Bay Area landscape architect William Penn Mott, Jr., eventual director of the National Park Service, had a grand idea: to encircle the entire Bay Area with a continuous, multi-use trail.

Almost 40 years later, the vision of a 550-mile circuit around the region is nearly complete.

Jump ahead to the hiking trails:

Golden Gate Bridge to Tennessee Valley, Marin

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Napa

Skyline Ridge and Russian Ridge Open Space Preserves, La Honda

Don Castro to Dry Creek Regional Park, Hayward

The Bay Area Ridge Trail and its governing council are the result of a partnership dating back to 1987 between the Greenbelt Alliance, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the National Park Service, and citizen advocates. Two years after coming together, the group dedicated the project's first segment.

The Lower Oat Hill Mine Trail offers rewarding views for those up for the rocky challenge(Courtesy of @bayarearidgetrail)

Today, the trail spans 413 miles through some of the region's most scenic landscapes---and they're not done yet. In 2025, the council hopes to add 25 more miles, more than double its average annual expansion thus far, says Janet McBride, executive director of the Ridge Trail Council.

“It's inspiring, just the idea,” she says. “Even people who know that they personally are probably never going to travel the entire route, they're excited about the idea of doing it.”

Now, a partnership with the All Trails Public Lands Program is giving the council additional insight into which trailheads attract the most visitors and whether those trails get used as intended. The All Trails website and app also provides a channel to alert hikers to trail closures, volunteer opportunities, and other updates.

“The goal is to make it as frictionless as possible [for trail users],” says Pitt Grewe, All Trails head of public lands partnerships. Hikers will have a better experience if "they feel the trail is accurate, the trail description is accurate, [and] they don't get lost.”

Wildflowers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail in spring(Courtesy of @bayarearidgetrail)

Every year since 1989, the Ridge Trail has grown a little longer, and this year is no exception. Planned new additions will include some 14 miles in the Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve in Morgan Hill, and a new staging area plus a six-mile segment near the Crystal Springs Reservoir south of Highway 92 on the Peninsula. While challenges like land rights, accessibility, and awareness will delay roughly half of the Ridge Trail's remaining miles from being completed quickly, the council is confident that through continued partnerships, fundraising, and advocacy, the gaps will close.

“The long-term vision is that instead of going to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain or the Milford Track in New Zealand or whatever other gorgeous long-distance trail you can imagine, right here in the Bay Area, in our own backyards, people can have this absolutely epic journey and adventure,” says McBride.

With around three-quarters of the Ridge Trail already complete, there’s no need to wait to start exploring. You can already put one foot in front of the other for 88 continuous miles along the Ridge Trail’s “west flank" (from Big Rock Ridge in Novato to Highway 92) or over 45 miles of rolling East Bay hills from Kennedy Grove to Garin Regional Park.

If your schedule—or legs—aren't quite ready for a multi-day adventure, these four day hikes along the Bay Area Ridge Trail offer plentiful views, quiet spaces, and fresh air.

The SCA Trail portion of the Ridge Trail will take you up into the Marin Headlands.(David Jen)

Golden Gate Bridge to Tennessee Valley, Marin: 10.4 miles out-and-back

Rise above the tourist bustle on this Ridge Trail segment as it climbs into the Marin Headlands for views of Richardson Bay, Angel Island, and beyond. Then, turn around and look behind you for ocean views to the west. Begin at the Golden Gate Bridge’s north tower near the Lone Sailor statue and head north along the SCA Trail (or Conzelman Road if on bike). In spring, you'll enjoy the bonus of wildflower-lined paths as you wind through coastal chaparral and open grassland. Ocean winds and fog keep you on your toes, so come prepared. // ridgetrail.org

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Napa: 9 miles out-and-back

Explore the old stagecoach route that brought cinnabar and quicksilver from the Oat Hill Mine near Pope Valley back to Calistoga in the 19th century. Those willing to brave this rough and rocky 4.5 mile trail one way will enjoy sweeping views of Napa Valley before reaching the 1893 homestead of Karl Gustov Holm. Park at the Oat Hill Mine Trailhead in Calistoga and follow the Lower Oat Hill Mine Trail through Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. Turn around at Holms Place or climb another 3.8 miles to cross striking volcanic formations and ruts carved by the old transport wagons. The historic mines are closed to the public. // ridgetrail.org

Catch views of the ocean and Mt. Diablo from the Ridge Trail in the mid-peninsula. (David Jen)

Skyline Ridge and Russian Ridge Open Space Preserves, La Honda: 10.2 miles out-and-back

Wander the Peninsula’s spine for simultaneous views of the Pacific and the bay in the Russian Ridge and Skyline Ridge Preserves. Park at Horseshoe Lake on Skyline Boulevard in Los Gatos, then head north through the forest before emerging onto the trail's exposed ridgetops. This section spans 5.1 miles (one way) to Rapley Ranch Road in La Honda, near the rounded, 2,200-foot peak of Mount Melville. Be ready for fog, wind, and sun along the way. // ridgetrail.org

Don Castro to Dry Creek Regional Park, Hayward: 21.2 miles out-and-back

Hike the rolling hills of the East Bay through former 19th-century ranches on this Ridge Trail segment spanning 10.6 or 11.2 miles one way, depending on which connector you choose at the southern end. The open grasslands of the Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks offer views of the bay and its surrounding mountains, as well as the Tri-Valley area to the east. Park at Ridge Trail Park in Castro Valley and travel behind houses before climbing into the hills of the Five Canyons Open Space. (Note that the route includes two miles through the Stonebrae Country Club on golf paths and roads.) If you're not up for a full 20-plus-mile out-and-back, park a car at either end to shuttle back to your starting point when the hike is done. // ridgetrail.org