Completed: March 25, 2023 | Elevation: 2,387′ | Trail: Bald Mountain Trail Out-and-Back | Distance: 1.4 miles
Recharged after completing the hike to Mount El Sombroso, we began the short, 0.7-mile one-way hike on a flat and wide pathway to Bald Mountain.
Near the bend we came upon a beautiful manzanita tree. It looked like two trees, a negative and positive version, intertwined together.
After rounding a bend, the hillock of Bald Mountain becomes more apparent in the distance.
As we approached the top, with a little bit of imagination, it was possible to see how it might have received its name—the hairless crown of someone’s head. From here we could see the parking lot and the summit of Mount Umunhum beckoning us.
After finding a geological survey marker and taking some pictures, we returned to the car, completing the trip in under 30 minutes and leaving us plenty of time to get to our next peak: Mount Umunhum.
Find an overview of our Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve hikes here.
Follow our progress bagging the Bay Area’s Nifty Ninety here.
Coda
This was an easy hike, like doing a cool down stretch, and a great one to do after our hike to Mount El Sombroso. Without transmission towers and vegetation to block sight lines, the views from here are in some ways better than from the top of El Sombroso.