The Forest Hill Station -- originally Laguna Honda Station -- was built in 1916-18 as part of the Twin Peaks Tunnel. All Metros except the J and N stop here. To one side of the station is a short, curvaceous stairway that will take you up into the neighborhood (Magellan and Sola) to start your hike.
Curved around the east side so as to descend the three-block-long Montalvo stairway from its top at Mendosa and 10th Avenue. There are 101 steps down to 9th Ave. for this first flight.
From 9th Ave. to Santa Rita and San Marcos: 122 steps to the street. Santa Rita is the top part of this divided street and San Marcos the bottom part; there’s a continuation stairway in the middle with 24 steps (see first photo). So a total of 146 steps for this second flight down from the top.
At the south side of San Marcos the third stairway descends to Castenada near Montalvo. For this last flight to Castenada's sidewalk -- and then a few steps more down to the street -- 62 steps. Walking east on Castenada the first street sign seen is 100 San Marcos and 300 Castenada, about a block away.
So there are 309 steps for this continuing stairway if you count the steps that uniquely divide Santa Rita from San Marcos (upper and lower). San Marcos is my favorite street in the ‘hood. Hawk Hill Park is at the west dead-end of San Marcos and you can climb up from there (second pic: a view west from Hawk Hill openspace).
Forest Hill homes are large and uniquely different from one another -- no “little boxes” to be seen in this upscale gardenhood. The winding, narrow streets tend to have Spanish names. The neighborhood is one huge, shady gardenspot with an awesome array of beautiful trees and flowers. Squirrels love it here.
Don’t see as many street signs here as in other parts of the city. The graceful, curving stairways didn’t get named either.
The grand stairway at Pacheco that leads up into the neighborhood from Magellan (just above Dewey) has to be walked to be believed (third photo). You'll see a shorter echo of this stairway, also named Pacheco, to the south across Dewey Blvd. that will lead you up into the Edgehill Heights neighborhood.
Curved around the east side so as to descend the three-block-long Montalvo stairway from its top at Mendosa and 10th Avenue. There are 101 steps down to 9th Ave. for this first flight.
From 9th Ave. to Santa Rita and San Marcos: 122 steps to the street. Santa Rita is the top part of this divided street and San Marcos the bottom part; there’s a continuation stairway in the middle with 24 steps (see first photo). So a total of 146 steps for this second flight down from the top.
At the south side of San Marcos the third stairway descends to Castenada near Montalvo. For this last flight to Castenada's sidewalk -- and then a few steps more down to the street -- 62 steps. Walking east on Castenada the first street sign seen is 100 San Marcos and 300 Castenada, about a block away.
So there are 309 steps for this continuing stairway if you count the steps that uniquely divide Santa Rita from San Marcos (upper and lower). San Marcos is my favorite street in the ‘hood. Hawk Hill Park is at the west dead-end of San Marcos and you can climb up from there (second pic: a view west from Hawk Hill openspace).
Forest Hill homes are large and uniquely different from one another -- no “little boxes” to be seen in this upscale gardenhood. The winding, narrow streets tend to have Spanish names. The neighborhood is one huge, shady gardenspot with an awesome array of beautiful trees and flowers. Squirrels love it here.
Don’t see as many street signs here as in other parts of the city. The graceful, curving stairways didn’t get named either.
The grand stairway at Pacheco that leads up into the neighborhood from Magellan (just above Dewey) has to be walked to be believed (third photo). You'll see a shorter echo of this stairway, also named Pacheco, to the south across Dewey Blvd. that will lead you up into the Edgehill Heights neighborhood.
Stairway dividing Santa Rita and San Marcos. Partway down the long Montalvo stairway.
Hawk Hill Park. One way up is at W end of San Marcos, Forest Hill.
The grand Pacheco stairway up into the Forest Hill 'hood
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