Today's was a vigorous two-park hike, my starting point the northwest slope of Buena Vista Park. Uphill on the elevated west sidewalk this time, heading south to the newer stairways and the gardeny trails that cross W-to-E on the park's south slope as you head down the main stairway.
Wound around to Upper Terrace where Buena Vista West meets Buena Vista East, with a short detour up an older wooden flight (36 steps) and back down again. This very old park near Haight-Ashbury shops has lots of stairways and trails and is the taller of today's two hills. Corona Heights Park is a few blocks away: first pic, taken from a bench in Buena Vista Park, showing Corona's westside steps.
The south side of Buena Vista was renovated several years ago and there's now one newer main stairway (171 steps: next three pics). It climbs from the elevated concrete sidewalk that runs all around the park nearly to the summit. At the top of the steps there's a green "Keep dogs on leash … No littering" sign. Along the way are east-west trails with retaining walls you can sit on (fifth pic). The stairway continues down to the foot of the park (sixth pic).
Headed over to Corona Heights Park from the foot of this stairway, east on Buena Vista East to Park Hill, then steeply down to Roosevelt and 15th St.
Same stairway counts today as I got on earlier hikes for Corona's stairways old and new. From the west entrance at Museum Way and Roosevelt, near the dog park, you can see the foot of a 100-step wood stairway (seventh pic) that curves around to the rocky summit (eighth pic). At the rocks, I curved round to the south side (ninth pic) and again got 41 steps up here to a short trail. This turned into another stairway with 62 steps that came out at the now TWO benches at the top of the main eastside trail. Another bench, green, has been added across from the older one.
Some of this park's trails and stairways were given facelifts a few years ago also, but the main east stairway is still the same most of the way down: rocky and uneven. Watch your step down this long section (10th pic). You'll pass one more bench on the way down. There are 130 steps from the benches down to the foot at the east side of the Randall Museum (the side with the live animal room). More steps lead up to the nature museum.
Out of the park on the steep, switchbacked ramp (last pic). This will take you down to States St. in the Corona Heights neighborhood. Descended on States to Castro and 17th this time.
Earlier strolling the short distance between the bus stop at Masonic & Haight and the north side of Buena Vista Park: discovered a new little shop called "Happy High Herbs" and was intrigued enough to stop in for a look. Glad I did: it sells hard-to-find specialty herbs in small bags, like ho-shou-wu, guarana, and cat's claw, difficult to find (except online). Must return next payday for some of these goodies to use in my morning smoothies. There's also a store in Berkeley.
Happy High Herbs at 1391 Haight (at Masonic)
sfstore.ca@happyhighherbs.com
www.sfhappyhighherbs.com
Wound around to Upper Terrace where Buena Vista West meets Buena Vista East, with a short detour up an older wooden flight (36 steps) and back down again. This very old park near Haight-Ashbury shops has lots of stairways and trails and is the taller of today's two hills. Corona Heights Park is a few blocks away: first pic, taken from a bench in Buena Vista Park, showing Corona's westside steps.
The south side of Buena Vista was renovated several years ago and there's now one newer main stairway (171 steps: next three pics). It climbs from the elevated concrete sidewalk that runs all around the park nearly to the summit. At the top of the steps there's a green "Keep dogs on leash … No littering" sign. Along the way are east-west trails with retaining walls you can sit on (fifth pic). The stairway continues down to the foot of the park (sixth pic).
Headed over to Corona Heights Park from the foot of this stairway, east on Buena Vista East to Park Hill, then steeply down to Roosevelt and 15th St.
Same stairway counts today as I got on earlier hikes for Corona's stairways old and new. From the west entrance at Museum Way and Roosevelt, near the dog park, you can see the foot of a 100-step wood stairway (seventh pic) that curves around to the rocky summit (eighth pic). At the rocks, I curved round to the south side (ninth pic) and again got 41 steps up here to a short trail. This turned into another stairway with 62 steps that came out at the now TWO benches at the top of the main eastside trail. Another bench, green, has been added across from the older one.
Some of this park's trails and stairways were given facelifts a few years ago also, but the main east stairway is still the same most of the way down: rocky and uneven. Watch your step down this long section (10th pic). You'll pass one more bench on the way down. There are 130 steps from the benches down to the foot at the east side of the Randall Museum (the side with the live animal room). More steps lead up to the nature museum.
Out of the park on the steep, switchbacked ramp (last pic). This will take you down to States St. in the Corona Heights neighborhood. Descended on States to Castro and 17th this time.
Earlier strolling the short distance between the bus stop at Masonic & Haight and the north side of Buena Vista Park: discovered a new little shop called "Happy High Herbs" and was intrigued enough to stop in for a look. Glad I did: it sells hard-to-find specialty herbs in small bags, like ho-shou-wu, guarana, and cat's claw, difficult to find (except online). Must return next payday for some of these goodies to use in my morning smoothies. There's also a store in Berkeley.
Happy High Herbs at 1391 Haight (at Masonic)
sfstore.ca@happyhighherbs.com
www.sfhappyhighherbs.com
Corona Heights Park as seen from Buena Vista Park
Southside main stairway, Buena Vista Park
Southside main stairway, Buena Vista Park
Up the main stairway, Buena Vista Park south
Steps meet an E-W trail, Buena Vista Park
Down to the foot of the main stairway, Buena Vista Park
100 steps up the west side, Corona Heights Park
Ol' Rockytop (Corona's summit)
Starting down Corona's east side
130 steps for main eastside stairs: benches to foot of Randall Museum
The zigzaggy ramp from the park down to States St. in the Corona Heights 'hood
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