Sutro Trail/Lands End Hike

  • Biking
  • Birding
  • Hikes
  • Views
  • Wildflowers

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Colors of sunset wash over Sutro Baths

The most gorgeous view possible of this location occurs during sunset. The rocky shore is even more dramatic when the surf is rough against it and the sun a warm orange-pink.

The short path, beginning in the parking lot of Lands Ends Lookout off Point Lobos Street, will lead you down around the bath house ruins and up the hill to possibly the best view of the site. You have to have pretty good balance if you choose to walk along the baths themselves, but it is worth it. Take a chance to peer into them; you will even see an actual ladder from the original structure.

Once you make your way up the hillside part of the path, you will start to see more concrete and an overlook with a staircase that is blocked off. Truly, that section is dangerous and warnings should be heeded. However, the main overlook part is not blocked off and offers a marvelous lookout of the Pacific.

To the right of the lookout, you will see rocky cliffs jutting from the side. As you make your way around and upwards, you will enter part of the Lands End trail. Here, you will be greeted by tall cypress trees, grass, and wildflowers. You now will have the best of both worlds. No matter how high you ascend, the view remains uncompromised. The cliffs present a breathtaking view of the shore. One of the first lookouts on the Lands End trail will offer a view of the Golden Gate on a clear day.

From the Lands End part of the trail, you can either make your way to the new visitor center and enjoy a bit of cultural and natural history about the site, or wind back down the same path. The center also has a café and restrooms.