Your Mission Is Less Crowded

Do a less traveled route to Mission Peak in the Bay Area

06.24.2025
A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

Wild turkeys heading up a trail in the Mission Peak region of the Bay Area

A group of friends sitting down and hanging out at the summit of Mission Peak in the Bay Area

From the Stanford Avenue parking lot, head up Hidden Valley Trail, then bear right at the intersection with Peak Meadow Trail. With so few hikers on this stretch, it’s a great spot for animal sightings like wild turkeys, coyotes, and gopher snakes.

A woman hiking up the trail to reach Mission Peak in the San Francisco Bay Area

Continue uphill to the intersection with Horse Heaven Trail, then keep right to begin the steepest section of the climb. As you gain altitude, enjoy seasonal flowers like poppies, vetch, and morning glories. The lack of foot traffic makes this a great spot for butterfly viewing, with colorful species like checkerspots, painted ladies, and swallowtails fluttering among the blossoms.

Hikers going up a trail to reach Mission Peak in the Bay Area

At the intersection with Grove Trail, continue straight onto Peak Trail, the final uphill stretch to the rocky summit. Head to the famous summit pole and snap your selfie, then enjoy the beautiful view of Silicon Valley. From this vantage point, hikers can clearly see the Four Corners of the Bay Area: Mount Diablo, Mount Tamalpais, Mount Umunhum, and Mount Hamilton.

To return to the parking lot, continue along Peak Trail, then turn left onto Hidden Valley Trail. This wide dirt road is the main route up Mission Peak, and is the easiest way to descend all the way back to the parking lot.

TIP: Check the forecast and temperatures before embarking on this hike in summer and fall as it's a longer hike with exposure. Plan accordingly.

The Stanford Ave. parking lot is located at 680 Stanford Ave. in Fremont. Map. The parking lot is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bicycles welcome, except for on the summit. Dog-friendly!

Photo and stories by Heather Werner, @heath.er.wer.ner

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

    View
  2. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

    View
  3. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

    View

  4. Big Burdell!

    If you’re gonna go big on a hike, make it at Marin County’s biggest open space preserve, Mount Burdell. And go to the summit. You’ll be sharing the trail with grazing cows, seasonal poppies, and beautiful birds on this 5-mile (round-trip) adventure.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View

  2. Eat, Sleep, Beach, Repeat

    For an ultra-relaxing getaway where you can sit back and soak in some nature and nurture, head to Mendocino and follow this eat, beach, sleep, repeat itinerary (you won't regret it!) ...

    View

  3. This Skunk Doesn’t Stink!

    All aboard for a ride through history—and through air scented with redwood, dewy ferns, forest-fresh breeze, and a bonus snack and beverage bar, fire pit, and short hike. The World-Famous Skunk Train delivers in every category: scenery, greenery, and towering redwoods.

    View
  4. A woman standing at the pond's edge at Ernest B Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles. Trees are making reflections on the pond.

    Urban Oasis Loop

    Home to the city’s Audubon Center, Ernest E. Debs' 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here. Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing.

    View