SF - Fisherman's Wharf Hostel - May 18, '12

Walking Distance: 1.4 mi.
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 15 min. (10:10 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Hyde Street Pier, in San Francisco, CA

Today I covered a short segment of Bay Trail - from Hyde Street Pier up the hill toward Fort Mason (shown as a solid red line on the Bay Trail Map).

A friend (thank you Julie!) showed me Hostelling International's San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel. After climbing up the short, but relatively steep paved (asphalt) road, (west) up the hill toward Fort Mason from Fisherman's Wharf proper, the entrance to this hostel was to the left up a short road.

Note: The paved trail/road heading uphill from the end of Van Ness Ave. is likely too steep for wheelchairs and some other wheeled vehicles. Easier/more level access may be from the other (non-Bay Trail) side (Bay Street and Franklin Street).

We stopped for something to drink at the Cafe Franco at the hostel, and took a quick tour of the common areas of the hostel, before walking over to the nearby Community Garden to admire the individual plots and flowers in bloom. I'd recommend the hostel as a place to stay for those coming in from out of town to walk/ride the Bay Trail.

I will return (back-track) in June '12 to finish walking the curved breakwater/pier (that begins near the very end of Van Ness Ave.) that I missed today, and also to visit Ghirardelli Square and the Maritime Museum (old Aquatic Park Bath house building from the 1930s) we passed due to time constraints.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 sea gulls