Topic

2-3 Day Recommendations outside of San Francisco / East Bay Area?

This topic has 7 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 5 months ago by Scott Roach.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

Author

Posts
Jun 17, 2023 at 9:39 pm #3783539

Mustard Tiger
BPL Member

@sbpark
Locale: West Coast

I’ve lived out here in the East Bay for several years, but only started getting out. Did some camping and hiking in the Lost Coast area a couple weeks ago. Looking for recommendations for overnighters closer to home, preferable 2-3 hour drives from Oakland, or closer is even better. I have 3 or 4 day weekends once a month and would like to take advantage of those days and get out of town. Would prefer spots that don’t attract big crowds and prefer backpacking/primitive camping.

Jun 17, 2023 at 9:45 pm #3783540

Paul Wagner
BPL Member

@balzaccom
Locale: Wine Country

Closer would be Henry Coe State Park just south of San Jose…and no snow!

Also Big Basin in Santa Cruz, or Point Reyes!

Jun 17, 2023 at 10:10 pm #3783542

Mustard Tiger
BPL Member

@sbpark
Locale: West Coast

I’ve camped at Big Basin a few times several years ago. Didn’t most of that place burn down in 2020?

Jun 18, 2023 at 2:17 am #3783545

Mark Verber
BPL Member

@verber
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

I would add Ventana wilderness and if the snow has cleared Emigrant Wilderness just off rt 108, with on-demand wilderness permits / no quotas. You could also circle the Bay Area as described by Manfred.

Jun 18, 2023 at 8:02 am #3783550

Glen L
Spectator

@wyatt-carson
Locale: Southern Arizona

Find a copy of The Dharma Bums. Gary Snyder took old mad Jack Kerouac on a couple backpacking adventures in the mid ‘50s with some good narrative in the vicinity. One winds up around into Yosemite with a big climb, instruction on backpacking foods that includes gorp as well as a discourse on tea, tabouli and chocolate pudding. Another time Gary guides Jack over the trails that Jack London used to travel and gas stoves were discussed for more stealthy camps, along with salami, cheese and Rye Krisps. The outfitting narratives are very entertaining. Some people still replicate the trips and even attempt the Yosemite Matterhorn with all the culinary fixings of course. It ends with Jack’s hermitage on Desolation as a fire watch.

He also teaches the meditation of the trail, a thing we know as optical flow now. Gary Snyder is a very experienced backcountry traveler.

Jun 18, 2023 at 6:29 pm #3783586

Krishna M
Spectator

@kmarri
Locale: Pacific Northwest

I think Henry Coe State Park is Bay Area’s hidden gem. It is so close to civilization, yet feels so remote. The park is really nice in the winter and spring, months. A park ranger that I spoke with echoed the same.

I’m a little bit of a Tolkien fan. For some reason, I get the feeling of being in Middle-earth when hiking here.

Jun 18, 2023 at 10:17 pm #3783596

Bruce Tolley
BPL Member

@btolley
Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

Henry Coe

Sunol Wilderness (East Bay Regional Park)

Cache Creek (administered by Bureau of Land Management) See trip report here at BPL

Snow Mountain Wilderness

Point Reyes (requires reservations in advance)

Santa Cruz Mountains, Castle Rock and Slate Creek are open already. Others are supposed to open soon. There are also camps in Pescadero County Park and the Sierra Club hut. Note that there is now a trail from Saratoga Quarry Park to Sanborn County Park so you can hike from Saratoga to the Sea.

Black Diamond Mines,East Bay Regional Park. There is a backpacking camp

Forest of the Nisene Mark State Park, Santa Cruz. Might be still closed.

Emigrant Wilderness. You might be able to get to the Crabtree trailhead in 3 hours. I was just hiking in the Eastern Sierras and there is lots of swift water.

Jun 19, 2023 at 9:58 am #3783614

Scott Roach
Spectator

@clipster95
Locale: Bay area

Check out the website: doing miles https://doingmiles.com/hike-sf/

Amy and James are prolific backpackers and have done several long backpacks right in the Bay area using public transport, as well as many routes in the sierra and Southern Utah. Really informative trip reports on their website.
Author

Posts