This hike was to visit Kite Hill and a few other attractions in the immediate area alter a long hiatus. First pic: a yard on Clover St.
At Caselli, Clover Street turns into a stairway, Clover Lane, second pic. Thorp is an alley that crosses the steps on the way up. There are 60 steps for the regular stairway up to 19th Street, then across the street 42 more steps continue up to the east side of Kite Hill Park, these last irregular and steeper, making Clover's total 102.
At the top of the steps is a short but steep trail in the park that leads to a bench, more trails, and nice views, Twin Peaks above to the west, pix 3, 4, 5, 6. This isn’t the only way into the park. Another entrance I especially recommend is from the dead-end of a short street called Stanton.
Had in mind to check out the Acme Alley steps down from the top so exited at the park’s upper entrance, Grandview Terrace, curving round to Grandview Ave.
Several years ago when I last hiked this area was pleased to see that Acme Alley’s upper block, a stairway, had been extended partway down to Corwin; seemed it would eventually come all the way down to the street.
Disappointed to see that it has now been blocked off at street level. So this is no longer a through stairway but now a dead-end set of downhill steps. There’s a chainlink fence with wood slats blocking the view up/out to the street; no gate. Pic 7:
The top part (pix 8, 9) is very attractive still, like it used to be, until it gets about halfway down. Then, though the wood-and-brick stairs are still there, it’s harder to see them due to straggly grasses. Stopped at 50 for the staircount down because it didn’t look like it was through to the street anymore. So why’d they close this one off after such a promising beginning?
There’s both a street sign for Acme and the good-looking handmade sign that used to be there (pic 10). Assumed by now it’d be a striking gardenspot all the way down. Now if I lived there...
Above the Seward Minipark (pic 11) at Corwin is the Corwin Street Community Garden. Alongside the garden is the lower part of Acme Alley, a steep concrete slab that has a dead-end sign at the top and posts to prevent vehicles near the foot, with 10 steps leading from the lower part into the tiny park with its unique double slide, pic 12.
There are several sets of short stairways in the Seward Minipark area. The one I took was 15 steps down from the elevated Seward St. sidewalk, at the foot of which, just ahead, was the main Douglass stairway near Seward and 20th: 13 thru 16.
There are 94 steps for the main Douglass stairway. Crossing the narrow street at the top, the steps continue: 15 more to an elevated sidewalk (17, 18, 19) that curves around to come out at Romain. There are three sets of 15 steps each along the length of the Douglass upper walk. So Douglass stairway has a total of 109 steps counting just one of the sets of 15 to the elevated walkway.
Back down Douglass to 20th, passing the Collingwood sidewalk steps (both sides) on my way out to Castro to catch the #24 MUNI on its way down Castro Hill. Homes on 20th, pic 20. House on Castro at 20th, last pic.
At Caselli, Clover Street turns into a stairway, Clover Lane, second pic. Thorp is an alley that crosses the steps on the way up. There are 60 steps for the regular stairway up to 19th Street, then across the street 42 more steps continue up to the east side of Kite Hill Park, these last irregular and steeper, making Clover's total 102.
At the top of the steps is a short but steep trail in the park that leads to a bench, more trails, and nice views, Twin Peaks above to the west, pix 3, 4, 5, 6. This isn’t the only way into the park. Another entrance I especially recommend is from the dead-end of a short street called Stanton.
Had in mind to check out the Acme Alley steps down from the top so exited at the park’s upper entrance, Grandview Terrace, curving round to Grandview Ave.
Several years ago when I last hiked this area was pleased to see that Acme Alley’s upper block, a stairway, had been extended partway down to Corwin; seemed it would eventually come all the way down to the street.
Disappointed to see that it has now been blocked off at street level. So this is no longer a through stairway but now a dead-end set of downhill steps. There’s a chainlink fence with wood slats blocking the view up/out to the street; no gate. Pic 7:
The top part (pix 8, 9) is very attractive still, like it used to be, until it gets about halfway down. Then, though the wood-and-brick stairs are still there, it’s harder to see them due to straggly grasses. Stopped at 50 for the staircount down because it didn’t look like it was through to the street anymore. So why’d they close this one off after such a promising beginning?
There’s both a street sign for Acme and the good-looking handmade sign that used to be there (pic 10). Assumed by now it’d be a striking gardenspot all the way down. Now if I lived there...
Above the Seward Minipark (pic 11) at Corwin is the Corwin Street Community Garden. Alongside the garden is the lower part of Acme Alley, a steep concrete slab that has a dead-end sign at the top and posts to prevent vehicles near the foot, with 10 steps leading from the lower part into the tiny park with its unique double slide, pic 12.
There are several sets of short stairways in the Seward Minipark area. The one I took was 15 steps down from the elevated Seward St. sidewalk, at the foot of which, just ahead, was the main Douglass stairway near Seward and 20th: 13 thru 16.
There are 94 steps for the main Douglass stairway. Crossing the narrow street at the top, the steps continue: 15 more to an elevated sidewalk (17, 18, 19) that curves around to come out at Romain. There are three sets of 15 steps each along the length of the Douglass upper walk. So Douglass stairway has a total of 109 steps counting just one of the sets of 15 to the elevated walkway.
Back down Douglass to 20th, passing the Collingwood sidewalk steps (both sides) on my way out to Castro to catch the #24 MUNI on its way down Castro Hill. Homes on 20th, pic 20. House on Castro at 20th, last pic.
1. Clover St.
2. At Clover St. & Caselli starts Clover Lane
3. Trail into Kite Hill Park from eastside/Clover Ln. steps
4. Kite Hill Park
5. Kite Hill Park
6. Kite Hill Park
7. Acme steps no longer come out at Corwin
8. Acme Alley's stairway is now a dead-end
9. Acne Alley no longer runs thru to Corwin
10. Acme Alley at Grandview Ave.
11. Seward Minipark sign
12. Top of the slides
13. Foot of the main Douglass stairway at 20th Street
14. Up from 20th
15. Douglass stairway
16. Douglass stairway
17. Douglass elevated sidewalk
18. Three sets of 15 steps each to upper sidewalk
19. Douglass upper walk
20. 20th Street
21. Castro & 20th
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