By

Ely

The ideal time to see the Golden Gate Bridge is in April or early May, when the visibility is not obstructed by the winter rains or the summer fog. Slacker Hill is right outside of San Francisco, and is a relaxing short hike without all the crowds. As a bonus, you might see the super blooms that are expected this year after the end of the drought.

Quick Notes

Distance: 1.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 689 ft.

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Multiple branching routes

Transit Accessibility

Take Golden Gate Transit line 130 to Highway 101 and Alexander Ave. Walk back along the bike trail to the rest area and vista point. At that point, there will be a tunnel under the bridge to the Headlands Parking lot.

Carpooling

Take Highway 101 to Alexander Avenue. Keep going west along Alexander Avenue to the far side of the bridge. It will lead down hill to a parking lot. Note that there is no parking at the rest area.

The Hike

At the Headlands parking lot, begin going uphill along the SCA trail. Follow it uphill, across Conzelman Road. From there, it will wind around the hill for full immersion in a natural area. When you reach the nearest fork on the north side, follow the Coastal Trail, to the peak of Slacker Hill for a view of the Golden Gate.

The view of the bridge is excellent at the top of Slacker Hill. So is the solitude. Stay a while, because the sleepy, quiet scene will change immediately as you traverse the second half of this hike.

Don’t forget to survey the native plants, as the Marin Headlands are excellent for wildflowers. May is a good month to see some of the middle-season blooms, including California poppy, Blue-eyed Grass (really a grass) and the Pacific Pea.