Started down the 128 steps that descend from the lower parking lot overlook near the Lands End Lookout building (first pic). At the foot started over to the cavetop viewplace to ascend the Coastal Trail from its westernmost trailhead (141 steps), but was told the trail was closed; noticed construction equipment partway up.
This is the westernmost beginning of the Coastal Trail. It got a facelift in 2009 when the existing steps at the cavetop were extended up the slope.
Climbed back up and tried it again at the east trailhead. Able to go partway down where I came upon one of those plastic fences blocking the trail with a notice on it re the “Sutro Ruins Trail.” Pix 2, 3.
They’re in the process of removing 170 feet of a former underground fuel pipeline and associated contaminated soil. The time stated for this project is between July 21 and August 31.
Heading east, came to the place on the curving paved trail where I had been in a habit of taking a shortcut by stepping over the short barrier and up a dirt trail, then back onto the paved part.This time noticed my shortcut has now been widened to a regular fenced (still dirt) trail, pic 4.
Up the stairway at the first overlook on the main Lands End Trail. It’s steep, 59 steps, leading to the upper parking lot overlook at the east edge of which you can access the El Camino del Mar Trail. In two previous incarnations for this stairway, it was winding; now straight up. Wish they’d kept one of the curvy styles. Pix 5, 6.
Between the first and second main Lands End Trail overlooks, pic 7.
The second main Lands End Trail overlook as seen from the El Camino del Mar Trail, pic 8.
90 steps for the curvy connector between the El Camino and the main Lands End Trail, pix 9, 10.
Up the steps to the west end of the Legion of Honor Parking Lot (46 steps), continuing to the VA Hospital parking lot via the short Battle of the Bulge Trail and over to the picnic area below the parking lot. 78 or so steps for the south stairway (pix 11, 12) and 72 back up the other side: 13, 14, 15.
From the main Lands End trail/Coastal Trail, a long (around 262 steps) stairway descends to Mile Rock Beach, pix 16 thru 22. It's an up 'n back stairway. However, partway down is an openspace trail (pic 23) that climbs to the clifftop viewplace where the Labyrinth lives: 24 thru 27. You can climb back from here on another skinny trail that will take you to partway up the stairs: 28 through 31.
Up the main Lands End Trail stairway I call the “Painted Rock,” 138 steps, pic 32, then down the east side,120 steps, pic 33.
Last pic: Out the east side of the park on the main Lands End/Coastal Trail.
This is the westernmost beginning of the Coastal Trail. It got a facelift in 2009 when the existing steps at the cavetop were extended up the slope.
Climbed back up and tried it again at the east trailhead. Able to go partway down where I came upon one of those plastic fences blocking the trail with a notice on it re the “Sutro Ruins Trail.” Pix 2, 3.
They’re in the process of removing 170 feet of a former underground fuel pipeline and associated contaminated soil. The time stated for this project is between July 21 and August 31.
Heading east, came to the place on the curving paved trail where I had been in a habit of taking a shortcut by stepping over the short barrier and up a dirt trail, then back onto the paved part.This time noticed my shortcut has now been widened to a regular fenced (still dirt) trail, pic 4.
Up the stairway at the first overlook on the main Lands End Trail. It’s steep, 59 steps, leading to the upper parking lot overlook at the east edge of which you can access the El Camino del Mar Trail. In two previous incarnations for this stairway, it was winding; now straight up. Wish they’d kept one of the curvy styles. Pix 5, 6.
Between the first and second main Lands End Trail overlooks, pic 7.
The second main Lands End Trail overlook as seen from the El Camino del Mar Trail, pic 8.
90 steps for the curvy connector between the El Camino and the main Lands End Trail, pix 9, 10.
Up the steps to the west end of the Legion of Honor Parking Lot (46 steps), continuing to the VA Hospital parking lot via the short Battle of the Bulge Trail and over to the picnic area below the parking lot. 78 or so steps for the south stairway (pix 11, 12) and 72 back up the other side: 13, 14, 15.
From the main Lands End trail/Coastal Trail, a long (around 262 steps) stairway descends to Mile Rock Beach, pix 16 thru 22. It's an up 'n back stairway. However, partway down is an openspace trail (pic 23) that climbs to the clifftop viewplace where the Labyrinth lives: 24 thru 27. You can climb back from here on another skinny trail that will take you to partway up the stairs: 28 through 31.
Up the main Lands End Trail stairway I call the “Painted Rock,” 138 steps, pic 32, then down the east side,120 steps, pic 33.
Last pic: Out the east side of the park on the main Lands End/Coastal Trail.
1. Steps down from lower parking lot overlook near Lands End Lookout
2, Temporary trail closure is further down
3. "Sutro Ruins Trail" supposed to reopen August 31
4. Former shortcut trail now opened up
5. Upper parking lot overlook down to Coastal Trail
6. Upper parking lot overlook/El Camino del Mar Trail down to Coastal Trail
7. Coastal Trail between first and second overlooks
8. Second Lands End Trail overlook as seen from El Camino del Mar Trail
9. Connector steps between Coastal Trail and El Camino del Mar Trail
10. Top of connector steps at El Camino del Mar Trail
11. Down to the picnic area via the south stairway
12. South stairway, below VA Hospital parking lot
13. North stairway
14. Up the north stairway to VA Hospital parking lot
15. What are these flowers alongside the north stairs?
16. Mile Rock Beach stairway descends from Coastal/Lands End Trail
17. Around 262 steps
18. An up-and-back stairway down to Mile Rock Beach
19. Partway down, the steps turn
20. Steps continue, right. For upper trail continue straight ahead.
21. Down the shady part
22. Under the tree
23. Lower left corner: the trail to the Labyrinth. Steps continue down, center.
24. The Labyrinth
25. Clifftop viewspot
26. Above Mile Rock Beach
27. A couple of trails lead to the Labyrinth, created 2004
28. Heading back to the stairway on the east trail
29. Above Mile Rock Beach
30. Back to the stairs from the viewspot
31. Narrow trail, high up
32. Back on the main Lands End Trail, the "Painted Rock" steps
33. Top of the eastside stairs
34. Wild radishes along the Lands End/Coastal Trail near the east trailhead/Eagle's Point
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