It’s April, with warmer temperatures, wildflower blooms and clear skies. Spring beckons visitors and those who simply want to spend time outdoors in some of San Francisco’s great recreation areas. The following is a list of parks and peaks with elevations, stairs and trails that will get your heart rate up and meet app-related fitness goals—step counts and then some. With the sun rising at 6:30 a.m. and setting close to 8 p.m., there’s plenty of daylight—and time—to make the climbs and take in the spectacular views.
Venturing up Folsom Street and onto Bernal Heights Boulevard will get you to Bernal Heights Park. There’s a wide paved walkway around the lower perimeter of the park, with the option to take stairs or a gravel path upward to rocky, narrower trails above. The park offers stellar 360-degree views, revealing how the city’s 47 square miles cover a lot of ground.
In the Haight-Ashbury and Buena Vista Heights neighborhoods is Buena Vista Park, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sutro Tower and other landmarks. A sidewalk lines the park’s perimeter—a section goes along Haight Street—with inclines in both directions. Stairs, as well as paved and gravel paths, lead into the park’s center, a flat grassy area where you can congratulate yourself for making it to the top. Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Near Buena Vista Park is Corona Heights Park on Roosevelt and Museum ways. Its circumference is smaller compared to other parks, but the climb to the rock-laden top is nonetheless a workout, and it boasts an impressive panorama of the city. For a map of the park, go to sfrecpark.org.
When at Glen Canyon Park, you may wonder, “Wait. Am I walking on the slope of a canyon?” You are, and if you focus on terrain below and ahead of you, rather than staring down at your phone, you stand a fair chance of staying upright, continuing onward and seeing a gorgeous landscape with copious wildflowers. Accessible via Elk and Chenery streets, the 60-plus acre park is surrounded by the Diamond Heights, Miraloma Park and Glen Canyon neighborhoods. A trail map is available at sfrecpark.org.
While many San Francisco parks are in neighborhoods with the same name, Lands End, in the Outer Richmond in the city’s northwest area, is a loner. Its Coastal Trail meanders next to the Pacific Ocean, with the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge a picturesque backdrop. Whether you pick up the trail from the Point Lobos Avenue lookout near the Sutro Baths or from Eagle’s Point on El Camino Del Mar, the views are uniformly serene. Find a trail map at nps.gov.
Named after Golden Gate Park’s former superintendent, John McLaren Park is one of the largest parks in San Francisco, with 300-plus acres, over seven miles of trails and great views of the city from a distance from different vantage points. Located on Mansell Street and John F. Shelley Drive, the vast park is surrounded by the Excelsior, Crocker-Amazon and Portola neighborhoods. A trail map is available at sfrecpark.org.
Farther up from Glen Canyon Park off Portola Drive is Mount Davidson Park, the highest point in the city, with an elevation gain of 938 feet. The park has lower and upper trails around its perimeter; the uppermost section is home to the 103-foot Mount Davidson Cross, designed and built in 1934.
A park, natural area, landscape, or place way up there—no matter how you describe Twin Peaks, one thing is certain: It’s a “must” on any list of city climbs that offer a visual reward. At 925 feet, its peaks are second and third, elevation-wise, just under Mount Davidson. Climbers must brave numerous wooden stairs; heading back down is equally, if not more, daunting—particularly on the southernmost (rear) peak.* But those careful steps are worth it: It’s not just a stunning view on Twin Peaks—it’s a one-of-a-kind experience.
*Phase II of the Twin Peaks Trail Improvement Project, which gets underway in May 2024, involves “the construction of new box steps and stringer steps,” as stated on signs posted at Twin Peaks.
Note: San Francisco parks hours are 5 a.m. to midnight unless indicated otherwise.