Bernal Desire

Sunset Hike at Bernal Heights Park in San Francisco

Bernal Heights Park in San Francisco sunset

It's one of the best views in San Francisco. Bernal Heights Park is an underrated hilltop park that beams at sunset.

Scenes from the summit are sweeping panoramas of downtown San Francisco with both the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge on display (albeit just the top of the Golden Gate Bridge towers pop into view). And San Francisco’s most underrated (best?) landmark—Sutro Tower—looks just dashing during the magic hour.

Bernal Height Park San Francisco sunset

You can wend your way up to the top of Bernal Heights Park on a variety of dirt paths from all sides. Or if you prefer a paved path, you can walk up a road (closed to traffic) on the southern side of the park. Here you’ll also find a stone labyrinth, just to add a few more twists to 2020 (did we say that?). With red-tailed hawks swooping overhead, it’s hard to believe that this island of nature in the middle of the city used to be a rock quarry.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Post-apocalyptic Pandemic Edition" Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss their sunset visit to Bernal Heights Park and why it's the best park in the city for magic hour.

BONUS: See if you can find the “painted rock.” The art theme on this rock right now is Black Trans Lives Matter.

Dog-friendly!

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