... Five of them over 100 steps and three over 50.
Lands End seemed a good choice for a solitary hike on peaceful park trails since I could take a bus to the way-out-west end of the line, thus avoiding today's downtown parade crowd.
Too many experiences getting partially squashed in various celebrations, including rock concerts and street fairs, not to mention frustrating bumper-to-bumper traffic while trying to get somewhere on a bus. However, today all the Geary buses got detoured to Taylor, and the next Limited stop was at Leavenworth (several blox further west than the stop at Powell, Union Square).
The "Merrie Way" was my first long stairway: down approximately 127 steps from the overlook, first pic. Restaurants Louis' and Cliff House can be seen to the left with Sutro Heights Park beyond. The Sutro Baths ruins are below to the right.
From here onto the Coastal Trail from its west trailhead at the cavetop viewplace (next two pix). New steps were added around 2009: 141 now. This stairway is called "Sutro Baths Upper Trail" and climbs to a curvy paved trail.
Winding round to the north, it was up the 59 steep steps between the first Coastal Trail overlook and upper parking lot overlook. Onto the El Camino del Mar Trail from here, then down the connector stairway (about 89 steps) back to the Coastal Trail.
Then a really good workout: About halfway along the Coastal Trail (AKA Lands End Trail) is the top of the stairway down to Mile Rock Beach (270 or so steps). Partway down you'll see an offshoot trail straight ahead (fourth pic) to the clifftop area called Viewpoint that overlooks the beach. The stairway turns here and continues to the beach. Fifth pic: foot of the steps. Back up the stairway again to the Coastal Trail after a few minutes. Ya wanna work up a good sweat, this one'll do it, no matter what the weather's like.
A short distance from here looms the curvy wood "Painted Rock" stairway (about 138 steps). Sixth pic: one of two benches along these steps.
When you reach the top, another long one starts down the east side with about 116 steps (seventh pic): concrete, wood logs, then more concrete.
The last two are views from along the Coastal Trail.
Once out at the park's east trailhead, you can cross the street onto a trail that's just below the east edge of the Lincoln Park Golf Course until you reach the stairway (about 52 steps) down to 32nd Avenue and the west end of California Street in the Outer Richmond.
Lands End seemed a good choice for a solitary hike on peaceful park trails since I could take a bus to the way-out-west end of the line, thus avoiding today's downtown parade crowd.
Too many experiences getting partially squashed in various celebrations, including rock concerts and street fairs, not to mention frustrating bumper-to-bumper traffic while trying to get somewhere on a bus. However, today all the Geary buses got detoured to Taylor, and the next Limited stop was at Leavenworth (several blox further west than the stop at Powell, Union Square).
The "Merrie Way" was my first long stairway: down approximately 127 steps from the overlook, first pic. Restaurants Louis' and Cliff House can be seen to the left with Sutro Heights Park beyond. The Sutro Baths ruins are below to the right.
From here onto the Coastal Trail from its west trailhead at the cavetop viewplace (next two pix). New steps were added around 2009: 141 now. This stairway is called "Sutro Baths Upper Trail" and climbs to a curvy paved trail.
Winding round to the north, it was up the 59 steep steps between the first Coastal Trail overlook and upper parking lot overlook. Onto the El Camino del Mar Trail from here, then down the connector stairway (about 89 steps) back to the Coastal Trail.
Then a really good workout: About halfway along the Coastal Trail (AKA Lands End Trail) is the top of the stairway down to Mile Rock Beach (270 or so steps). Partway down you'll see an offshoot trail straight ahead (fourth pic) to the clifftop area called Viewpoint that overlooks the beach. The stairway turns here and continues to the beach. Fifth pic: foot of the steps. Back up the stairway again to the Coastal Trail after a few minutes. Ya wanna work up a good sweat, this one'll do it, no matter what the weather's like.
A short distance from here looms the curvy wood "Painted Rock" stairway (about 138 steps). Sixth pic: one of two benches along these steps.
When you reach the top, another long one starts down the east side with about 116 steps (seventh pic): concrete, wood logs, then more concrete.
The last two are views from along the Coastal Trail.
Once out at the park's east trailhead, you can cross the street onto a trail that's just below the east edge of the Lincoln Park Golf Course until you reach the stairway (about 52 steps) down to 32nd Avenue and the west end of California Street in the Outer Richmond.
"Merrie Way" steps down from the Overlook
Coastal Trail from its west trailhead
Coastal Trail / Sutro Baths Upper Trail
Trail to Viewpoint overlooking Mile Rock Beach
Mile Rock Beach
Bench along the "Painted Rock" stairway
Part of the eastside stairway
A view from the Coastal Trail
A view from the Coastal Trail
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