Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Running across the Golden Gate Bridge
I lived over 30 years in N.Calif. closer to the Oregon border & visited SF many times over the years but never ran around there. Most of the visits were times when either too young, not running, or with family & no extra ME time.. very sad. running over the Golden Gate & up through the headlands are definitely on my ToDo list now. Would also love to do the Dipsea someday as well (better get in some more hills beforehand). and I know about the cold & wind but SF has some nice sunny days too!
It's windy and cold.
Nah, that's just what we call a lovely summer day.
Thanks for starting this thread. I will visit SF for the first time in September. It didn't occur to me that pedestrians are allowed on the bridge. I'll include a run across the bridge in my plans!
I didn't realize you could run across it either. I'll have to make a point the next time I'm there.
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.
You don't run, but good try in joining in.
My bucket list includes walking briskly over the most iconic bridges in the world. You can take photographs and enjoy the scenery.
There a big park. I think its golden gate park. Very nice.
Feeling the growl again
Yes, but that is a totally separate run from the bridge as they are not co-located. Good hill running in between though.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
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Imminent Catastrophe
If you cross the Golden Gate, there's a visitor's center on the north side. Look around for an underpass, and you can go to the Marin Headlands. There is some epic trail running there. Water fountains are few and far between in the Marin Headlands (you can find them on the park maps) so plan carefully. I didn't drive there, I took public transit to the south side of the bridge, ran across, then spent the day playing around in park.
Yes. Water and bathrooms at south and north ends of the bridge. Dodge the tourists on the bridge. Once you take the underpass under 101 by the north end visitors center, there's a trailhead right there and then you're in the Headlands trail network and sky's the limit.
Running along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Terminal to the bridge is not so bad. Bathrooms and water also available at Crissy Field. Look up the San Francisco Marathon route, the first 7 miles are a nice run across the GGB to the north end visitor center (Vista Point).
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There is much less traffic on the bridge (which means fewer exhaust fumes and a quieter run) if you run early in the morning. I have run from the Ferry Building along the Embarcadero, past Fisherman's Wharf (far fewer tourists in the early morning, too) and the Marina and Chrissy Field and across the bridge. Depending on where you are staying, you could skip the parking problem and take BART to the Embarcadero stop right near the Ferry building.Taking public transit in SF makes sense for me. I highly recommend running across the bridge. Be a little careful if the fog has not burned off yet; there are some metal access panels on the sidewalk surface that can be slippery when they are wet. Not a problem to just run around them, though. Also, if you do an out-and-back from the Ferry building, you can check out the Farmer's market behind the Ferry Building and have some fabulous food afterward!
annieSusan
jfa
How did you like it Wing?
It's one of my all time favorites around there.
Joggaholic
How did you like it Wing? It's one of my all time favorites around there.
I will find out in a few weeks Thanks everyone for chiming in!
Finally back from my trip. Thanks again for all the advices, I had fun. I started around noon from Ocean Beach, which was cold and windy, and really not much to see, but parking was plentiful. The trail along Lands End was beautiful, although it did look a bit too manicured. Then running along Lincoln Blvd I got to look at some nice houses that I would buy if I win the lottery. A quick stop at the south end of the Golden Gate bridge was a must, as it had restrooms. Continuing on across the bridge I recall mostly just fighting against the wind. The north end, Vista Point, had life-saving water fountains. The climb up Conzelman Rd to Battery Spencer was steep, and had narrow shoulders, but the cars also went extremely slowly along so it was generally safe. The view at the battery was great but the higher up the more windy and cold and foggy it got. Then I went back down the road halfway and jogged up the trail toward Slacker's Ridge. The trail was not difficult. I used my imagination a lot up in the fog. After returning to Vista Point I jogged down toward Sausalito via Alexander Ave. Thankfully it was short as I did not like that road. The camber and the narrow shoulder of the road was hard to run on, and cars went fairly fast alongside. Sausalito was very pretty, and had plenty of nice looking restaurants that may even welcome a sweaty and stinky jogger, although I did not have time to find out. I considered taking a ferry back to SF but I opted not to wait and returned on foot.
Here are some photos from my run, thanks for reading
Pics
PS: The Mission Peak in Fremont is a great trail, I enjoyed it more than the jog across the Golden Gate Bridge
#artbydmcbride
Glad you made it safely! Sometimes the fog there is so thick, the sharks can swim up out of the bay and bite you on the bridge!
Runners run
I'm also a fan of Mission Peak though I ride it on my mountain bike way more than I run it. How did you go up? From the Stanford entrance or from the back side via Ohlone College entrance? Ohlone is a lot more varied in terrain, but longer.
From the Stanford entrance. I saw people riding up on bikes, that's nuts!