Dog friendly hiking trails in San Francisco
Hiking in the Presido with dogs
San Francisco has numerous dog friendly spots and even more trails to hike with dogs! The city’s green Presidio, once an army outpost, is one of its best neighborhoods to take your dog for a hike. The Presidio has some of the best urban hikes in SF and most of these are dog friendly!
Here are some of our favorite Presidio hiking trails that allow dogs (technically, dogs must be on leash at all times on these trails):
Grandma and Pokey on the Ecology Trail
Ecology Trail
This fairly easy trail (little change in elevation) is only 1.4 miles long but has loads to see and experience for dogs! This route passes through lush grasslands, native wildflowers in bloom and towering redwoods (the largest grove in the park), oaks, eucalyptus, Monterey pine, and Monterey cypress. Although dogs must be on leash, don’t be surprised to if you see off-leash friendly doggos (generally San Franciscans get a bit lax with leash laws, myself included. But Pokey has excellent recall and never wanders off and only wants to be next to Mamma..)
Mountain Lake Trail
Mountain Lake Trail traces the southern Presidio from Baker Beach to the Broadway Gate. This trail is 2.6 miles long and leads to a tranquil lake, of the last remaining natural lakes in San Francisco. The trail is pretty easy to hike. The trailhead starts at the parking lot near the “Wood Line” (close to Lyon Street Steps, one of the many hidden gems in San Francisco) from where you need to walk down Pacific Ave.
Alternately you can head straight to Mountain Lake via Lake Street between 9th-14th Ave. You can also get on the trail from near Inspiration Point at Arguello Boulevard where the trail intersects the Ecology Trail (go down the steps from Inspiration point) and turn right to get on the trail.
Lover’s Lane
This 0.6 mile dog friendly hiking trail is the oldest footed trail in the Presidio and connects the Presidio Gate at Lyon Street to the Main post. To the right of this trail/walk is the famous “Wood Line” Sculpture that is not to be missed. The trailhead is at the Presidio gate near Lyon Street steps.
Park Trail
This 1.7 mile trail runs south to north in the Presidio, all the way from 14th Avenue gate to Crissy Field which has one of the best leash-free dog beaches in San Francisco. My favorite part of the trail is where it intersects with another short trail to the National Cemetery overlook with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The trailhead lies at 14th Avenue Gate (southern boundary of the Gate). You can also access it from near the Mountain Lake area of the Presidio.
Golden Gate Promenade Trail
Golden Gate Promenade is a semi-paved path that runs through Crissy Field between Marina Green and Fort Point (a Civil War-era brick fort) and allows dogs on leash. You can walk all the way down this promenade to go up to Fort Point right below the bridge to see paddle boaters and surfers in action.
Bring your picnic baskets to relax at the West Bluff picnic area which is also dog friendly. This is an easy 4.3 mile trail with the trailhead starting from the Marina district, but you can also get on the trail at Crissy Field. Dogs should definitely be on leash on the trail because it is shared by cyclists.
OTHER DOG FRIENDLY HIKES IN SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco abounds in some of the best dog friendly hikes in the Bay Area which is not limited to the Presidio. I am talking about open spaces and an abundance of hilly dog parks where you can hike to your heart’s content with your best friend. Here are some other fantastic trails to take your dog on a hike in San Francisco:
LANDS END TRAIL
This 3.4 mile trails is one of the most scenic trails in San Francisco and literally hugs the coast to reveal amazing views of the rugged coastline and the Marin Headlands. The trailhead starts from the Sutro Bath ruins (Lands End Main Parking lot at 48th and Point Lobos Avenue on the west or El Camino Del Mar and 32nd Ave on the east) and leads to hidden photo spots and a secret beach in San Francisco! This is a moderate-difficult trail due to several steep descends.
Main attractions: Sutro Bath house ruins, Mile Rock Beach, Land’s End Labyrinth, Legion of Honor Museum, Lincoln Street steps
PHILOSOPHER’S WAY TRAIL (JOHN McLAREN PARK)
This is our most visited trail and we go here so often, I don’t even consider a hike anymore. Pokey first started going here with her dog walker and then I started exploring it with her too. The park has a large dog friendly pond where Pokey learned to swim. The prized attraction of John McLaren Park (second largest park in SF) is the Philosopher’s Way Trail, which is an amalgamation of 2.7 miles of hiking trails spiraling upward and downward throughout the park.
Certain areas are on leash, but don't hesitate to un-leash them in the field or on the trails, just keep them near, as there is a busy road to get to the other half of McLaren. The upper lake is a huge lake made for dogs to enjoy and then there is a dog run area. I recommend taking your dogs here for a nice hike, if you can get to the water tower, there is an amazing view of the city.
As for dog runs, I'd say roughly 4 large fields exist! Most of them are green and grassy, the one with the dog walkers is more on the brown side. Bring a wet nap for wiping them down as it can get dusty sometimes!
Be careful of foxtails in the dryer months!
