Headed up from the picnic area where I could be alone beneath the trees and trek up 'n down the duney trails. Continuing to the east above Battery Chamberlin and over to the top of the first stairway (45 steps down to the beach, second pic) is but a short distance, then a short sand slog to the Sand Ladder's foot (258 steps counted today).
After you've made it to the top of the Sand Ladder (pics 3, 4, 5, 6), just ahead, downhill a bit from the trail along Lincoln (7th pic) to the top of Battery Crosby, you've got the Batteries to Bluffs to look forward to for another good workout …473 steps counted today (pics 8, 9, 10, 11). Partway along the BTB is the offshoot downhill trail (48 or so steps, 12th pic) to Marshall's Beach.
Out at the BTB's east trailhead (13th pic), it's an easy walk to the Golden Gate Overlook (37 steps for the main stairway, last pic).