Thru the Broadway Gate

2/3/2015

One of my favorite “Gates” into the Presidio is the Broadway entrance. It’s just a few yards over from the top of the Lyon stairs (first pic, 290 steps). The park’s old east wall runs along the length of the stairway.

This east trailhead will take walkers into a hilly forested area (pix 2, 3, 4, 5).

Rather than follow the main trail to the west, I prefer heading north through the forest into the Simonds Loop neighborhood (6, 7), an eastside favorite.

Downhill from the forest on Rawles to Simonds Loop, with its 60 brick stairs and walkway … and views (8, 9, 10). This short trail isn't shown on Google Maps (Maps) but the top and foot can clearly be seen on Streetview.

West on lower Simonds Loop at the foot of the steps, crossing Presidio Blvd. over to Liggett to continue down through another forested part (pic 11) to Lover’s Lane.

Back up Lovers Lane to the south and along part of Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line: 12, 13.

Continuing west:

Above El Polin Spring: pic 14.

Accessible trail down to El Polin Spring picnic area from the southeast side, pix 15, 16. The older stairway on the south side that I used to descend from the Julius Kahn Park area got covered up several years ago, this trail replacing it.

El Polin Spring picnic area, pic 17.

Up the west side to connect with the Ecology trail (whose lower trailhead is just across from Inn of the Presidio’s back patio in the Main Post area): 69 steps. This is one of the newer stairways in the park, pix 18 thru 21, its foot across from the picnic tables.

The upper Ecology Trail winds around to Inspiration Point Overlook: 22, 23.

Old wood steps at the top of the Ecology Trail ascend to Inspiration Point Overlook (off Arguello): 24, 25, 26.

Up from Washington near Arguello Blvd. into yet another forested area, the Bay Area Ridge Trail: last pic.

1. Top of the Lyon stairway at Broadway

2. Top of Lyon steps center; east trailhead into the park to left

3. End of Broadway at Lyon Presidio Gate

4. Broadway & Lyon Presidio entrance

5. North through the forest on the east side

6. This gate's always been open for me from the forest to Simonds Loop

7. Down to Rawles St. from the forest

8. View north from upper Simonds Loop and top of the brick walk/steps

9. Upper to Lower Simonds Loop

10. 60 steps down to Lower Simonds Loop

11. Short trail down to Lover's Lane from Liggett off Presidio Blvd.

12. Wood Line

13. Wood Line near Lover's Lane

14. A trail above El Polin Spring

15. Eastside trail down to El Polin Spring

16. Accessible trail down to El Polin Spring

17. El Polin Spring picnic area

18. Foot of El Polin stairway up the west side to Ecology Trail

19. This newer stairway climbs to the Ecology Trail

20. 69 steps to Ecology Trail from El Polin on the westside

21. Top of the steps, Ecology Trail

22. Upper Ecology Trail

23. Ecology Trail below from a newer walkers' trail alongside Arguello

24. Older stairs up to Inspiration Point Overlook

25. Up to Inspiration Point Overlook

26. Ecology Trail up to Inspiration Point Overlook off Arguello

27. Off Washington near Arguello Blvd. up to Bay Area Ridge Trail

1 Comment

Joyfulgozo

7/16/2015 03:29:12 pm

I really have been enjoying reading your trail discriptions. I came across your Stairs are Heaven, because I finally asked Google When was the Presidio's Broadway Gate last seen. No way could I find it by just searching for it by the Gate's name I.e. Presidio's Broadway Gate, San Francisco, CA.
But when I asked the "When" question, your blog came up. I also keep noticing that no comments have been posted. People are missing out on your enthusiastic commenting. You are speaking from your heart. This could wondefully turn up in a book some day. I have put you in my favorites book mark .
It is past 10pm now and need to stop reading. I read about you under another of your titles (delilghtful read), and then came back to your "Stairs are Heaven". Well it took me to the top of your blog. So, I've read from the top down to your start on Sausalito. The clock time stopped me. But, I was so wanting to express my comments, there you have them.
As for my exercise skills, not much. Buses and walking and thank you Lord for rides are how I usually get around. However, I do admire your walking energy and wow, those photographs both illustrate what you want to say, plus as a by product -- act as markers for people wanting to traverse your secret & less secret avenues of access trails.
I read one time that all these stairs were for walking access to public transportation. When the people who divided up property, were only interested in the property lines & not the convenience of getting to those locations, it resulted in some cases a major inconvenience to access these areas unless one was of major athletic skills. I feel for those who had to build in these areas.
And then those steep areas in Sausalito, I believe remembering a sharing of one couple who when they moved out of their home on the steep mountain hill, they just left all their stuff and started afresh in their new residence -- they had no interest in moving all that stuff out and down the steep mountain. I was under the impression it involved many steps to the street below. EEEIIIIII!
Well, it is nearing 10:30pm. Hope you are enjoying sweet dreams of Summer Time stairsteps. //Janeen (16 July 2015)

Thru the Broadway Gate

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