California Coastal Trail - San Francisco

Park in the parking lot just off of Point Lobos Avenue and walk north toward the trailhead. If this lot is full, you can turn north onto El Camino Del Mar where there is a larger parking lot.

In 1887, at Adolph Sutro's urging, Congress designated Seal Rocks a marine preserve--one of the nation's first--to protect the colony of sea lions that resided there. The colony has since moved around the Golden Gate to Pier 39, but you can still spot sea lions and seals off Lands End.

The Sutro Baths were a large public bath house constructed in 1896 and served the San Francisco community until 1966 when the building burned down (how ironic).

Take the short path down to the shore to get a closer look. There is a small tunnel you can walk through under the main platform to see the waves crashing on the nearby rocks.

When you are done, continue back up the path to meet up with the main coastal trail.

Sweeping views of the entire Golden Gate are offered along the trails at Lands End. Vistas include the Marin Headlands, Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Ocean and the Mile Rock lighthouse, all of which can be seen from the California Coastal Trail.

Three overlooks along the trail offer seating and photo opportunities. At Eagles Point, at the east end of Lands End, a wooden viewing platform and staircase on the cliff face provides a sweeping view of the entire Golden Gate--the entrance to San Francisco Harbor.

Drive-in vista points are located on El Camino del Mar and the Lands End parking lot and offer similar views. Continue north along the Lands End overlook with its view of the Sutro Baths, Cliff House, Seal Rocks and Pacific Ocean to the trailhead where more information is available.

Behind you, you will find a staircase leading to the USS San Francisco Memorial, which you will visit later in the tour.

About halfway along the trail you will reach an optional detour that allows you to walk to the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth was created by a local artist and also offers great views of the Marin Headlands across the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

Take your time to walk the maze, but don't cheat!

If you want more time at the beach, there is a trail leading to the shore where you can get closer to the waves crashing on the rocks.

Lands end stops here and the wealthy Sea Cliff area begins. Follow the sidewalk and stay left and you will soon arrive at an entrance to Baker Beach.

Here you will find some steps leading down to the start of Baker Beach. The next section can be walked along the beach or on harder ground near the parking lots.

Take these stairs up to the main road where you will turn to your left and find the beginning of the Batteries to Bluffs trail.

Soon you will reach the batteries and you can take some time to explore and walk around them.

You will also have great views of the beach below, as well as of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands in the distance to the right.

You can take a short sidetrip down to Marshall Bridge where you can watch the waves crash on the sand or just relax and take a break.

Here is another great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The trail turns to the right here, where it will end at a parking lot. You can choose to continue along the Coastal Trail to the Golden Gate Bridge, or turn back the way you came.

This section of the Coastal Trail ends at the Golden Gate Bridge (but the full trail crosses the bridge and continues into Marin Headlands, but that hike is for another day.