10 Best Dog Friendly Hikes in the Bay Area

In this blog post, I will highlight the best dog-friendly hikes in the Bay Area! If you’re a dog owner, you know how fun it is to explore the great outdoors with your furry companion. What better place to do that than in the Bay Area? With miles of trails, breathtaking vistas, and diverse terrain, the Bay Area has no shortage of outdoor adventures to embark on.

A Guide to Hiking in the Bay Area

adidas gifted me some of their hiking shoes and women’s hoodies recently, and I started wearing all of their gear when I go hiking with my two dogs, Ty and Gus. I love how much more fashionable adidas clothes are versus your standard hiking options. Plus, all of their shoes and clothes are well-made and functional.

I’ve compiled a list of the best dog-friendly hikes in the area, providing you with a guide to some of the most scenic and dog-friendly trails. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, I’ve got you covered with hikes of varying difficulty levels and tips to make your experience safe and enjoyable. So, grab your pup, and your hiking boots, and get ready to explore the great outdoors with my guide to the best dog-friendly hikes in the Bay Area!

Usually, any park that is not a national park will be dog-friendly. Unfortunately in the Bay Area, there are some state and local parks that do not allow dogs to protect wildlife and natural habitats. These dog-unfriendly parks include Muir Woods, most of Mount Diablo State Park, and Point Reyes National Seashore.

Fortunately, I have lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years and know all the places where you can take your pup for a hike.

Geographical Locations in the Bay Area

The Bay Area in Northern California is often divided into four major regions based on geography and location: North Bay, Peninsula, East Bay, and South Bay.

• The North Bay region includes the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano. It is situated to the north of San Francisco and is known for its stunning coastline, rolling hills, vineyards, and wineries
• The Peninsula region is south of San Francisco and includes San Mateo County. It stretches from the San Francisco International Airport southward to the Silicon Valley area. It is home to places you might have heard of like Stanford University.
• The East Bay region includes the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa, and it stretches from the cities of Oakland and Berkeley to the east towards the Central Valley. The East Bay is known for its rolling hills and proximity to the Diablo mountain range.
• The South Bay region includes the counties of Santa Clara and San Benito and is located south of the San Francisco Bay. It is home to the heart of Silicon Valley and is known for its Mediterranean climate (read: where to go hiking when it is too cold up north!)

My Favorite Dog Friendly Hikes in the Bay Area

North Bay

1. Cataract Falls Trail in Mt. Tam

Mt. Tamalpais, or Mt. Tam as the locals call it, is located in Marin County and is famous for its sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean. Most of Mt. Tam does not allow dogs, but there is one trail called Cataract Falls Trail that is a dog-friendly hike.

Cataract Falls Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back hike that takes you up 1,000 feet elevation gain. You will be rewarded with a view of Cataract Falls. It is especially beautiful right now because of the historic rainfall we’ve had in the Bay Area!

2. Marin Headlands

A comfortable beach hike with coastal views and new scenery along the way? Rodeo Beach, Miwok Trail, and Coastal Trail almost seem too good to be true. This 5.3 mile and 1000 ft elevation gain trail is one of the best dog-friendly hikes in the Bay Area. 

Located in Marin Headlands, this counter-clockwise loop leaves from Rodeo Beach and has fun stops throughout. Although there are some steep stairs, your dogs will love hiking this trail.

You can even take a few detours off this trail to see Hill 88, a former launch site for Cold War missiles.

Peninsula

3. Pulgas Ridge Preserve

People often ask me, what are some best spots for solo beginner hiking near Silicon Valley? In my opinion, the Peninsula is often the safest and easiest for solo beginner hikers in the Bay Area. 

Pulgas Ridge Preserve is located in Redwood City, just off Highway 280. This is one of the most dog-friendly hikes in the Bay Area because you can hike while having your dog off-leash! Hike the Polly Geraci Trail and loop it with Hassler Trail to return home. The entire loop will take around 50 minutes for a little less than 3 miles.

4. Pearson-Arastradero Preserve

Where are the best places to go hiking near Stanford? There are tons of hiking trails near Stanford, but many popular hikes like the Stanford Dish do not allow dogs (leashed or off-leash). 

If you are near Stanford, you can head to the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve, a quick 7-minute drive from Stanford. The Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a 1,189-acre nature preserve and features a variety of habitats, including oak woodlands, grasslands, and riparian areas.

Go hike on the Redtail Loop Trail to Arastradero Creek Trail Loop, a 5.2-mile hike with 500 feet elevation gain. Your dog will love stretching their legs on this trail.

Note as of April 2023, the east portion of this loop has some closures, but you can still hike this trail!

5. Sweeney Ridge and Mori Point

One of the best dog-friendly hikes in the Bay Area is at Sweeney Ridge and Mori Point. Mori Point is technically across the road after you get to Sweeney Ridge, but you can connect the two hikes together.

The Sweeney Ridge and Mori Point hike is a scenic 7.6-mile out-and-back trail located in San Mateo County, California. The trail begins at Sneath Lane Trailhead and winds up to Sweeney Ridge, offering panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The trail then descends to Mori Point, a scenic coastal promontory with stunning views of the ocean and rocky cliffs. The trail is moderately difficult and dog-friendly, with several benches and picnic areas along the way.

If you only want to hike on the Pacific Ocean side, you can head directly to Mori Point. Mori Point loops to Pacifica and the pier there, and this entire section is dog-friendly! We love strolling along the beach there on a warm, sunny day.

East Bay

6. Diablo Foothills Regional Park

While dogs are not allowed on Mount Diablo, they are allowed at Diablo Foothills Regional Park. Take the 3.6 mile Castle Rock Loop via Fairy Lantern Trail and get some nice views of the surrounding Diablo Foothills area. You also might run into cows!

You will see many leashed dogs on your hike here as it is a popular spot on the weekends. In the summer, try to start your hike either early in the day or later at night. It gets very hot in the Diablo Foothills Regional Park area.

7. Shell Ridge Open Space

Shell Ridge Open Space is connected to the Diablo Foothills. It is an extremely dog-friendly area with many dog-friendly hikes nearby. Our favorite hike here is the 4.7 mile ​​Corral Spring Trail and Borges Ranch Loop.

Rangers recommend that dogs are leashed, but you are allowed to put your dog off-leash if they are under voice command. This makes Corral Spring Trail and Borges Ranch Loop one of the most friendly hiking trails!

South Bay

8. Almaden Quicksilver County Park

Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a 4,147-acre park located in San Jose. The park features over 34 miles of trails that wind through oak woodlands and chaparral, and several of these trails are dog-friendly, allowing visitors to explore the park’s diverse landscapes with their furry friends on leash.

My favorite dog-friendly hiking trail at Almaden Quicksilver County Park is the 3-mile Deep Gulch to Mine Hill Trail. It does have a bit of elevation at 900 feet, but it is well worth it to see the cool mining features of this hike.

9. Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve

I really love hikes with some kind of water feature, whether it be a waterfall, lake, or reservoir. Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve. Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve is a new space in Calero County Park that is a great place to hike with your dog because it offers several dog-friendly trails. It is also home to the Alero Reservoir.

If you are up for a big hike, head to the Cottle Trail to Calero Reservoir and Lisa Killough Trail which takes you around Rancho San Vicente for 8 miles. In the Spring, there are also plenty of flowers in bloom such as the California poppy.

PS – Looking for more hikes in San Jose? Check out my post on the 13 Best Hiking Trails in San Jose

Bonus Dog Friendly Hike: Fort Funston

10. Fort Funston

Is Fort Funston a dog beach or a dog-friendly hike? It’s really a mix of both! To get down to the beach, you need to hike about 10-15 minutes down, and then you can either continue south and hike up one of the steep beach paths, or turn around the way you came on the paved Fort Funston Trail.

Fort Funston is an extremely popular off-leash dog area in the Bay Area and can be quite crowded on weekends. Parking can be a little difficult if you arrive after 10AM on Saturday or Sunday. 

What to Pack for Hiking With Your Dog

When you go hiking with your dogs in the Bay Area, you will need to make sure you have all the essentials packed.

Hiking Clothing

We are super lucky in the Bay Area to have great weather almost year round. When I am hiking with my dog in the Bay Area, I like to wear more athleisure clothing.

adidas sent me some samples recently, and I’ve loved being able to expand my hiking clothes and hiking shoes! adidas has comfortable, fashionable and practical women’s clothing for hiking. The adidas Adicolor Sweatshirt is perfect for a lowkey hiking day, like Pulgas Ridge. I chose the Blue Dawn color but I also love the Bright Orange one!

You can also explore more women’s hoodie options on their website.

Hiking Gear

Good-fitting hiking shoes

Having the right hiking shoes is also important when you are hiking with your dog. You might think a normal sneaker will do the trick, but in reality, the trails on these hikes can be rocky, slippery, and sometimes wet!

I rarely ever go full-on hiking boots nowadays. Instead, I like to look for something more similar to trail running shoes. Trail running shoes are designed to provide traction and stability on uneven terrain while offering cushioning and protection to the feet during running. They are different from hiking shoes as they are typically lighter and more flexible, with a lower profile to allow for greater agility and speed on the trail.

I really appreciate having lighter shoes because I don’t feel like each step is so heavy! It also helps me to keep more agile when I’m hiking with my dogs in the Bay Area.

I loved the Terrex Agravic Ultra Trail Runners that adidas sent me. They are super comfortable and still provided stability for my ankles and foot on loose rocks. Even though these were new shoes, they weren’t too stiff on my foot at all. It felt already broken in from the first hike.

Plus – as with all adidas gear, they look great. For more options, check out the adidas hiking shoes page.

Plenty of water

The Bay Area can be cold one minute and then hot the next. The sun can get really strong here as soon as the clouds leave! Because of this, I always make sure to pack enough water. 

A good rule of thumb for water while hiking is that you should have at least 0.5L (17 oz) of water per hour of hiking. So if you’re going on a 2-hour hike, you should bring at least 1L (34 ounces) of water with you. If it is hotter weather like in the 80s or above, I will pack an extra 0.5L per hour (so 1L total per hour)

Dog Gear

Dog Leashes

Make sure your dogs are leashed on the trails. Some hiking trails in the East Bay and Pulgas will allow your dogs to be off-leash, but most hiking trails in the Bay area requires dogs to be leashed.

Poop Bags

Some of the trails on this list have poop bags, but you can’t always guarantee that they will be stocked! It is best to bring your own poop bags. Because you usually have to throw it in your backpack for the entire hike, my pro-tip is to also bring a small trash bag so you can double layer. Nobody likes a poop explosion.

Water Bowl

Also don’t forget to pack water for your dogs! You can get lightweight and collapsible water bowls for them which makes it easy to pack in your backpack. This also prevents your dogs from drinking water with an unknown source, which can cause problems later on.

Dog Friendly Restaurants in the Bay Area

After you finish hiking with your pup, you may want to sit down and grab a bite with them to eat. When it comes to dog-friendly restaurants in the Bay Area, you simply need to look for restaurants that have an outdoor patio.

North Bay

My go-to favorite dog-friendly restaurant in the North Bay is Hook Fish Co at Proof Lab Beer Garden. They get fresh fish from Half Moon Bay and essentially serve it in a Mexican-style preparing (tacos, burritos). 

Although they do have a small indoor seating area, most of their seating is on an enclosed patio. On a nice, sunny day you will see tons of dogs with their active owners.

Peninsula

The Peninsula had a lot of parklets and patios during the COVID-19 pandemic. However much of Burlingame and San Mateo has taken them down and reverted back to pre-pandemic downtown spaces.

Luckily, there are still a few restaurants in the Peninsula area that allow dogs:

• Tuna Kahuna: Super casual poke. It is my favorite poke bowl spot in the Burlingame and San Mateo Area. Grab your bowl of poke and eat it at the parklet outside. As a bonus, it is right next to Tiny Tea, which serves refreshing and innovative iced tea drinks.
• Lazy Dog: Lazy Dog is a local chain to mostly California that is your elevated bar type food. As in theme, Lazy Dog allows well behaved dogs on their outdoor patio. They have a nice setup and always have a special dog menu

East Bay

When we are hiking in the East Bay, we like swinging by and grabbing breakfast before we head to our hike, or getting an ice cream afterwards:

• Boichik Bagels (3170 College Ave, Berkeley): There can sometimes be a line during the weekends at Boichik, and it’s easy to see why. Their bagels are the closest we have found to real New York style bagels.
• Loard’s Ice Cream (2000 Wayne Ave, San Leandro): Old-school, old-fashioned, creamy ice cream. Like it used to be 🙂 

South Bay

When you are in South Bay, you of course have to get Asian food. There are a few more outdoor parklets than there used to be, and that means there is more access to Asian food while with your dog:

• Khaosan Thai: Khaosan Thai, located in San Jose, focuses on Northern style and street food style Thai food. They have a nice outdoor seating area that is perfect for you and your dogs. Plus, I love Thai food after a long hike
• XLB Kitchen: XLB Kitchen over in Cupertino has some of the best Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). It even rivals Din Tai Fung! Luckily for dog owners, they have a small but spacious outdoor seating area where you can take your dog. 

Summary of Dog Friendly Hikes in the Bay Area

Overall, the Bay Area is a great place to have a dog. There are tons of dog friendly hiking trails in the Bay Area that it can be hard to choose where to go. I have mapped out a few options from living here for over 20 years.

If I were to choose one dog friendly hike to go on, it would be Sweeney Ridge and Mori Point. It is such a classic and beautiful hikes, with view of the ocean. 

Have you been hiking with your dog in the Bay Area? What are your favorite trails?