OUT IN THE WORLD WITHOUT YOUR CAR: Walking the San Francisco Crosstown Trail

ECS&R members share their car-lite adventures

By Steve Price and Janet Byron

El Cerrito is the perfect launching pad for myriad adventures that don't require cranking up a personal car! We walked the San Francisco Crosstown Trail starting with a walk to El Cerrito Plaza BART. Our trailhead starts at the Glen Park BART station in San Francisco and continues 5.2 miles to the Inner Sunset neighborhood. 

The trail is the work of volunteers. As their website describes it, "The full length of the trail is just under 17 miles . . . The trail is a mix of about 45% roads and sidewalks, 15% paved off-road paths, and 40% trails." It is composed of five segments — walk as many segments as you want. 


Along the way are several connections to public transportation if you tire and want to head home. Janet and Steve walked the second and third segments, which have lots of surprising trails through nature, spectacular views, diverse neighborhoods, and beautiful decorated stairways. These segments also have the most elevation gains, so be prepared for hill-climbing and long stairways.


So many adventures start with BART

We took BART to the Glen Park BART Station

Heading up Glen Canyon Park

Glen Canyon Park has lots of nature vibes

You can end this segment by taking MUNI back to BART

Expect long stairways to Grand View Park

Grand View Park!


The descent includes two spectacular decorated
stairways. Don't for get to look backward!

We took MUNI back to BART and home

Do you have a low-carbon adventure you'd like to share with El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers? It needs to start and end in El Cerrito and can be daylong or multiple days but using minimal fossil fuels — by foot, bicycle, train, hot-air balloon. It can include a rental car for part, but not one you own — leave yours at home. Please tell us about an adventure that you can document with photos. Let us know at elcerritostrollroll@gmail.com.

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