Was going to start a Mount Sutro Openspace Reserve hike at the Farnsworth stairway (149 steps), but the bus driver ignored my requested stop at Willard (Farnsworth's foot is at Willard), and the next stop was Hillway.
So instead went around behind the UCSF hospital buildings to access another long stairway that climbs from the foot of Medical Center Way. This has around 136 steps (first two pics) and ascends to a parking lot. Before the top there's an offshoot short stairway that will take you to a trail behind the houses on Edgewood (third pic).
From the top of the main stairway, continue to the west across the parking lot. To the left is another stairway that runs through along the side of one of the medical buildings (46 steps), at the top of which you'll see a shuttle stop up ahead on a higher part of winding Medical Center Way.
There's a walkers' trail on one side of the road (fourth pic), on which I passed the downhill trailmarkers for the Edgewood and Fairy Gates trails. There's been a new bulletin board addition in this area since my last visit with info about the park. Moving along, started up the East Ridge Trail, which trailhead is directly across from the Aldea Center building.
Up to the summit native plant garden (Rotary Meadow) on the East Ridge, where near the benches is another new informative bulletin board.
Starting down from the summit on the west side, turned so was soon walking above the Quarry Road Trail and nursery area, now on Behr with residences on both sides.
Down to Johnstone, returned on Medical Center Way to the Fairy Gates trailhead. Turned onto the Edgewood Trail since I hadn't enjoyed this one for a while, often instead choosing the (lower) Historic Trail out to Stanyan (at 17th).
The Edgewood Trail (next three pix) comes out at the south vehicle dead-end of redbricked Edgewood, the street. A couple of blocks north will take you to the top of the Farnsworth stairway (last pic), so just descended to Willard today instead of starting up from it.
So instead went around behind the UCSF hospital buildings to access another long stairway that climbs from the foot of Medical Center Way. This has around 136 steps (first two pics) and ascends to a parking lot. Before the top there's an offshoot short stairway that will take you to a trail behind the houses on Edgewood (third pic).
From the top of the main stairway, continue to the west across the parking lot. To the left is another stairway that runs through along the side of one of the medical buildings (46 steps), at the top of which you'll see a shuttle stop up ahead on a higher part of winding Medical Center Way.
There's a walkers' trail on one side of the road (fourth pic), on which I passed the downhill trailmarkers for the Edgewood and Fairy Gates trails. There's been a new bulletin board addition in this area since my last visit with info about the park. Moving along, started up the East Ridge Trail, which trailhead is directly across from the Aldea Center building.
Up to the summit native plant garden (Rotary Meadow) on the East Ridge, where near the benches is another new informative bulletin board.
Starting down from the summit on the west side, turned so was soon walking above the Quarry Road Trail and nursery area, now on Behr with residences on both sides.
Down to Johnstone, returned on Medical Center Way to the Fairy Gates trailhead. Turned onto the Edgewood Trail since I hadn't enjoyed this one for a while, often instead choosing the (lower) Historic Trail out to Stanyan (at 17th).
The Edgewood Trail (next three pix) comes out at the south vehicle dead-end of redbricked Edgewood, the street. A couple of blocks north will take you to the top of the Farnsworth stairway (last pic), so just descended to Willard today instead of starting up from it.
Farnsworth stairway
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