San Francisco, CA: Northern California Chapter, St. James’ Day Walk

Join us for a day of Camino camaraderie as we celebrate the Feast of St. James with our annual walk across San Francisco.

This year’s pilgrimage takes us from the ocean’s edge at Ocean Beach to the heart of the Mission District, finishing at Dolores Park. We’ll kick things off with an easy stroll along Sunset Dunes, San Francisco’s newest park and former stretch of the Great Highway, before heading up, fittingly, Santiago Street. Our path then winds through Stern Grove and the West Portal neighborhood, and climbs up Portola Drive and into Noe Valley. From there, we’ll tackle the lush 22nd Street Jungle Stairs and make our final push to the Golden Fire Hydrant landmark at the top of Dolores Park.

As always, we’ll end our journey with tapas and a celebratory toast to Santiago at Esperpento Spanish restaurant.

Schedule: Meet at 10:00 AM outside Java Beach Café at Ocean Beach. We’ll have lunch at West Portal Playground and expect to arrive at Dolores Park by 3:00 PM.

Level of Difficulty: This is a moderate hike. Total mileage is about 8 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain. Although the first few miles are relatively flat, there is a steady climb towards Twin Peaks with a couple of long, steep city staircases.

This hike is not suitable for those who are new to hiking or have not been training regularly. To participate, you must have recent experience completing hikes of similar distance and elevation and be able to sustain a consistent pace of 3 mph. Participants who are unable to keep up may be asked to turn back in order to prioritize the safety and cohesion of the group.

If you’re not at this fitness level yet, please do not sign up. Instead, focus on building your endurance on your own with less demanding hikes or on our monthly Lake Merritt walks.

Advance online registration is required. Click the Register Now button below to sign up. Every participant must sign up online. No drop-ins permitted. Because space is limited, we ask that you register if/when you are certain you can attend. Thank you!

Cancellation: Please email us at norcal@americanpilgrims.org so we can offer your space to someone else.

Getting There and Back: Take BART to the Embarcadero Station (or Civic Center, if coming from the Colma direction). Go up two floors to the Concourse level and enter the Muni station. Take an N Judah/Ocean Beach train all the way to the last stop at 48th Ave and Judah St (~45 min). Java Beach Café is one block further at the very end of Judah. We highly recommend taking public transportation. If you do drive, there is all day street parking around the café, but check signs for any special restrictions. At the end, we’ll pass by the 24th Street Mission BART station on the way to and after Esperpento and help with transportation questions.

Carpooling: On the registration form is a link to an online “Carpool Bulletin Board” to post a message if you need a ride, can give one or want to rideshare.

What to Bring: Water, snacks, a bag lunch and hat/sun protection. Layers as it might be sunny or cold, or both. Hiking poles (with rubber tips) if you have them. And your Clipper app or card with enough funds for the transit rides. Cash for the group bill if you plan to join us at Esperpento.

Leaders: Sue Lopez, Merula Furtado

The Ruff Stuff: For insurance purposes, we are unable to welcome dogs, except service animals, at our events.