“San Francisco has 
only one drawback: 
’tis hard to leave.” 
Rudyard Kipling

Why would this British author and poet claim that The City is difficult to leave? Perhaps it’s because there is so much more to San Francisco than even natives and locals realize. In June, 2019, retired teacher Bob Siegel created the Crosstown Trail, a 17-mile diagonal route from the old Candlestick Park in the southeast to Land’s End overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the northwest corner of The City. Walkers appreciate the trail because of it’s stunning beauty and its secret paths connecting diverse neighborhoods. Some have referred to it as the perfect urban hiking adventure.

“We wanted to showcase another side of The City. We wanted to connect the neighborhoods. We wanted to show that there are a lot of trails you may not know about,” Siegel commented in an interview. He’s absolutely correct. Although I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I’ve explored many areas of The City on my bike and by foot over the years, part of the Crosstown Trail took me to areas in my home town of which I was totally unaware.

Herbert Mye, best known as the author of his famous, witty quote regarding the appeal of San Francisco, said, “It is a good thing the early settlers landed on the East Coast; if they’d landed in San Francisco first, the rest of the country would still be uninhabited.” I’ve had that thought myself.

Referring to the feeling of magic the Crosstown Trail offers, one urban hiker mentioned, “You’d be following the turn-by-turn instructions (available online) walking down a street and then a secret passageway would appear, just as promised, as if by magic.” This was my experience yesterday as I ventured out with my longtime friend, Mary, to enjoy the second leg of the trail — from Glen Park BART Station to Forest Hill Station across from Laguna Honda Hospital. 

We began with a brief visit at the Bello Café on Diamond Street. From there, we followed the Glen Park Greenbelt up Chenery Street to Glen Park Playground. Behind the playground is a trail leading to Glen Canyon, the summer location of Silver Tree Day Camp, where I worked as a junior counselor during my high school years. The trail continues all the way to the back of Glen Canyon and up the hill to Portola Drive. After crossing the street, we continued up Twin Peaks Boulevard to Panorama Drive, which led us to the upper level of the Laguna Honda Trail. We followed the path down the steep hill into a ravine adjacent to Clarendon Avenue. Walking this part of the trail was like walking through Paradise.

This segment of the Crosstown Trail ends at Laguna Honda Boulevard, the location of Forest Hill Station. By that time, we were ready for lunch, so we walked down to West Portal to enjoy a bite to eat at Original Joe’s at the corner of 15th Avenue and West Portal.

In all, we logged 7 miles (17,500 steps). The challenge of the day wasn’t so much the distance as the changes in elevation. Climbing up and down the hills put my almost 72-year-old body to the test. I woke up this morning a bit sore, but feeling great about the day.

I am incredibly grateful for the experience of walking part of the Crosstown Trail. I also appreciate the opportunity to spend some quality time with my friend, Mary. 

Actor Robert Redford once said this about The City: “San Franciscans are very proud of their city, and they should be. It’s the most beautiful place in the world.”