Completed: July 15, 2023 | Elevation: Mount Sutro – 908′, Tank Hill – 650′ | Trail: Mt. Sutro – Historic > Edgewood > East Ridge > West Ridge > Historic Loop | Distance: 2 miles
On a day when the weather across the Bay Area looked ominously hot, we chose to stay in San Francisco, a speck of yellow surrounded by a sea of red. I had saved the city hikes specifically for an occasion like this, where it would be unpleasant to be outside anywhere else but here. All too often we complain about the fog and wind and low temperatures that necessitate jackets all year round, but when it’s pushing 80 to 90 degrees in other cities, and triple digits in the southern US, I’m grateful for the modulating effects of the ocean that keep the city a cool 70 degrees in the summer.
Since it was such a beautiful day we got on the scooter and made our way to the other side of town to hike Mount Sutro and nearby Tank Hill, two peaks that we were very familiar with. We parked at the Historic Trailhead, located on Stanyan near 17th Street. It’s entrance is tucked in between the homes and marked by some wooden steps. Crossing the threshold from the sidewalk into the park, is like stepping into another world, one filled with soaring eucalyptus trees and dense vegetation. It’s easy to forget that one is in the middle of a city.
We followed the Historic Trail and then veered left at the first intersection up the hill. At the next trail junction, we turned left onto Fairy Gates Trail and walked towards the road with the intention of continuing our hike to the top of Mt. Sutro via the North Ridge Trail, but saw that it was closed. As a result, we ended up walking along the road towards the Aldea Housing complex, turning left onto Johnstone Drive and hopping onto the East Ridge Trail instead. It was a nice short hike to Mt. Sutro, marked by views of the Bay and several benches and picnic tables at the top.
From here we continued down to the West Ridge Trail before turning back onto the Historic Trail, and returning to our scooter.
It was then a short ride to the Belgrave steps that lead to Tank Hill. While the hill itself isn’t anything much to look at, the 360° views are breathtaking on a clear day. We could see the fog rolling in, being sucked under the Golden Gate Bridge by the warmer inland air. To the east, the tall buildings of downtown rose up, and it was clear all the way to Mt. Diablo in the distance.
There were only a few other people up here, like us, enjoying the unobstructed views of the city.
Follow our progress bagging the Bay Area’s Nifty Ninety here.
Coda
San Francisco has a lot of green space, and one doesn’t have to go far, regardless of which neighborhood you live in, to find a park, big or small. Mt. Sutro Open Space Preserve falls somewhere in the middle, its 61-acres owned and managed by UCSF. Sure, not all parks will have hiking trails, but the ability to access one is definitely something the city has done well.
Getting to the top of Tank Hill doesn’t really qualify as a hike, especially if like us you drive to the steps, but given it’s proximity to the Mt. Sutro Open Space Preserve, it’s entire possible to combine the two into a longer urban hike.