Strawberry Hill in Golden Gate Park is an island, the park’s highest elevation. Stow Lake’s the water surrounding it with two pedestrian bridges connecting, the gorgeous 1893 stone bridge on the south side and another on the north: first two pix.
First up the trail on the south side (pic 3) with its five stone steps to start, then some widely spaced wood that I’d call stairs as well.
28 or so old steps on the west side will take you to the very top of the hill where there are old ruins from Sweeny Observatory (1891) that got wrecked by the ’06 quake. It’s beautiful up here: pix 4, 5. Just below this is a reservoir.
Now for the main stairway, starting down from the reservoir on the east side (pic 6), with green railings, yellow flowers, and older steps — some concrete, some wood. About 111 to the lake: 7 thru 12
Huntington Falls and the steppingstones: 13, 14, 15, 16
The Chinese Pavilion’s here too: 17
On the south side of the falls are 39 more steps that connect with the main stairway via an over-the-falls footbridge: 18, 19
Around 63 more old steps down the north side to a second bridge: 20, 21, 22, 23
The outer trail at the north part of the lake curves round to the boathouse: pic 24
Critters: the ubiquitous squirrels, ducks, and other waterbirds while meandering around the west side heading back out of the park. This dark beauty’s a muscovy duck, right? Last two pix.
1. Strawberry Hill and Stow L:ale
2. Southside pedestrian bridge
3. Trail climbing to top of Huntington Falls
4. Westside trail to very top of the hill
5. Hilllop fence; reservoir below,
6. Starting down from top near reservoir
7. Stairway turns
8. Staircolors
9. Winding down alongside the falls
10. About 111 steps
11. Stairs are old and steep
12. Down to the lake on the east side
13. Huntington Falls from the top
14. Steppingstones below
15. Walk across
16. The falls from the foot
17. Presented to SF in 1976 by sister city Taipei
18. South stairs comment with main steps partway up
19. Connector footbridge
20. Steps down the north side
21. Bench, stairs and lake
22. Old wood bench halfway down
23. About 63 steps
24. At the boathouse on the north side
25. If ya like ducks this is the place to be
26. Is this guy a Muscovy duck?
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