A weekend in San Francisco is always a treat and while I don't think I would ever want to live in such a densely populated area, I certainly do enjoy a visit occasionally. The food, the culture, the ambiance all make it a great experience. My primary purpose for this trip was to run the first half of the San Francisco Marathon, but while here I had to get in a little hiking as well. First trail to conquer? The famous Dipsea Trail that starts in Mill Valley (though, I'm starting it in Muir Woods) and travels all the way to the Pacific Ocean at Stinson Beach. The trail is famous for the Dipsea Race, which started in 1905 and is widely recognized as the oldest trail run in the country.
I decided drive from Reno to San Francisco the night before, which allowed me to arrive at the park before the gates opened at 8 AM. After a short wait, I entered the parking area and found a spot near the trail head. After crossing a shallow creek, the trail quickly turns uphill. The trail is well maintained, which must pose quite a challenge through such a lush and green forest. The park service does an excellent job though.
After the steep climb, the trail opens up to a sea of golden grass covering the hillsides overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The ocean, though, is currently obscured by a thick bank of fog stetching as far as the eye can see - a common occurence here in the bay area. Along the hillside, I note a curious tree that has grown through and split a granite boulder. I can't help but think of an old meme once saw with the caption "this is how paper beats rock".
Further down the trail, I begin to encounter a number of runners with numbered bibs on and when I later pass their add station, I inquire about the race underway. It is apparently a local organization's 30k trail run. Perhaps, this is a warm-up for the Dipsea Race. I do my best to give the runners the trail when they approach.
After rounding a couple of the golden hillsides, the trail re-enters the woods, but this section is less lush with young redwoods acting as pillars growing out of the earth. As more runners pass, the green returns and the trail crosses a narrow bridge over a shallow creek. Ferns and moss grow everywhere in this section.
A short distance beyond, the trail begins the famous steps that is known for. While I didn't count them, there are probably no fewer than 500 divided into multiple sections and carved into the dirt trail and blocked off with lumber. They twist and turn around the hillsides, trees, and boulders. While I generally hate steps on a trail, many of these are necessary as the trail would be almost too steep to hike without them. My knees might disagree by the time I get back to the jeep.
Finally, arriving at the bottom of the wooded area, I cross a road and then walk into the park at Stinson Beach, which appears to also be the finish line for the trail race underway. I take a few minutes to walk out to the beach and while this is not my first time seeing the Pacific, this time feels a bit more earned. Seagulls rush in as the surf receeds to dig for any critters depositied in the sand and then rush back out as the next wave comes in. Hundreds of people are enjoying a the cool sea breeze and the sand from their lawn chairs and blankets.
After a few minutes, I turn to head back. I decide to try to catch an Uber back to the park as I don't really want to force my knees to go back up those steps since I'm running my own race tomorrow. Unfortunately, I don't get any responses and start back up the trail. It takes a while, but I still feel pretty strong and arrive back at the trail head after only a couple of hours. My total distance was just over 10.6 miles. I may regret the doing this long of a hike tomorrow when I'm running, but for now, I will just enjoy the fact that I've done it.
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