29 Sep Urban hiking

Ever since my trip to Yosemite some weeks ago, I have really been longing to do another hike and hit the trail again. This Monday I decided to be serious about my longings – so I went on an urban hike.

Wait, what, urban hike? Yes, I know what you may think; I was also like that when I first got to know the term through some desperate Googling for nearby hikes the other day. Cause city life and hiking, those are perhaps not environments that goes hand in hand. Well, in SF it apparently is!

I started my hike at Castro Muni station and pressed play on a podcast, my hiking buddy for the day. From there I started walking up, up the streets towards my goal: Twin Peaks. Instead of steep hills and trails, the urban hike offers a different terrain. Stairs and asphalt is a part of the deal.

First, some really “urban” steps…

… Then it became more rural!

The closer I came Twin Peaks and the last part of the hike, the slower I walked. Not because I was tired (okay, I’ll admit that was also a part of it!), but because I constantly had to turn around and take in the view. Wow, the city has never looked cooler or more beautiful than it did from high up above!

The last part of the hike really felt like one. As I was almost at the top, the trail became more rural and I could feel the wind surrounding me. And of course – the fog. I made my way up to both of the peaks (The “twin” in Twin Peaks suddenly made sense), snapped some shameless selfies and then walked down again.

View from Twin Peaks, 282 meters above sea level.

In conclusion, urban hiking in SF was definitely a pleasant surprise. Next time I’m hitting Mount Davidson – the biggest top of the city, hehe. And! If you do this hike, or if you’re just in the Castro area for other reasons, I really recommend taking a stop at the café Bebebar near Dolores Park. They serve the most delicious açai-bowl – in other words the perfect hipster treat after doing an urban hike :)

Lucia Acai Bowl at Bebebar. Just – wow…