Since my last visit, new trailmarkers have been installed in Glen Canyon Park with distances helpfully included: 1 thru 6.
The markers now indicate the trail that runs thru to Portola Dr. — now called the Islais Creek Trail.
The last part of this northernmost trail, short but steeply uphill, is a rough up-scramble. As noted last time, when you reach the top you can either continue out to Portola or to the dead-ends of Amethyst and Turquoise in the Diamond Heights neighborhood: 7 thru 15.
Continued east on Turquoise as before but this time past the downhill trail into the canyon and up to the west trailhead for the highest canyon trail. This is the well-used old one that runs just below Christopher Park (Turquoise and Amber trailhead). Here a couple of new signs have been added: one of those colorful trailmaps and a green park-rules sign: 16, 17.
Newer replacement steps descend (pic 18) before you get to the main one that swoops down into the canyon from the edge of Christopher Park (the one with the viewbench).
Started as usual uphill from the Glen Park BART, trudging up Diamond until I could check on the next-bus readout for the #52: said 25 minutes until the next bus. So continued uphill, turning west this time on Arbor, out to Diamond Heights Blvd. and up the trail that's alongside the guardrail at the canyontop. Pic 19.
Onto Berkeley, past the foot of the three-block-long stairway called Onique (20, 21) and on to the dead-end of Crags Court. This time paused for a brief visit to Crags Court Community Garden, the gates unlocked as usual: 22, 23.
Down the trail that descends into the canyon from here, like it always did, but now with replacement steps.
This is the meandering new stairway I like so much (184 steps), but along the way are other trails that connect with it: 24 thru 29.
It winds leisurely around and down to the canyon floor just before the beginning of the tree-canopied part of the main canyon floor trail, with its boardwalk and footbridge over happily-flowing-along Islais Creek to start. A new park infosign has also been added here: 30, 31.
Since the new trailmarker posts indicate Portola, continued to the end to see if any steps had been added since my last visit. Nope, but watch this space. Newly added or replacement steps are all over the park, so could show up here as well. This part is marked as "Challenging" on the new trailmap (see pic 17). Also wondering if we’ll get a skyway across Portola so we can more easily continue up the south side of Twin Peaks Park.
To get to the northernmost part, you still must ascend from the main trail when it dead-ends, keep moving north just below the stiltlegs of the homes above, then descend again after a short distance (pix 32, 33).
Plunging steeply down into Noe Valley to catch the #24 Divisadero, chose Duncan this time. This. Is. Seriously. Steep. Duncan to Newburg to Castro & 26th. Last pic.
The markers now indicate the trail that runs thru to Portola Dr. — now called the Islais Creek Trail.
The last part of this northernmost trail, short but steeply uphill, is a rough up-scramble. As noted last time, when you reach the top you can either continue out to Portola or to the dead-ends of Amethyst and Turquoise in the Diamond Heights neighborhood: 7 thru 15.
Continued east on Turquoise as before but this time past the downhill trail into the canyon and up to the west trailhead for the highest canyon trail. This is the well-used old one that runs just below Christopher Park (Turquoise and Amber trailhead). Here a couple of new signs have been added: one of those colorful trailmaps and a green park-rules sign: 16, 17.
Newer replacement steps descend (pic 18) before you get to the main one that swoops down into the canyon from the edge of Christopher Park (the one with the viewbench).
Started as usual uphill from the Glen Park BART, trudging up Diamond until I could check on the next-bus readout for the #52: said 25 minutes until the next bus. So continued uphill, turning west this time on Arbor, out to Diamond Heights Blvd. and up the trail that's alongside the guardrail at the canyontop. Pic 19.
Onto Berkeley, past the foot of the three-block-long stairway called Onique (20, 21) and on to the dead-end of Crags Court. This time paused for a brief visit to Crags Court Community Garden, the gates unlocked as usual: 22, 23.
Down the trail that descends into the canyon from here, like it always did, but now with replacement steps.
This is the meandering new stairway I like so much (184 steps), but along the way are other trails that connect with it: 24 thru 29.
It winds leisurely around and down to the canyon floor just before the beginning of the tree-canopied part of the main canyon floor trail, with its boardwalk and footbridge over happily-flowing-along Islais Creek to start. A new park infosign has also been added here: 30, 31.
Since the new trailmarker posts indicate Portola, continued to the end to see if any steps had been added since my last visit. Nope, but watch this space. Newly added or replacement steps are all over the park, so could show up here as well. This part is marked as "Challenging" on the new trailmap (see pic 17). Also wondering if we’ll get a skyway across Portola so we can more easily continue up the south side of Twin Peaks Park.
To get to the northernmost part, you still must ascend from the main trail when it dead-ends, keep moving north just below the stiltlegs of the homes above, then descend again after a short distance (pix 32, 33).
Plunging steeply down into Noe Valley to catch the #24 Divisadero, chose Duncan this time. This. Is. Seriously. Steep. Duncan to Newburg to Castro & 26th. Last pic.
1. One of the new trailmarkers
2. This refers to the day camp in the park
3. This way to the Glen Park Recreation Center
4. Now these trails have names
5. Big arrows point the way
6. Islais Creek Trail now out to Portola
7. The trail starts to climb
8. A steepish scramble
9. Continuing up
10. Gettin' high
11. Up to the top at the fence
12. School playing field below
13. Treestumps to sit on and enjoy the view
14. Starting down on the north side
15. Portola, right. End of Amethyst near Turquoise, Diamond Heights
16. Uppermost Canyon trail, just below Christopher Park
17. New trailmap at the Canyontop trail
18. Replacement steps down from this trail
19. A view from Diamond Heights Blvd.
20. Onique steps start up from Berkeley Way
21. Three blocks long: Onique Lane to Topaz, Diamond Heights
22. Crags Court Community Garden, Diamond Heights
23. Crags Court Community Garden
24. Into the Canyon from the dead-end of Crags Court
25. Winding around
26. 184 steps
27. View from the stairs
28. Pleasantly curving around
29. Looking back
30. More steps ascending from the boardwalk
31. New park infosign
32. Right out to Turquoise; left down to northernmost trail
33. Longlegged Diamond Heights homes above
34. Duncan-Castro Openspace in distance, right, Noe Valley
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