A View Comes into Re-focus

Hike to Sweeney Ridge Between Pacifica and San Bruno on Sneath Lane

Hike Sweeney Ridge Trail Sneath Lane Discovery Site

Situated at 1,200 feet on a ridgeline between Pacifica and San Bruno, the scenery from Sweeney Ridge and the San Francisco Bay "Discovery Site" is quite grand, though its history isn't.

On clear days you can see out to the rolling waves of the Pacific in one direction, and the tranquil bay waters and pyramid-shaped Mount Diablo in the other. You can get to Sweeney Ridge a few different ways. We recommend starting from the end of Sneath Lane in Pacifica. It’s a simple paved, winding trail uphill for 2 miles (one-way).

Way back in November 1769, Spain sent Captain Juan Gaspar de Portolá on an expedition to this part of California. Along the journey they came across several friendly Native American tribes, including the Ohlone peoples, who lived on the San Francisco Peninsula. A few years later Spanish missionaries and the military showed up, along with the start of colonization and the eradication of the people that called this their home for millennia. The information boards at the Discovery Site give a description of this time.

TIP: This place gets foggy and windy. Check the weather beforehand to visit on a clear day, preferably in the morning before the wind picks up.

Parking is limited at the Sneath Lane trailhead (map). The hike is dog-friendly.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View