This Ridge Trail segment offers an opportunity to experience the natural side of San Francisco. On a mostly level route, you travel the length of Lake Merced, pass through residential neighborhoods, walk or ride by another freshwater lake in a sunny and protected glen, and visit iconic Stern Grove.

(This trail description is excerpted from the 2019 Guidebook. For details on all trails, trailheads, and more, buy the book from Wilderness Press. For more resources to plan your trip, visit our Trail Tools page.)