Corwin Park to Tank Hill

Unfinished History

From Corwin Mini-Park, it's no longer possible to go west across Corwin Street and up the stairway between two buildings, designated by neighbors as "Acme Alley." Someone sadly decided to fence it off in the past few years. Instead, go south to Romain and uphill (west) to Grand View Street where you turn right (north).

Acme Alley

Follow Grand View Street to where it hits upper Market Street, right next to Stanton Street. If you go down Stanton Street it'll look like a dead-end but you can walk through the gardens to emerge to a great view from Kite Hill.

Stanton Street

The gardens at the end of Stanton Street look like this:

This is the view:

But if you climb higher, you can see Kite Hill below you, and have a much more spectacular view.

To get up to Tank Hill from the intersection of Grand View and Stanton and Market, go across to where the Clayton MUNI switchback is. Proceed a long block to the intersection of Clayton and Corbett, where you will find a pink wall and a sign saying "Pemberton Steps." Take them up!

This is looking back down the newer section of steps, refurbished in the past decade.

This is what the steps looked like before their makeover, and it's still what the last block going up looks like.

This is the Pemberton family house in 1912. Cyril Pemberton lived there.

Family photo

Turn right at the top of the steps and walk to the end of the street, where you'll emerge on Clarendon and a wooden staircase will beckon you from across the street. Climb it to Tank Hill for these amazing views.

Northerly view over the Haight and Golden Gate Park.

View towards downtown from Tank Hill.

View towards downtown with Corona Heights in middle foreground.

From here one can stroll down directly into Cole Valley and the Haight if you leave Tank Hill to the west, or go back down the stairs and take Clarendon down to Clayton and 17th, and follow the cement stairs that go up across 17th to the northeast to ascend the little-known Mt. Olympus.

Go to a Flickr slide show for views on the Corwin Native Plant Garden to Kite Hill to Tank Hill Walking Tour

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