to Heavenly Views

Quiet pathways, iconic ocean views, incredible hilltop perspectives, art—oh yeah! Step up to these Bay Area stairway hikes for heavenly views.

Week: 08.17.2022
Regions: Northern CA

Morning Sun and a Mimosa

Hike the Morning Sun and SCA Trails in the Marin Headlands

Two hikers go up the stairsteps on the Morning Sun Trail in Sausalito
Morning Sun Trailhead hikers in Sausalito
Maybe you’ve strolled the Sausalito waterfront, but have you ventured up the forested stairway trail to beautiful bay views and the headlands? Get an early start (parking fills quickly!) and hike the Morning Sun Trail, which switchbacks for half a mile up through an oak forest with peek-a-boo views of the bay.
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Stop and Stair

Hike the Communications Hill Grand Staircase to Views of San Jose

Grand Staircase in Communications Hill
Hiker taking in the panoramic view of San Jose at the top of Communications Hill Grand Staircase
Communications Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods in California, yet its Grand Staircase is a modern delight for urban hikers. This 252-step staircase and 2-mile (round-trip) trail offer beautiful views of Silicon Valley without ever leaving San Jose.
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Hidden Stairways of SF: Urban Hike

San Francisco Hidden Stairways Guided Walk

Hidden Stairways of SF Guided Walk
Hidden Stairways of San Francisco Guided Walk
Hidden Stairways of SF Guided Walk
Hidden Stairways of SF Guided Walk
This guided hike sells out fast! Get outdoors and explore the hidden stairways and gardens of San Francisco anew.
Email hiddenstairsSF@gmail.com to reserve!

Will You Accept This Rose?

Berkeley Stairway Hike and Rose Garden

Walker going through Berkeley Rose Garden
Person walking a path in the Berkeley Rose Garden
Sign for Berkeley Rose Garden
Berkeley Rose Garden
Not every rose ceremony comes with a kiss or tears. Take the Berkeley Rose Garden, the centerpiece and starting point for a colorful urban walk with hidden staircases. Instead of tears, you get tiers: the roses here burst forth in brilliance with 1,500 individual rose bushes
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

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  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

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  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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