New reasons, routes, and resources for walking in San Francisco
We know walking is good for us and for so many reasons.
Just a two-minute walk after a meal helps moderate blood sugar. Walking connects us to the world around us and to each other. Walking helps regulate our emotions, organize our thoughts, and spark our creativity – and simply makes us feel happier.
You would think that as someone who works at Walk SF, I wouldn’t need to make New Year’s resolutions about walking more. Not true! That’s partly why my family and I have set a goal of 50 walks of any length by March 1 as a way to spark after-dinner walks. We’ve done seven so far.
Whether or not you’ve made a walk-related New Year’s resolution, here are some great new walking routes and resources.
New walk destinations
China Basin Park to Crane Cove Park to Warm Water Cove Park
Our city keeps getting more wonderful parks. China Basin Park near Oracle Park is one of the newest ones and a good place to start a ~3-mile walk from Mission Bay through the Dogpatch.
While you’re there, be sure to go check out Dr. Maya Angelou Paseo, a pedestrian-only street in Mission Rock that has “street rooms” to hang out in (read more and check out photos).
Continue to Crane Cove Park and then to Warm Water Cove Park, staying near the waterfront for most of the way. Carl Nolte just wrote about the history of the areas around both parks, which is worth a read on your walk.
Middle Lake in Golden Gate Park
Middle Lake had a major overhaul completed last year that turned this part of the park into a destination. It’s stunning, with more than 10,000 native plants among the trees and trails. Definitely do the one-mail Middle Lake Loop trail, and be sure to also explore the path that runs along the 800-foot, meandering creek and waterfalls up to the fly casting pools (where there’s also a public bathroom).
Here’s a four-mile loop hike in Golden Gate Park that includes Middle Lake.
The Double Cross
Last year, this new 14-mile route across San Francisco was born. It can be done in sections, and I promise there are many sections from the southwest to northeast of our city you’ve never set foot on. Plan your hike now!
Wanting something a little more lowkey? Check out our blog from last year for small walks with big views.
New walk resources
We’re already testing out and finetuning the route for the SF Stair Challenge on Saturday, May 3, 2025 (mark your calendar!).
If you want to start training – or just check out some of the 900+ public stairways in San Francisco – you need to get the tenth edition of Stairway Walks of San Francisco: The Joy of Urban Exploring that came out in October.
Mary Burk has lovingly carried on the work of Adah Bakalinsky, who wrote the first edition of the guidebook back in 1984 and passed away in November. You can read our interview with Mary Burk, which includes some must-see stairways.
All intrepid walkers in San Francisco also need The Walker’s Map of San Francisco, which also has a brand-new edition and includes all trails, stairways, and Slow Streets so you can plot out your own adventure. There’s also a wall map version, which looks great hanging up here in the Walk SF office.
Share your walks with us
As always, we love to see and share where people are walking in San Francisco. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #IWalkSF and @walksf. We may feature your photo in our newsletter.
