Mission Peak

About this spot

From the 2,517-foot summit, with its famous sighting pole, the view runs across the South Bay to the Santa Cruz Mountains in the west, where the sun goes down, with Mount Hamilton to the south and Mount Tamalpais far to the north on clear days. The climb is steep and about three miles each way, so bring a headlamp, a jacket for the wind on top and plenty of water. For a sunset hike, start from the Ohlone College lot, open 6am to 10pm with a parking fee of around $4. The Stanford Avenue lot is smaller and closes earlier, and the park district enforces its hours with fines.