Bay Area Bikepacking
The Bay Area sits on the best bikepacking terrain in the country for overnight trips. Three hours from any address in San Francisco: ocean cliffs, redwood groves, 3,800-foot peaks. The density of public land makes it possible to leave after work Friday and sleep in genuine backcountry by 9pm.
Point Reyes
Coast Camp and Wildcat Camp take bike-in reservations. The route from Fairfax through Samuel P. Taylor State Park covers 29 miles of mostly fire road — gentle grades, fog in the mornings, tule elk grazing the headlands at dawn.
The inland route via Bolinas Ridge avoids Highway 1 climbing. Pack cold weather gear even in July: Point Reyes fog drops temperatures 20 degrees from inland.
65 miles round trip. 5,000 feet of climbing total.
Skyline to the Sea
Saratoga Gap down to Santa Cruz through Big Basin — 15 miles of coast redwoods, ending at the Pacific at Waddell Beach. The 2020 CZU fire closed sections of the trail; some remain impassable.
Before the fire, the classic loop ran San Bruno to Half Moon Bay to Pescadero to Big Basin to Los Gatos. Two nights: beaches, redwoods, the Pescadero bakery for morning bread.
Mt Tam + Marin Headlands
Pantoll and Steep Ravine cabins book 90 days out — reservations open at midnight and fill within minutes. The fire roads on Mt Tam empty out before 8am; by 10am, the trails fill with hikers.
35 miles from San Francisco to the summit and back. 4,500 feet of climbing. Descend Hawk Hill into Sausalito for coffee by mid-morning.
Bay Area Triple Crossover
The flagship route: 60 miles starting at the Golden Gate Bridge, traveling almost entirely on fire roads and singletrack through multiple ecosystems. Every major climb ends with classic California views — ridgelines, ocean, fog rolling through the gaps.
The full loop connects three trail systems into a single overnight. One of the few urban-adjacent routes in the country that feels remote.
The pattern: leave Friday after work, ride until dark, camp, ride home Sunday. The commute to genuine wilderness takes two hours by pedal.