Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
8 mi northeast · Fish and Wildlife Service
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in a vast cultural and natural landscape.
Outdoors
Biking and mountain biking near Palo Alto
Trails and recreation areas near Palo Alto open to biking and mountain biking.
18places to ride
8 mito the closest
1within 30 miles
Year-roundbest months
Good to know: Wilderness areas are closed to bikes; check each area’s trail rules and yield to hikers and horses.
Closest picks
Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK)
31 mi northwest · National Park Service
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
Rob Hill Group Campground
31 mi northwest · Presidio Trust
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
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Within 30 miles (1)
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in a vast cultural and natural landscape.
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Nature education
- Photography
- Ranger programs
30 to 75 miles (12)
Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK)
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Climbing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Horseback riding
Rob Hill Group Campground
As San Francisco's only group campground, Rob Hill offers a national park camping experience just minutes from the city.
- Biking
- Birding
- Camping
- Hiking
- History
Kirby Cove Campground
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California.
- Birding
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Mountain Biking
- Picnicking
- Water Access
Bicentennial Campground
Bicentennial Campground is in an ideal location in the Marin Headlands surrounded by a grove of cypress trees. The campground is a great location for those wanting to camp near the city.
- Biking
- Camping
- History
- Mountain Biking
Haypress Campground
Haypress Campground is nestled within the coastal scrub of Tennessee Valley, near Mill Valley. The hike to this campground is 1 mile from the Tennessee Valley Trail head parking lot, which means car or RV camping is not allowed.
- Biking
- Birding
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- History
- Horseback riding
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
Contra Loma Reservoir
Contra Loma Dam and reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - Delta Division and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San Francisco.
- Biking
- Boating
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Picnicking
- Recreational Vehicles
- Water sports
Point Reyes National Seashore Campground
Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Camping
- Hiking
- History
- Horse Camping
San Luis Lake and State Wildlife Area
Recreation facilities at San Luis Lake were constructed under a cost-share agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and the State of Colorado during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Picnicking
- Water sports
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the most spectacular marine protected areas. This sanctuary also has one of the largest underwater canyons and closest-to-shore deep ocean environments.
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Diving
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Paddling
Point Reyes National Seashore
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Paddling
- Picnicking
- Wildlife viewing
O'Neill Forebay
O'Neill Dam and Forebay are joint Federal-State facilities located on San Luis Creek 2.5 miles downstream from San Luis Dam. O'Neill Forebay Dam is a feature of the Central Valley Project - San Joaquin Division - San Luis Unit .
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Picnicking
- Recreational Vehicles
75 miles and farther (5)
Coyote Point
Coyote Point sits along New Hogan Lake in the brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
- Boating
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Mountain Biking
- Swimming
- Water Access
White Oaks Campground
Amid a grove of towering trees, eight campsites create a loop within White Oaks Campground, just off Tassajara Road.
- Biking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
China Camp Campground
Pleasantly nestled under a large canopy of pine trees, China Camp is a campground where peace and quiet is commonplace. The spacious campsites allow you to set up camp with more than enough space between you and your neighbors.
- Biking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Observation Point Picnic Shelter (Ca)
New Hogan Dam and Lake is located in the oak- and brush-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The 4,400 acre lake was created in 1964 with the completion of New Hogan Dam.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Swimming
Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco Campground is a semi-rustic, but developed facility in California's westernmost national forest.
- Biking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Palo Alto. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
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More outdoors near Palo Alto
Questions
Where is the closest place for biking near Palo Alto?
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Fish and Wildlife Service), about 8 miles northeast of Palo Alto as the crow flies. Next are Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK) (31 mi) and Rob Hill Group Campground (31 mi).
When is the best time for biking near Palo Alto?
Based on Palo Alto’s average highs, all year. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Who manages these places?
Federal agencies including National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.