Presidio Lands End GGP Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
We’re hiking through the Presidio, Lands End, and Golden Gate Park, ending right at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival stage!
This hike connects some of San Francisco's most iconic coastal stretches into a continuous 6 to 7 mile hike, taking you from sweeping ocean bluffs straight into Hellman Hollow for the festival.
Route Overview
1. Meet at Mountain Lake Park Playground
Meet by the restrooms at 12th Avenue and Lake Street at 10:00 a.m. We’ll head toward the coast, connecting with Lands End via Sea Cliff and Eagle’s Point.
2. Follow the Lands End Coastal Trail
Enjoy ocean and Golden Gate Bridge views as we follow the coastal trail toward Sutro Baths and Lands End Lookout, where we’ll take a restroom break.
3. Lunch at Sutro Heights Park
After Lands End, we’ll stop at nearby Sutro Heights Park for a 25–30-minute packed-lunch break, aiming for around noon. Bring your own lunch and something to sit on.
4. Continue to Golden Gate Park and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Head south toward Ocean Beach, then enter Golden Gate Park and continue east toward Hellman Hollow and the festival grounds, aiming to arrive around 1:30 p.m.
Route note: Follow the linked AllTrails map for the exact streets and trails. The Sutro Heights lunch detour may add a little distance to the currently listed 6.3 miles.
Key Logistics & Tips
Distance & Elevation: Expect around 6.3 miles with roughly 500–600 ft of total elevation change (mostly stairs around Lands End and coastal bluffs).
Layers: The coastal section gets windy and foggy, but you'll warm up quickly once inside Golden Gate Park.
Festival Arrival: Entering Hellman Hollow from the west side (via 36th Ave/Spreckels Lake) avoids the heaviest crowd bottlenecks on the park's east side.
Reminder
This hike is for INTERMEDIATE HIKERS only.
Bring plenty of water, snacks and/or lunch. Dress for the weather.
THIS EVENT HAS A WAITLIST. DO NOT SHOW UP FOR IT UNLESS YOU ARE APPROVED.
Information
AllTrails Route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/presidio-lands-end-sutro-heights-ggp-hardly-strictly-bluegrass-f75177b
Level: Intermediate level. You will be expected to hike an average of 2.5 to 3.0 miles per hour.
Total Distance: 6.3 miles.
Elevation Gain: 560 feet.
Hiking Time: 3 hours plus stops.
Pets: Dogs are welcome to come.
Restrooms: At Mountain Lake Playground (mile 0.0), Lands End Visitors Center (mile 3.7), and Spreckels Lake in GG Park (mile 5.5).
Directions
The meeting spot is at the Mountain Lake Park Playground (by the restroom) at 12th Avenue and Lake Street.
To/from Mountain Lake Playground: The 38/38R Bus stops three blocks south on Geary Blvd, and the 1 Bus stops one block south on California St.
Parking: Street parking is freely available near Mountain Lake Park Playground.
Liability Disclaimer
The organizers of this event are unpaid volunteers and not expert hiking guides. By signing up for this event you agree to assume all responsibility for your own safety, health consequences, conduct and well-being, and you hereby release its organizers, hosts and participants from any and all liability, claims, demands or causes of action that you now have, or may have in the future, for illness, injuries, damages, and/or economic loss of any kind or nature, arising in whole or in part out of the activities, advice, or information contained herein. You are also acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with this type of outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards.