Description
It may be said that an initial visit to the dune trails of Fort Funston runs parallel to a first trip to San Francisco; you may find the experience confounding, exhilarating, confusing, one of a kind, and beautiful. Unlike other San Francisco beach access points, the dune trails at Fort Funston are situated a good distance from any roads, and you may have the kind of nature experience you'd hardly expect from a destination inside the city. Wildflowers of all colors are strewn through the dunes, the sound of the ocean is a soothing accompaniment, and paths depart in all directions like spaghetti in a bowl of sand. Most visitors, dogs in tow, use the trails to the north of the trailhead, so the dune paths are less crowded.
One of my favorite things about Fort Funston is the plant life. There always seems to be something blooming. Bright yellow mustard and Bermuda sorrel are common in late winter, and sand fig, lupines, sand verbena, and lizardtail begin blooming in spring, but their flowers persist into summer. This destination is a good refuge on a hot summer day, although there is little shade.
Trail Stats
