Best Hills to Run in San Francisco
From the person who ran them all
With the San Andreas Fault to the east and the Hayward Fault to the west, natural geographical movement has shaped the peninsula city of San Francisco into either a running paradise or a Sisyphean nightmare, depending on your affinity for hills…lots of hills.In the fall of 2018, I wanted to experience these hills for myself…or rather, I wanted to experience the city, and the hills happened to be in the way. After 47 consecutive days and over 1,300 miles of running, I made it to the top of every hill in San Francisco…and every street…and alley. In total, I accumulated nearly 150,000ft of gain throughout this strange journey. Elevation climbs in San Francisco are no joke.Whether you’re looking for a far-reaching view or a great workout, hills have proven themselves to provide it all. Hill repeats not only build strength, but also speed, efficiency and form–all while minimizing the impact inherent in a standard flat-land speed workout.Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend running every hill in San Francisco from every angle in order to improve your speed and strength (unless of course you have the time), there are a few routes and workouts that take in the grandeur of the city, and at times make you feel like you’re not in a city at all.
Top Hills to Run in San Fran
Chutes and Ladders
When living in the Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco, I used to love this eight-mile route through Golden Gate Park, up to Grand View Park, over to Mount Sutro, Buena Vista Park, and back to Golden Gate Park via the Panhandle. The route provides 1500 feet of climbing and a couple miles of well forested trail.
Filbert Street Stretch
There is a common misconception that the steepest hill in San Francisco is that winding one that we see in all the movies–Lombard. Well…it might have been if it weren’t for all of those turns! The steepest street is in fact just a few blocks away on Filbert Street between Hyde and Leavenworth at 31.5%. With as dense as San Francisco is, it’s easy to make a run out of several hills, and also include this one section. Start out at the Embarcadero and make your way to the Filbert Street Stairs. From there, you’ll make your way west, over Telegraph Hill and Russian Hill. On the way back, spare your knees and take the switchbacks down Lombard Street and the Greenwich Street Stairs.
Taking Care of Business
My third route suggestion, I call “Taking Care of Business,” because, well, you’ll see. Located on the forgotten Southside of Bernal Heights, this route packs a punch. It will send you up and down like a yo yo. After your workout, I suggest you make your way to Wild Side West to wet your palate.
So, whether you’re out to get some views, explore a different part of the city, or get a good workout in, the City by the Bay, with its unique geography and deep history, can provide all of that and more.
Author
Rickey Gates
Rickey Gates is a professional runner, writer, and content creator, with a published book Cross Country and several running projects under his belt. He’s raced on all seven continents and traveled to over 40 countries, with projects like TransAmericana and Every Single Street familiarizing him with some of the less promulgated routes across America. Currently he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico along with his wife Liz and his motorcycle named the Freedom Machine.