Hiking San Francisco-A bus/hike adventure to Marin County

Hiking San Francisco is one of our favorite activities and a healthy, enjoyable way to spend some of our precious free time.

Sometimes a bus/hike adventure to Marin County just seems like the right thing to do. A one-way hike let's one cover some ground, and taking the bus to a trail head is a nice alternative to driving. It's easy to do just that as we discovered on a recent weekend.

The Golden Gate Transit runs busses from the Pacific Heights/Russian Hill/Nob Hill area of San Francisco to various spots in Marin. (I'm sure there are other busses, but I haven't yet discovered which and where.) On Saturdays and Sundays the Nos. 10, 70, and 80 run approximately every 30 minutes, We caught one at 8:00 AM just 2 blocks away from our condo at Pacific Place. Over the Golden Gate Bridge we went, to Marin City where we got off the bus about 45 minutes later.

Our hike started through attractive residential streets for a handful of blocks, then up a steep dirt road until we joined up with the Alta Trail in the Marin Headlands, the vast open space land managed by the Golden Gate National Recreational Area (GGNRA for short.) This beautiful land has vistas galore, and a network of trails and fire roads leading to adventures in many directions. Our hike was taking us back to San Francisco, so we headed south. Glance right, and the Pacific Ocean and vast swaths of parkland are on the west; Richardson Bay, Tiburon and Angel Island and soon the entire heart of San Francisco Bay to the east and south. Finally, the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge soar into sight, with the drama of San Francisco itself beyond.

Our lovely hike, about 13 miles in length, took in remote stretches with no one else around, Slacker Hill with unbelievably beautiful views, across the Golden Gate Bridge, down along the shores of Crissy Field, the Marina Green and Fort Mason and then up the sidewalks along Van Ness Avenue and back home before 3:00 PM.
Living My San Francisco Dream, without cars when I'm not working, enjoying both urban and wild land delights.