Plan Your Trip

TRAIL STATUS UPDATES

Candlestick State Recreational Area IS open. Access can be confusing, see our post on How to Get to Candlestick Park.

Maps & Directions

The trail is not signed but you can use any of the three options below to guide you on your trip. 

1. Smartphone Mapping App

Click here to download the OuterSpatial app on your phone. This will let you download all the directions and maps, and show you where you are on the trail in real time!

2. Downloadable Maps

You can download maps suitable for printing at different sizes. These are more detailed versions of the map above with complete street and trail names. Each set covers the entire trail. They pair well with the Route Descriptions. Maps courtesy of Pease Press.

Single Poster | 2 legal-sized pages | 3 letter-sized pages

3. Downloadable Route Descriptions (with bathroom info!)

Route descriptions provide detailed turn-by-turn directions to follow on the trail. There is one for each direction by foot or by bicycle. They work well in the browser or printed.

Trail Length & Terrain

The trail crosses a variety of terrain, from flat streets to steep stairways, sidewalks, paved trails, roads, and gravel.

Bicyclists, please note that when stairs are encountered, an alternative/detour route is provided. No specific detour for cyclists is provided for the single-track trails in the Laguna Honda Community Trail System and Golden Gate Park, but you can use nearby roads instead.

The full length of the trail is just under 17 miles (with an additional half-mile to get to the trailhead at Candlestick’s Sunrise Point). The trail is a mix of about 45% roads and sidewalks, 15% paved off-road paths, and 40% trails (dirt, improved gravel paths, boardwalks, etc). It has about 2,600 feet of elevation gain heading in either direction. Each section has its own characteristics, as illustrated by the table and profiles below.

Connections to Public Transit

For detailed transit instructions, see our blog post here.

For COVID-related route updates, see our blog post here.

Section 1 (southeast SF)
  • Muni: T, 8, 9, 8, 14, 29, 44, 14, and 49 lines
  • Caltrain: Bayshore Station
  • BART: Glen Park Station
Sections 2 and 3 (central SF )
  • Muni: 6, 23, 35, 36, 43, 44, 48, 52, and 66 lines
  • Light Rail: K, L, & M lines at Forest Hill Station
Sections 4 and 5 (northwest SF )
  • Muni: N, 1, 5, 7, 28, 29, 38, and 44 lines.