Urban Hiker SF

San Francisco is home to TEN beautiful mosaic stairways ( see map here ), but they were all inspired by one. The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project (2005) The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps project began in early 2003 when Sunset residents Jessie Audette and Alice Xavier decided to bring people together while beautifying their neighborhood. Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher were chosen as the project artists. The 163-step mosaic features a landscape that spans from the bottom of the ocean all the way to the sun in the sky. The inspiration for the steps came from Selarón’s staircase , a mosaic staircase in Rio de Janeiro named after artist Jorge Selarón. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on August 27, 2005–which the mayor’s office proclaimed “16th Avenue Tiled Steps Day.” Location: Moraga Street between 15th and 16th Avenues Hidden Garden Steps (2013) Inspired by the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, the neighboring Hidden Garden Steps were conceived in January 2010 and completed in November ...

When I first moved to San Francisco in 2007, I didn't really know what to do in the Presidio. Since that time, this neighborhood and former military fort has become a lot more interesting. A new visitor center opened recently, and it now houses four Andy Goldsworthy's artworks , fantastic restaurants like The Commissary , and other draws like Off the Grid and The Walt Disney Family Museum .   A nd then there is hiking...   With over 25 miles of trails, The Presidio is quantifiably the best neighborhood for hiking in San Francisco. For this reason in my book, Urban Trails San Francisco , there is an entire chapter on hiking in the Presidio—with seven routes in that neighborhood alone. And while following one of the Presidio's trails is great, sometimes it's nice to create loops that combine a number of different trails. In the spirit of creating new hikes, here are two great loops that start and end right in the Presidio Main Post. For...