Lands End Hike San Francisco

Lands Zen

Hiking Lincoln Park Steps and Lands End in San Francisco

Find a little peace in San Francisco on an urban walk featuring a beautiful stairway, panoramic views, a labyrinth, and plentiful coastal drama. Indeed, Lands End is a popular outing on the weekend, but go early or a couple of hours before sunset to avoid the thick crowds. And start at the Lincoln Park Steps at the very end of California Street.

Less than a mile in, take the turnoff for Mile Rock Beach. This is also the way to the famous Lands End labyrinth. Claim your calm here for a while or continue down to the pocket beach and sidle up to a piece of driftwood. Lands End Trail continues for another half mile to the modern visitor center and popular Sutro Baths ruins. Return the way you came. This hike’s so classic we like to return to it, every now and zen.

This once simple and crumbling staircase was transformed into a colorful work of mosaic art. Brightly colored tiled steps lead up to Lincoln Park. At the top, turn right and walk the dirt trail along the golf course. The trail crosses the street to join Lands End Trail, the coast-hugging beauty that gives way to views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, and Point Bonita Lighthouse.

BONUS FOOD & BEER: Add a little comfort food and beer to your outing by stopping at the Lincoln Park Bar & Grill. Keep south past the Lincoln Park Steps for about a block, and you’ll see it on the golf course. This place is not fancy, and the patio seating leaves a bit to be desired, but its location on the golf course and view of the Golden Gate makes up for it, as does the BLT sandwich and chicken strips & fries.

Start at the Lincoln Park Steps, at California St. and 32nd Ave. (map). Walk up the stairs and turn right. Walk beside the golf course, cross Lincoln Hwy., and start walking the Lands End Trail. It's about 1.5 miles (one-way) to the end. Turn around and come back the way to you came. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View