Antler Point from Twin Gates

If you like sweeping vistas and wildflowers, this is a hike you should consider. At ten miles, its relatively lengthy, but starting at Twin Gates eliminates some of the elevation gain and makes it a little easier in that regard. The Canada de Pala trail goes up from the parking lot, past the upper end of the Yerba Buena trail and crests at a place with a large fallen oak; a very nice place to stop and take in the view. A tall remnant of the long dead tree juts like a tooth at the crest of the hill. On a clear day you can see the bay as far north as the Dunbarton, and even on a foggy day the observatory looms above you from the peak of Mount Hamilton to the Southeast. The trail then dips down and crests again, just a little higher before it drops down and passes the upper ends of the Los Huecos and Halls Valley trails. In the springtime this trail is littered with a fantastic variety of flowers, but even in the winter, with a brisk wind clearing out the smog at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay, the views are awesome. Antler Point, is at the end of a 0.3 mile single track that cuts off of the main trail. The view is fantastic on a clear day down in the bay area. There's another beautiful overlook up there but it looks down into the Smith Creek canyon.