Doublecross Trail Walk Route Sheet, Southbound

Section 3: The Embarcadero to Duboce Park

Transit: F Market Light Rail stop at Pier 23, Embarcadero & Greenwich St.

This section includes Telegraph Hill, North Beach, Chinatown, Nob Hill, Civic Center, Hayes Valley, Alamo Square and Lower Haight. 4.53 Miles / 790' elevation gain

• Start at Pier 23 on the Embarcadero
• Take crosswalk to west side of Embarcadero, turn left, and take immediate right to enter Levi's Plaza.
• Bear right, walk through plaza, exit onto Battery, and follow Greenwich to begin stairway ascension.
• Many steps later, upon arrival at unmarked street (Montgomery), walk right about 75 feet to reach next set of stairs.
• At top (384 stairs from bottom), walk across crosswalk into Coit Tower parking lot.
• Walk along sidewalk on right side of Coit Tower to reach descending Greenwich stairs. (Restrooms in Coit Tower.)
• Descend Greenwich to Stockton.
• Left on Stockton (Restrooms next to playground in Washington Square Park.)
• Left on Union.
• Right on Grant.
• Slight left on Columbus to arrive at Columbus and Broadway.
• Turn right on Broadway, using either crosswalk.
• Left on Stockton.
• Left on Jackson.
• Right on Ross Alley.
• At Washington, make quick left-right jog onto Waverly Place for one block.
• Right on Clay.
• Left on Hang Ah Alley, passing Willie “Woo Woo” Wong playground.
• Turn right, ascend Sacramento to its highpoint, and enter Huntington Park at children’s playground just before Taylor.
• Exit Huntington Park on Taylor across from Grace Cathedral steps and walk left to California. (Note: Double Cross bonus points for ascending Grace Cathedral steps, and walking labyrinth.)
• Right on California.
• Left on Polk.
• Right on Geary.
• Left on Van Ness.
• Right on Hayes.
• Right on Buchanan.
• Left on Grove.
• Walk up Grove and enter Alamo Square via stairway.
• Turn left and bear right up steep path left of stone wall.
• Bear left at fork, and at path’s highpoint, exit park left, and descend stairway.
• Walk across Hayes and follow Pierce to Duboce Park entrance
• Follow path that leads to playground, and exit park at N Judah Light Rail Stop at Duboce and Noe. (Restrooms in Harvey Milk Rec Center, closed Sunday and Monday.

Section 2 - Duboce Park to West Portal Station

Transit: N Judah to Duboce Park.

This section includes Buena Vista Park, Mt. Olympus, Tank Hill, Twin Peaks, and Edgehill Open Space. 4.82 Miles / 1040' elevation gain

• Start at Duboce Park entrance at N Judah Light Rail Stop at Duboce and Noe.
• Ascend Duboce and turn right onto Scott. (Restrooms in Harvey Milk Recreation center, closed Sunday and Monday.)
• Left onto Waller to the top, then up Adah’s Staircase.
• At top of stairway, turn left and ascend to crosswalk at Duboce. Cross street and enter Buena Vista Park via concrete stairway.
• After ascending stairway on left side, continue up asphalt path with the stone wall on left.
• At junction with wooden stairway directly ahead, turn left to ascend asphalt path. Stone wall will be on right.
• At the 5-way junction, continue up asphalt path with stone wall on right.
• Ascend stone stairway to summit (elev. 568 feet).
• Bear left down paved service road.
• Just before trash bin, turn left onto paved path, which soon becomes a stairway down.
• Turn right at wooden boardwalk and proceed down to exit park at intersection of Buena Vista East, Buena Vista West, and Upper Terrace.
• Follow Upper Terrace 3 ½ blocks, and ascend stairway adjacent to #240.
• At top of stairs, turn right on sidewalk around Mt. Olympus statue and follow Upper Terrace down to stairway adjacent to #353.
• Descend stairs, turn right on 17th St. and cross both 17th and Clayton at light.
• Walk south on Clayton one block and turn right on Carmel. Note: From July to October 2024, the stairway at tank hill is closed. Detour by bearing right up Twin Peaks Blvd instead of going down Carmel. Continue up sidewalk of Twin Peaks Blvd to stop sign.
• Left on Shrader.
• Left on Belgrave, and a block further, ascend stairs to arrive at Tank Hill.
• Walk left past bench and continue to circle around until you arrive at stairway that descends to Clarendon.
• Right on street (Twin Peaks Blvd) to stop sign. Detour end point
• Cross streets (Clarendon and Twin Peaks Blvd.) at connecting crosswalks.
• Walk up east side of Twin Peaks Blvd. past yellow barricade to reach vehicle-free road.
• Ascend Twin Peaks Blvd. (Optional: At point where road takes very sharp left near top, hop guard rail and walk left up dirt path to crosswalk.)
• Bear left to enter parking area and walk left along sidewalk next to railing.
• Walk past viewpoint (Christmas Tree Point) and two kiosk restrooms and take sharp left onto vehicle-free Twin Peaks Promenade. (Note: At this point you can either follow Promenade or climb peaks, If you opt to ascend peaks, refer to next bulleted direction to get back on route.)
• Walk along Twin Peaks Promenade to its end at other side of peaks, and take sharp U-turn left between end of white guardrail and low wooden barrier.
• Descend dirt path.
• Cross Twin Peaks Blvd. at crosswalk, turn left and follow dirt path to stairway.
• Descend stairway, take crosswalk to other side, and turn right to continue descent on path to intersection of Portola and Twin Peaks Blvd. (Note: The Bay Area Ridge Trail, The Crosstown Trail, and The Double-Cross converge here to form the unmarked Tri-Trail Junction.)
• Cross Twin Peaks Blvd at light and follow Portola.
• Turn right on Sydney at traffic light..
• Turn left on Ulloa and turn right on private Knockash Hill Court. (Note: Knockash Hill Court is across street from Waithman St. sign on left. The pedestrian entrance to Knockash is on left side of auto gate.)
• Walk up Knockash Hill Court to its end, and enter Edgehill Open Space between stone pillars.
• Continue to other side of open space, keep right of benches, and exit on Edgehill (unmarked).
• At the intersection by house #100, bear left downhill.
• Left on Garcia.
• Left on Vasquez and stay left to upper split.
• Sharp right on Kensington (unmarked) by lamppost and merge sign.
• Left at Public Pathway (unmarked) by house #271 and white fire hydrant.
• Right on Allston Way (unmarked) by white fire hydrant.
• Left on Claremont.
• Right on pathway in between West Portal Elementary School and West Portal Playground.
• Left on Lenox.
• Left on Ulloa to West Portal Station (Note: Access to K, M, and S Light Rail lines)

Section 1 - West Portal Station to Fort Funston

Transit: K, M, or S Light Rail Lines or bus 48 or 57 to West Portal Muni Station.

This section includes West Portal, Stern Grove and Pine Lake Park, Lake Merced and Fort Funston. 4.85 miles / 390' elevation gain

• Start at West Portal station.
• Proceed down West Portal Ave.
• Right on 14th Ave.
• Left on Wawona, uphill past Ardenwood on left.
• Right on 18th Ave. at end of Wawona.
• Left on Vicente.
• Left on 20th Ave.
• Enter Stern Grove at Wawona Clubhouse.
• Follow path left around clubhouse and descend steep zig-zag, paved path past Trocadero Clubhouse toward bottom right.
• Enter parking area and walk through concert area with stage on left.
• Follow asphalt path with long meadow on left and proceed to park building just before Pine Lake, (Restrooms)
• At Pine Lake, follow dirt path left around lake.
• When dirt path rejoins paved path at green pumphouse, ascend left to park exit.
• Left on Wawona St. for very short distance.
• Left on 34th Ave.
• Cross Sloat Blvd. at crosswalk to Morningside Dr.
• Right on Morningside, which curves to left.
• Right on Ocean Ave.
• Left on Lakeshore Dr.
• Where Lakeshore Dr. curves right, use crosswalk to cross Lake Merced Blvd.
• Follow bike path toward lake; a parking lot will be on left.
• Near Juan Bautista de Anza statue, descend path toward lake.
• When path curves left to a junction, turn right and proceed across bridge.
• Ascend path staying right next to lake, and pass shed on left.
• Proceed past Harding Park GC clubhouse, keeping it to your left.
• Follow golf cart path until it ends next to lake.
• Make a quick left-right to Harding Road, being careful to watch for cars.
• Where Harding Road becomes divided, take slight right onto footpath, with picnic area on right.
• At Skyline Blvd. (traffic light), turn left to stay on bike/pedestrian path.
• Proceed about ¼ mile along this path to intersection of Skyline and John Muir Dr.
• Turn right at crosswalk and enter Fort Funston at white gate.
• Follow the paved path up and to left until you come to stairway.
• Left up stairs to paved path and water fountain.
• Left on paved path and continue to Ft. Funston parking lot with water fountain and porta potties.
• Turn right at west end of parking lot and follow boardwalk a short distance to observation platform at end of trail.

Congratulations! You have become a Double Crosser!

Note: For public transit, walk back to Skyline and John Muir Drive for Muni bus #58.