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Belgrave Trail on Mount Sutro

6/19/2015

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Commenced this vigorous hike in the Twin Peaks neighborhood by climbing the three-block-long Pemberton stairs (around 210 steps, Clayton up to Crown, pix 1 thru  6). 

Around the foot of Tank Hill to a short, steepish “secret” dirt trail west of the main Tank steps (pic 7) with no street sign called Bigler “Avenue” that descends from Twin Peaks Blvd./Clarendon at the west side of Tank Hill to near the east dead-end of Belgrave. Seven steps: 8 thru 12.  


There’s no street sign but you can see a small opening between residences just to the left of the main Tank Hill stairway (one of two). At 36 Belgrave (Google Maps Streetview) you can see a bit of the trail and the several steps that will take you down to Belgrave without using the west Tank Hill steps (also steep). So this is an alternative way to get down to Belgrave from Clarendon/Twin Peaks Blvd. 

A couple of blocks west on Belgrave, just past the top of Stanyan, will take you to the west vehicle dead-end of Belgrave where there’s a way up into Sutro Forest that has never had a trailmarker. 

A little way downhill on Stanyan, however, is the trailhead for the lower Historic Trail, this one plainly marked and very popular, with signage and a short wood stairway entrance between homes. 

I’ve used the unnamed trail at the end of Belgrave for years. It’s a steep uphiil trek that zigs up to one of the main Aldea streets, Johnstone. Immediately next to the top of it is the east trailhead for the Fairy Gates Trail, this clearly marked, pic 13.

To the right when you first start up from Belgrave is another unmarked trail, rougher, that turns right (north) first behind, then higher above homes on Stanyan. It comes out partway along the lower Historic. To my left was another trail to the south. 


However, I usually just follow the trail climbing straight ahead, so scrambled over a huge log (pic 14) across the trail. 


Noticed a few articles of clothing on the forest floor and someone’s obvious shelter. This sort of thing is to be expected if you try to discourage people from using a forest trail. You thus encourage homeless encampments, the opposite from what “they” have in mind I’m sure. 


Apparently they’d like to discourage hikers from using this particular trail as the foot of an Aldea residence is partway up the slope, its back steps descending to the trail. This trail, however, part of the “Interior Greenbelt,” is also plainly and accurately marked on Google Maps as through. It used to be even more of a trek to ascend years ago, but near the top it’s now easier to walk out to the street; no more pulling myself up at the edge of one of the buildings. More of this beautiful still-untamed forest trail: 15 thru 23.


After this, uphilled to the trailhead for the East Ridge (pix 24, 25, 26) and hung a right for the Mystery Trail (pic 27). Onto the North Ridge Trail (28 thru 36) and back down to the curvy road (Medical Center Way) that divides the mountain’s upper and lower trails. 

Crossing over directly from the foot of the North Ridge onto the Fairy Gates (37, 38), then down to the Edgewood Trail that will take you out to Edgewood Ave. Pix 39 thru 46.

After a few blocks north on Edgehill Ave. the Farnsworth stairs (149 steps) descend to Willard, last seven pix.

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1. Up from Clayton
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2. First block up
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3. Between Clayton and Villa Terrace
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4. Villa Terrace looking back down
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5. Villa up to Graystone
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6. From Graystone ascending to Crown Terrace
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7. Steps to Tank Hill Park on the south side
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8. Down from Clarendon/Twin Peaks Blvd. 
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9. Bigler "Avenue" is a short dirt trail
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10. Steeply down to Belgrave 
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11. This comes out near Tank Hill's west steps 
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12. Foot of Bigler at Belgrave 
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13. Fairy Gates east trailhead at Johnstone, top of the Belgrave Trail
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14. A little way up the Belgrave Trail, a big log to scramble over 
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15. Just past the top of Stanyan into Sutro Forest from Belgrave 
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16. A few steps up for the old Belgrave Trail 
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17. Untamed forest trail 
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18. Step over and continue up 
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19. Forest bathing 
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20. Steepish but worth it 
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21. Easier now than it used to be 
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22. Nearing the top 
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23. Out at Johnstone. Small parking area to right. 
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24. East Ridge trailhead is across from the Aldea Community Center 
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25. East Ridge Trail 
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26. East Ridge continues up to the summit 
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27. Mystery Trail 
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28. North Ridge Trail 
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29. North Ridge Trail 
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30. North Ridge Trail 
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31. North Ridge Trail 
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32. The road below is Medical Center Way
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33. Continuing down the North Ridge 
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34. North Ridge Trail winds around
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35. Medical Center Way curves round below 
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36. Nearing the foot of the North Ridge Trail
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37. End of the North Ridge Trail with Fairy Gates trailhead across the road 
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38. Fairy Gates trailhead 
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39. Onto the Edgewood Trail
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40. Edgewood Trail 
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41. Edgewood Trail 
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42. Hikers on the Edgewood
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43. Edgewood Trail continues 
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44. Out at Edgewood Ave. 
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45. Below, center, part of the lower Historic Trail 
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46. South end of redbricked Edgewood Ave. and north end of Edgewood Trail 
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47. Near top of the Farnsworth Lane steps 
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48. Farnsworth Lane 
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49. Farnsworth flowers
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50. A Farnsworth gate 
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51. 149 steps
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52. Edgewood Ave. down to Willard 
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53. Foot of Farnsworth Lane at Willard, just above Parnassus
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    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

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