Sand Ladder — Attraction in San Francisco

Baker Beach is a public beach on the peninsula of San Francisco, California, U.S. The beach lies on the shore of the Pacific Ocean in the northwest of the city. It is roughly a 0.5 mi (800 m) long, beginning just south of Golden Gate Point (where the Golden Gate Bridge connects with the peninsula), extending southward toward the Seacliff peninsula, the Palace of the Legion of Honor and the Sutro Baths. The northern section of Baker Beach is "frequented by clothing-optional sunbathers,"1] and as such it is considered a nude beach.[2

The 160 acres (65 ha) property was settled by John Henry Baker in the 1850s and was known as Golden Gate Milk Ranch. The property location description varied, but is generally described as being approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) west of the city on the then Point Lobos Road (now Geary Blvd.)

Baker died in 1863 and his widow, Maria, lost the property to foreclosure in 1879. In 1897, Baker's grandson, Fairfax Henry Wheelan sued [4] to have the title returned to the heirs of John H. Baker citing the claim that Baker's widow did not have the legal power to mortgage...

Really enjoyed our time here. We woke up super early and arrived around 7AM on a Sunday to take family photos with the Golden Gate Bridge in the back. There were no other cars parked (parking available on the side of the road,) and only about 4 people on the beach- everyone minding their own business. Someone had clearly just cleaned up the beach as evidenced by the full trash can but beautifully clean area! (Thank you to whoever that was!) It's important to note that these are some STAIRS. Like, going up these is a hike. If you are in poor physical shape, elderly, very young (maybe 4 and under,) I would not recommend trying these steps. We had a decent time going down, although it was a little dicey with the sand kind of sliding, but the way up was downright difficult. It is steeper than photos make it appear and there are well over 100 steps, probably more like 200. The good thing is fewer people were on this end of the beach, bad news is in the morning it is very shaded with sub-optimal lighting for photos. But if you're just going to enjoy yourself, early morning...

The Sand Ladder is a relatively steep hike through sand down to the beautiful beach below. It is gorgeous with views of the Pacific the whole way down. Be aware, however, that you will probably need to hike back up, so plan accordingly as it is made almost entirely of sand lined with wooden pillars and thick wire. Some of the wooden "steps" are loose and easily dislodged as well. So tread carefully. Otherwise, it was a beautiful hike down to the beach with spectacular views of the ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, and surrounding area. Lastly, I would like to warn that it is a nude beach, although unmarked, especially towards the northern end. So be aware of this when planning your hike. Otherwise, it was wonderful and completely worth the hike! (There is limited parking at the...