Round the Long Way

Midcity Mount Sutro Forest is easy to get to for riders of public transportation if you’re okay with trekking up from the bus stops. The #43 stops at various streets one can climb up from: Stanyan, Willard, Parnassus, Seventh Ave. & Lawton — depends on what trailhead you wanna start with. What stairs you feel like ascending. 

One well-designed stairway can be accessed behind medical buildings on Parnassus (get off at the Hillway/Parnassus stop). Years ago there was another stairway back here. The steps will take you to a parking lot for UCSF employees (permits only). Hikers can continue uphill a short distance to upper Medical Center Way where you will soon see trails leading up and down from the road. 

This stairway is not as well known as the others in the area. It’s shown as a trailhead on Google Maps, however. The Medical Center Way stairs, about 136 steps: 1 thru 12. 

Uphilling steepishly to the road, crossing it for the trailhead for the (upper) Historic Trail. This time the whole trail, winding round the north, then west side of the mountain to the summit: 13 thru 24. 

Right next to the upper trailhead for Christopher, a trail blockage for "treework." Also caution signs for upper Medical Center Way at the guardrail, like last time. No need for me to detour though. 

The summit benches: pic 25.

Down the East Ridge Trail: 26 thru 30. 

Another gorgeous way to enter the forest is from the south dead-end of Edgewood Ave. onto the Edgewood Trail. 

Edgewood Trail: 31 thru 43.

The Farnsworth Lane steps (149) will take you to the north dead-end for vehicles of redbrick Edgewood Avenue. Farnsworth, up from Willard: 44 thru 48. 

Another way into the forest is from the top of Farnsworth (at the swing, miraculously still there) a few yards west to a trail behind Edgewood homes -- to come out at the parking lot very near the top of the above described Medical Center Way stairway. 

1. Foot of the Medical Center Way stairs

2. Starting up behind the medical buildings

3. Wood railings warmed by the sun

4. About 136 steps

5. Beautiful, underappreciated stairway

6. Well-designed

7. Short offshoot wood stairway leads to a trail behind Edgewood Ave. homes

8. Upper wood walkway between steps

9. Evenly spaced steps

10. That treehouse feeling

11. Nearing the top

12. Top of the stairs at the parking lot

13. Trailhead (center marker) for Historic Trail up from Medical Center Way

14. Looking down at the road, north

15. Offtrail rock, a good lunch spot

16. Historic Trail curves around

17. Lush and magical

18. Historic Trail solitude

19. Golden Gate Park center

20. West Ridge Trail below

21. West Ridge Trail goes up and down, This time staying on the Historic.

22. Winding around

23. Love being alone up here

24. Close to the turnoff for the summit

25. Summit benches

26. East Ridge Trail

27. East Ridge Trail

28. Medical Center Way below

29. Trailhead for the East Ridge

30. East Ridge trailhead up from Johnstone Dr.

31. Fairy Gates Trail down from the guardrail

32. Down to the Edgewood Trail

33. The Edgewood is switchbacky

34. Looking back (south)

35. Another good switchback

36. I like this guy

37. Below Medical Center Way

38. Edgewood Trail

39. Out to the south dead-end of Edgewood Ave.

40. Lower Historic Trail below

41. Out at Edgewood Ave.

42. Edgewood Ave. trailhead

43. Into the f0rest from redbricked Edgewood Ave.

44. Swing at top of Farnsworth Lane & Edgewood

45. 149 steps

46. Near the top

47. Farnsworth between Edgewood and Willard

48. Foot of Farnsworth Lane at Willard, just above Parnassus