Stairways are Heaven
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Stairways are Heaven

Forest Bathing

12/19/2015

0 Comments

 
http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/forest-bathing-ze0z1301zgar.aspx

II's getting  more and more difficult to find unspoiled, "wild" forested sections in our parks.

The Presidio doesn’t paint colored dots on trees they want to cut down, nor are there felled tree-parts up and down from the trails as we’ve been seeing on Mount Sutro.

But there are two long-term projects with trail detour signs and tall chainlink fences. 

The first of these, and the most depressing, is the huge watershed project at the south end of the park, starting a little way past Lover’s Lane (first pic) out to the top of the east zigzag trail down to El Polin Spring. 

Depressing because a sign on one of the fences advises they will be cutting down eucalyptus trees in the neighborhood. Why can they not leave these old beauties be? The playing field is to be replaced with artificial turf.

​It already looks shockingly stark and bare where they've been planting in the cleared areas. 

​And one of my favorite areas to forage for blackberries near the field is directly in their line of fire. 

​The first time I ran into this, detoured into a nearby residential area for a pleasant stroll (pic 2). 

The second time walked along the south edge of the park and descended to El Polin Spring from Julius Kahn Park.

The second project is a makeover of Mountain LaKe Park's playground. Had to use the higher trail out to Park Presidio Blvd. as the lower trail was blocked off. The lake area is accessible though. 

Which brings me to a couple of bones to pick re the east side of Mountain Lake. 

On the southeast side used to be able to squeeze thru a gap in a chainlink fence to walk around just below the south edge of the golf course. Now I can't get through. It's been closed off a long time; thought this was to be opened as public trails. 

The second is at the northeast corner where the trail turns. Used to happily forage for berries amongst the old foundations here. Then it was cleared, replanted, and blocked off, looking drab and desert-like for a long time with a locked gate.

At the east end is a swath of green just below the golf course's west edge. So how about reopening this section, with trails below the golf course, maybe connecting with other trails?
​
To get to the first forested section I had in mind, uphilled on the paved trail that’s surrounded most of the way by the golf course. After that, the forest trails were well connected.

Heading west towards Rob Hill Campground. This is especially delightful after a rain, birdsongy-peaceful with only a few joggers and not even any dogwalkers until I got to the Bay Area Ridge Trail later. The occasional logs have been here a while and there was no heavy machinery around: 3 thru 9.

Exiting this part just below the campground’s east side, at the yellow fire hydrant, is a short trail that will take you nearly to the Fort Scott Community Garden: pic 10

In the garden: 11, 12, 13

The garden gate was open this time: 14

17 steps descend to a driveway just behind Fort Scott residences: 15, 16

It curves around and under the highway, out of the Fort Scott neighborhood: 17

Now uphilling into an offtrail area (18) to the Park Trail (19, 20, 21), a short distance to the foot of the 98 steps up thru the forest to the cemetery overlook: 22 thru 30

Thru the overlook and out to Arguello (31, 32, 33), ctossung the street (34) to the trail just above, south to the Spire, The golf course is to the west and partially shielded from view by the trees: 35, 36. 


Picture
1. Lover's Lane, left
Picture
2. Residential 'hood near El Polin Spring
Picture
3. Thru the forest
Picture
4. After a rain
Picture
5. Green solitude
Picture
6. Winding around
Picture
7. Eucalyptus aromatherapy
Picture
8. Above the Fort Scott Community Garden
Picture
9. Trail comes out just below southeast side of the campground
Picture
10. Down from the yellow fire hydrant
Picture
11. Garden delights
Picture
12. In the "hidden" garden
Picture
13. Fort Scott Community Garden
Picture
14. The garden gate was open
Picture
15. Behind Fort Scott residences
Picture
16. Steps up to the garden
Picture
17. Out of the Fort Scott 'hood
Picture
18. Offtrail, up to the Park Trail
Picture
19. Park Trail
Picture
20. Where I just came from, right
Picture
21, Park Trail, heading for the overlook steps
Picture
22. Steps to cemetery overlook start up from Patk Trail
Picture
23. Starting up
Picture
24. Steps to cemetery overlook
Picture
25. Up thru the forest
Picture
26. Park Trail to cemetery overlook
Picture
27. 98 steps
Picture
28. Winding thru the woods
Picture
29. Overlook up ahead
Picture
30. Top of the stairs
Picture
31. National Cemetery Overlook
Picture
32. South end of the overlook
Picture
33. Near the overlook and residences
Picture
34. Crossiing for the trail
Picture
35. Trail to the Spire
Picture
36. Bay Area Ridge Trail
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.