San Bruno Mountain Ridge Trail

The hike is moderate to strenuous, depending on which path you take going up the hill. And the higher you go the steeper it gets. When you reach to top, you're rewarded with beautiful views of San Francisco and South San Francisco as well as views of the Bay. At the top, it's mostly level with slight elevation changes. It can get windy so dress in layers.

Absolutely beautiful 360-degree view of San Francisco, South San Francisco, and the Bay Area!! Please be careful when going down the mountain, as the trail can be dusty and slippery. Use a wide-stance, look for big steady rocks to step on and make sure to look for shrubbery that you can stand on or grass when the path drops quickly. Go slowly and stop often on your way down- not just to take in the view but also to avoid slippage. Keep your center of gravity low to the ground so that even if you slip, it’s gently and backwards against the mountain side. Also be sure to abide by park rules and hours. It was very, very dark and dangerous to walk down the mountain alone. Thankfully I had a fully battery on my phone so I could safely enjoy the view and use my flashlight. The trails listed on Google Maps may be very narrow, barely permitting a single person at some points, and even have little spiderwebs in the path, indicating few people use them. Don’t come alone or without a fully charged phone!

Great views from the ridge, and invigorating steep ascent

The largest landmark on the northern part of the San Francisco Peninsula, San Bruno Mountain’s ridgeline is around four miles long. Though the march of human progress continues to slowly encroach on the mountain, it remains home to several rare and endangered species of flora, fauna and wildlife, including the elfin butterfly.

The Ridge Trail atop San Bruno Mountain provides for panoramic peninsula views, but mostly of urban sprawl. Still, the views up here are terrific, which you'll get to share with the hawks combing the grasses for their next meal. The turnaround at the East end of the hike is not obvious, so pick your own point at which to to head back.

When you start your hike from the Guadalupe Canyon trailhead the Ridge Trail hike length is around 6.8mi and 1,083 foot.

Alternatively you could start in Brisbane for a more uncommon route, where the trail ascends the grassy flanks of the mountain for a 2.5 mile and 990 foot hike.

Pick a nice clear day for this hike, as San Bruno Mountain is usually a magnet for clouds and fog. There again, we've seen some spectacular views from the ridgeline as the fog rolls in on an evening.

Nice view

Recommendations: Start from Crocker gate or Saddle Loop. Wear thick clothing and head coverings to protect from the high wind speeds(Great place for kite flying!). Stick to the marked trails and don’t go down any that are closed even if they seem traversable.

A great place to get in a morning hike with the steep elevation. The ridge trail is in fair condition and can be run on as long as one watches their footing on the uneven rocks.

The views are mundane, surrounded by nothing but urbanization and dried out shrubbery. There are a few spots of green here and there. Could benefit from a dedicated permaculture project. Come here for a bland workout, not for a weekend nature refresher

Parking can be challenging coming for the southwest side. Will have to park a few streets away and walk to the trail entrance next to the Montessori School.