The Best Stair Workouts in the Bay
The Best Stair Workouts in the Bay
One of the things that makes Bay Area civic landscapes so unique is the abundance of public stairways winding up and down and through and across our cities. Stair climbing is not just for residents to traverse neighborhoods more quickly or tourists to gain swift altitude for better Instagram posts. Around the Bay, locals use these al fresco steps to orchestrate their workouts. Here are our picks for the three best stair climbs in each part of the Bay.
THE EAST BAY
The Cleveland Stairs
Once an iconic civic landmark built in the early 1920s to light up Lake Merritt, with water cascading over a series of twenty illuminated concrete bowls, Cleveland Cascade is now colloquially known as the Cleveland Stairs, and serves a far more pedestrian purpose — literally. A favorite spot of joggers and stair-masters, the Cleveland Stairs are now a great way to slide in a workout in downtown Oakland. The waterworks have been lovingly converted to lush landscaping by volunteers in the last decade and a half, so the view is as spectacular as the workout is challenging. And bonus: the stairs are shaded for those hot East Bay days.
Where to find it: Cleveland Cascade connects Lakeshore Avenue to Merritt Avenue between Brooklyn Avenue and Boden Way on the banks of Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Number of stairs: 139 steps over 7 levels
Orchard Lane Staircase
This is a short but dramatically steep stair hike in Berkeley that provides entrée into the Panoramic Hill neighborhood, with its sweeping vistas. Designed by Henry Atkins, construction began on these sloping concrete steps in 1909, and the monument was designated a City of Berkeley Landmark in 1992. As you make your way up the shaded steps with their imposing balustrades and tempting benches, take the time to contemplate this rich history, but don’t let it slow you down too much.
Where to find it: Starts at 1 Orchard Lane and ends at 3 Orchard Lane, both off Panoramic Way in Berkeley.
Number of stairs: 158, very steep
Western Rockridge Loop
More a collection of steps than a particular staircase, it certainly counts as a workout, with about 600 stairs in a 3.2-mile loop. The hillside homes along Margarido, the views of the Bay Bridge, and the abundant greenery make this a very distracting workout, too.
Where to find it: From 6095 Rockridge Blvd., climb to Margarido Drive, turn left. Find the steps known as Quail Lane, turn right. At Acacia Avenue, turn left and walk a ways to Locarno Path, a left. This takes you to Alpine Terrace and some epic views. Turn right on Ocean View, then left down the Brookside Lane steps to Brookside Ave. Look for the steep Claremont Path steps. Left again on Ocean View, take a short set of steps known as West Lane, which goes up, then down. Cross the street to Prospect Steps and down a long flight of stairs, to find yourself back on Margarido.
Number of stairs: 600-ish
MARIN
Dipsea Steps
From the shaded redwoods of downtown Mill Valley, the Dipsea Steps connects Old Mill Park to the iconic Dipsea Trail, site of the annual Dipsea and Double Dipsea Runs. A formidable workout up somewhat rickety wooden steps, you can take your mind off your heart rate by studying the bohemian houses that line the trail and connecting streets. If you’re feeling inspired when you reach the top, keep going all the way to the Mountain Home Inn for a refreshing shandy (beer and lemonade), or beyond, through Muir Woods to Stinson Beach. And don’t worry — there’s a shuttle back.
Where to find it: Park on Cascade Drive just behind Old Mill Park and look for the small residential street Cascade Way, with its sharp, twisty incline. The steps start just up this street.
Number of stairs: 688
Larkspur Steps
“The outdoor Stairmaster,” “the Rocky Balboa of Stairs,” and slightly more benign “Arch Street Stairs” are just some of the nicknames this vertical concrete workout has gathered. It’s a workout, indeed, but it’s well canopied and thus cool on those warm Marin summer and fall days. Locals obsess over their stair count, and stair runners even keep track of their creds with a pile of stones at the top. The camaraderie is visceral and the payoff supreme.
Where to find it: Near the Golden Gate Bus stop on Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, just across from the art gallery.
Number of stairs: 139
North Street Stairs
Sausalito is a hilly village, so it’s no surprise that one of Marin’s best stair workouts is located in the heart of this lovely seaside town. The North Street Stairs connect the pedestrian promenade along touristy Bridgeway to a charming residential neighborhood just above. As you climb, stop on the landings and turn around for spectacular views of the Bay, San Francisco, and Alcatraz. Long before the Golden Gate Bridge created easy day access to the city, commuters from the residential hills of Sausalito enjoyed these same views as they walked to the ferry east or the electric train north.
Where to find it: From Bridgeway along the Bay, as you walk toward the Golden Gate Bridge, look for tiny Tiffany Park and the Al Sybrian sea lion statue. The stairs are on the right.
Number of stairs: 120 plus more uphill walking if you are ready for it
SAN FRANCISCO
Lyon Street Steps
This classic San Francisco stair workout lies on the fringes of the Presidio, connecting Presidio Heights to the Marina and Cow Hollow. A great aerobic challenge, it’s also one of the best viewpoints in the city, looking out over the Bay and the Palace of Fine Arts. For this reason, you may have to dodge a photo shoot or two in your quest to climb the stairs. About halfway up, keep an eye out for one of the hundreds of iconic “Hearts in San Francisco” sculptures that dot the city. These eclectic and colorful works of art are part of a project commissioned out to local artists by San Francisco General Hospital Foundation to raise funds. And of course there’s the other views — of the majestic houses that line the Lyon Street Steps, including the ones along Billionaires Row on Broadway.
Where to find it: Along Lyon Street from Broadway to Green
Number of stairs: 332
16th Avenue Tiled Steps
A quintessentially San Francisco effort to create a beautiful mosaic began in 2003 with the support of the Golden Gate Neighborhood Association. One hundred and sixty-three mosaic panels make up the risers of the steps and were created by a large volunteer squad of neighbors and set into the steps with the charity of a local tile-setting company. The detailed, whimsical nautical scene winds up the tiled steps neatly, a visual effect which perhaps detracts from the workout aspect of these stairs. You’ll want to slow down and take it all in — at least the first time you climb.
Where to find it: Park at 16th and Moraga.
Number of stairs: 163
Vallejo Street Stairs
If you prefer your views eastern, Vallejo Street Steps will impress you with their sweeping view of the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and downtown. You might even get a glimpse of San Francisco’s famous wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill along the way; they tend to hang out in the trees along the steps. Neighbors keep gardens in fine fettle, so aside from the view and the parrots, there’s a lot to look at and breathe in as you hike the route from North Beach to Russian Hill.
Where to find it: To climb up, begin on Vallejo between Montgomery and Sansome.
Number of stairs: 324
