The California Destination That Is Home To Some Of The Best Hikes In The U.S.

California is home to some of the most iconic hiking destinations in the world. You've got Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park in the north, and the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu and Hollywood Hills in the south. These locations see millions of visitors every year, so as you can imagine, the trails can get crowded. For hikers seeking to skip the usual spots and instead explore some of California's hidden gems, East Bay is the perfect destination.

This region of Northern California is part of the San Francisco Bay Area and is about a 15-minute drive from the city of San Francisco. It includes Alameda County – home to cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Fremont – and Contra Costa County. Along with its iconic cities, East Bay features some of the most beautiful underrated hikes in the U.S. The East Bay Regional Park District stretches across more than 126,000 acres and houses 73 parks, 1,330 miles of trails, and 55 miles of shoreline. Since this region is not as well known when it comes to outdoor activities, the trails are not crowded. But don't let the lack of crowds fool you, for if you follow these trails, you'll get amazing views and diverse landscapes, including ancient seabeds, labyrinths, and volcanoes. If you're looking for incredible hiking adventures with unique trails and great views the next time you're in the Bay Area, stop by the East Bay.

East Bay offers hikes for all skill levels. The longest, at 12.3 miles, is the Murietta Falls Trail in Del Valle Regional Park. Through this trail, hikers will gain 4,229 feet in elevation and come face to face with the Bay Area's highest waterfall. Title of the shortest hike goes to the Big C Hike at .9 miles. On this trail, hikers gain less than 300 feet of elevation and have the opportunity to walk right up to UC Berkeley's iconic yellow "C." They can also relax on a swing while they take in the views of Cal's football stadium.

If you're a lover of big, beautiful trees, head to Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. This park is located less than 20 minutes from Downtown Oakland and features East Bay's largest remaining cluster of 150-foot-tall coast redwoods. AllTrails identifies 76 trail combinations in this park for you to explore, with one of the most popular being the Stream, Mill, and French Loop. This trail takes you nearly five miles through the redwood forest to fully immerse you in nature. If towering redwoods aren't enough to impress you, there are plenty of other parks in the area for you to explore.

Along with diverse hiking trails, magnificent forces of nature, and incredible views, the East Bay Regional Parks District also offers fun resources for visitors to further immerse themselves into the region and help them gain an appreciation for all the parks have to offer. For starters, they have a free, self-guided Trails Challenge, featuring 20 trails accessible to hikers of all fitness levels and their dogs, whether they want to traverse on foot, by bike, or by horse. The objective is to hike five of the 20 trails, or 26.2 miles of trails, within the park district. Folks who complete the challenge may receive a commemorative pin.

The Park District also hosts several multicultural wellness walks every year to help diverse communities in the area connect with one another. Inexperienced hikers can enroll in pole walking or hiking classes aimed at improving endurance, posture, balance, confidence, strength, and enjoyment of the outdoors. This level of community involvement coupled with the many unique trails makes East Bay one of California's must-visit destinations for hiking.