Rock steady

Rocky Outcrop Park on 14th Avenue

The western side of the City was known as the great sand waste. Even today there are still small steep hillsides inches deep in sand (Hawk Hill above Hoover Middle School as an example). But there are no hills without rock, and the neighborhoods that overlook the Sunset are built on solid ground. With dense development rock formations are often obliterated or hard to spot; Rocky Outcrop Park on 14th Avenue is an exception.

View to the ocean from Funston Avenue

Street: 14th Avenue
Neighborhood: Golden Gate Heights
Length: 0.18 mile -- entire walk is a 0.26 mile loop
From: Pacheco to Ortega
Character: residential
Starting coordinates for walk:  37.752762°"N -122.467775°"W



Walk it:
Park near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Ortega. Begin walking uphill on Ortega (on the upper side of this split street). Turn left onto Aerial Way. These wide concrete steps are unremarkable, but the view back to the east is not -- sweeping vistas of Twin Peaks, Mount Sutro, and the East Bay are marred only by a utility pole and attendant lines. At the top of Aerial, turn right onto Pacheco. From here, one of the highest residential streets in the City, the views are outstanding. Where Pacheco sweeps back to the left, look for a small octagon-shaped house adjacent to Cascade Walk. From the top of these steps views north include the Golden Gate Bridge towers and Marin Headlands. Here Pacheco ends and Funston Avenue takes over. As you walk south on Funston, a generous empty sidelot permits an exceptional view west to the ocean. On a windy day prepare for strong gusts at this spot. Look for the continuation of Aerial Way on the right, and descend on these steep concrete steps. At their base, turn right on 14th Avenue. After a few houses on the right you'll reach the edge of Rocky Outcrop Park. This massive Franciscan chert outcrop stretches more than a tenth of a mile; native plants here host endangered butterflies. Look up at the houses on Pacheco perched above the outcrop and envy their views. At the corner of Ortega and 14th Avenue, pause to savor a view of Grand View Park, to the north, and a castle-like house on Ortega just above the outcrop. Turn right onto Ortega. You'll be back on this split street again, and either leg of the street is fine for walking. The initial upper stretch lacks a sidewalk but there is one further along. Enjoy more stupendous views north and east as you continue back to the starting point of Ortega at 11th.