Bernal Heights to Billy Goat Hill Walking Tour

Walking Tour

by Chris Carlsson

This is approximately the route of the walking tour presented below on the map.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

The Board of Supervisors established Precita Park in 1894 at the foot of the north slope of Bernal Heights. One supervisor fought for it because other districts had plentiful and spacious "pleasure grounds," and the south end of the city had almost nothing. It was an early example of the neighborhood fighting to keep open space and to preserve rural character. The view east from the Folsom Street in 1896 of what was Precita Place shows the tree stakes for the original planting of Blackwood acacias. It was dedicated as Bernal Park, and the name was not officially changed until 1973.

Photo/caption: Bernal Heights History Project

Photos: Chris Carlsson

This is a fantastic view-rich walk on July 9, 2005 from Precita Park, up Peralta Stairs, down Joy Stairs, over the summit of Bernal Heights, down the Esmeralda Stairs, down the Kingston Stairs, then popping out on Laidley Street, down Laidley past some great architecture to the Harry Steps, up them to Beacon Street, on to Billy Goat Hill for views and kids swinging on the big Eucalpytus, then up Castro street and Stairs to the summit at Duncan where there's a bit of open space, down the hill and stairs to gardens at Castro and Newburg and 27th Streets. Photos by Chris Carlsson.

Go to a Flickr Slide show of views on this walk

<googlemap version="0.9" lat="37.743232" lon="-122.412972" type="map" zoom="16" controls="large"> 8#B21434F9 37.746908, -122.413423 Precita Park, looking eastward from Folsom and Precita. 37.746945, -122.412264 Mosaic and bench on Precita Park. 37.747412, -122.411642 Two images of murals on Leonard Flynn Elementary School, painted by Precita Eyes Muralists. 37.747276, -122.410923 Playground at Precita Park's east end. 37.747038, -122.410902 Six images of Butterfly Garden along edge of Precita Park playground. 37.746911, -122.410741 37.746911, -122.410548 37.746419, -122.410483 37.746413, -122.410076 Public art in front of private residence on Mullen Street. 37.746487, -122.409132 View southeast across intersection at open bluff above Peralta and Mullen. 37.746037, -122.409067 End of Peralta cul-de-sac, and beginning of several blocks of paths and stairways going up the hill. 37.745859, -122.409035 37.745689, -122.409014 37.745223, -122.408981 37.744994, -122.408895 Three images of ascending the Peralta Stairs. 37.744765, -122.408788 37.74468, -122.408702 Two images back to north down the Peralta Stairs. 37.744553, -122.408788 Path from stairs to Peralta Street. 37.744247, -122.408767 37.743424, -122.40867 37.743407, -122.408348 37.7433, -122.408456 Top of Joy Stairs on Franconia, view southeast. 37.743266, -122.40822 37.743045, -122.408102 37.743314, -122.408702 37.743255, -122.409217 37.743034, -122.409335 37.742932, -122.409486 37.742949, -122.409947 37.742779, -122.40999 37.742847, -122.410794 37.742856, -122.411503 37.742915, -122.412447 37.743034, -122.413273 37.743331, -122.414206 Ten images to the east, northeast, north, northwest and west from the northern path at top of Bernal Heights. 37.743484, -122.414904 37.743054, -122.415258 37.742941, -122.415955 Seven views to the southeast, south, southwest, west, from western end of summit. Last shot looks down over Bernal Hts. Blvd. towards the north. 37.742788, -122.41617 37.742635, -122.41617 37.742457, -122.416105 37.74222, -122.415869 37.74205, -122.416288 37.742118, -122.416888 37.742415, -122.417125 37.743017, -122.416931 Two shots northward from the top of Esmeralda Steps. 37.743068, -122.417092 37.743059, -122.417253 37.743272, -122.417275 37.743246, -122.417425 37.743339, -122.417607 Six images descending Esmeralda Steps to intersection of Esmeralda and Elsie. 37.743518, -122.418058 Three images going down to top of slides. 37.743628, -122.418315 37.743747, -122.418616 37.743908, -122.419056 37.74401, -122.419313 37.744086, -122.41956 Five images descending stairs and street to Coleridge. 37.74272, -122.420397 37.741346, -122.421266 Kingston stairs west from Coleridge. 37.741744, -122.42236 37.741702, -122.42339 37.741235, -122.423959 37.741015, -122.424324 37.739954, -122.424377 37.739742, -122.424667 37.73908, -122.424967 37.738902, -122.425965 View easterly of Bernal Heights, two images. 37.738851, -122.42751 37.738792, -122.4281 The Bell Mansion, built in the 1850s by banker Thomas Bell, friend to Mary Ellen "Mammie" Pleasant. 37.739259, -122.428626 37.739759, -122.42943 37.740135, -122.430117 Whimsical and inspiring architecture on Laidley Street. 37.74037, -122.430482 37.740313, -122.430761 Foot of Harry Stairs. 37.740209, -122.430943 37.740115, -122.431093 37.740056, -122.431233 37.73998, -122.431362 37.73992, -122.431469 37.739835, -122.431608 37.739776, -122.431694 Nineteen images of walking up Harry Stairs and views to the east and northeast of the City. 37.740107, -122.431962 37.740472, -122.432306 37.740862, -122.432735 view from Beacon Street of Billy Goat Hill 37.741057, -122.43311 37.741235, -122.433261 37.741431, -122.433132 Thirteen images of spectacular views from here, and some of kids swinging on big rope swing that used to hang from tree. 37.741566, -122.433282 37.741592, -122.433497 37.741668, -122.433711 37.741889, -122.433282 37.74222, -122.433368 View south of Billy Goat Hill, remnant of old Gray Bros. Quarry. 37.742584, -122.433389 37.743715, -122.433443 37.744691, -122.433529 Foot of Castro Street stairs, view south towards Billy Goat Hill 37.745115, -122.433604 37.745531, -122.433636 37.745868, -122.433625 Views of open space hilltop at Duncan and Castro. 37.746088, -122.433454 37.746173, -122.433733 Metal sculptures on slope above dirt road Castro Street. 37.746343, -122.43355 37.746428, -122.433647 Wooden Stairs connect Castro Street to these houses. 37.746894, -122.433733 37.747174, -122.433765 37.747361, -122.433636 Beautiful gardens along Castro between 27th, Newburg, and Cesar Chavez. </googlemap>

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