There’s a place in San Francisco more people have probably heard about, read about or seen from a distance than actually visited. I’m talking about the Sutro Baths, tucked away in the city’s far northwestern corner. If you’re a resident (or a visitor), you may well have dined at the Cliff House, famous for its panoramic ocean views. But have you ever taken an up-close look at the nearby ruins of what was once the world’s largest indoor swimming pool? It’s a nifty little adventure. 

The Sutro Baths has a fascinating history. Developed by wealthy former mayor Adolph Sutro, this lavish glass, iron, wood and reinforced concrete playground opened to the public in 1896. Standing literally at the water’s edge, it boasted seven swimming pools (six saltwater and one freshwater), more than 500 private dressing rooms, an amphitheater, grand staircases and landscaped promenades, all looking out over the Pacific. The pool water was pumped directly from the ocean and recycled regularly. Click here for an amazing video and slide show of what the place once looked like.

The extravagant structure not only came with a high price tag but was prohibitively expensive to operate, which led to its eventual closing. Fire destroyed the Sutro Baths in 1966 as it was in the process of being demolished. Today nothing remains but a destroyed foundation, rusted pipes jutting out from vestiges of walls and long-abandoned stairways that now lead to nowhere —and every inch of it can be explored. The baths are worth visiting for the striking setting alone. I recommend going on a weekday morning, when you’ll basically have the place to yourself. And pick a day when the weather is cooperative (meaning sunny and fog-free). Here’s the itinerary I followed.

First, hike through Lincoln Park to the Legion of Honor via Legion of Honor Drive (an uphill trek, but not arduously so; see the directions below). I’ll save this superlative art museum for another blog. To the right of the museum building, past the parking lot, is a walking path that heads toward the water. Take this path down to the California Coastal Trail and turn left. It’s a wide, hard-packed dirt trail that runs along the edge of tall cliffs, with terrific views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands across San Francisco Bay. What’s so cool about this vantage point is that you’re right at the geographic location where bay and ocean merge.  Keep following the path for about 20 minutes until you see the Cliff House ahead in the distance, then follow the signed turnoff down to the Sutro Baths site. You can get close enough to the crashing waves to be drenched by salt spray if you choose. Just keep in mind that there are no guards on duty at the site, and no guardrails or other protective aids; visitors poke around at their leisure and also at their own risk. But as long as you keep an eye out for slippery spots you’ll be fine.

After inspecting these crumbling ruins for awhile I retreated to a rock that offered a comfortable perch. I contemplated the ocean under a brilliant blue sky, surrounded by a thick, bright green carpet of fleshy-leaved ice plants (carpobrotus edulis, a creeping succulent that blankets the sand dunes at some California beaches). The ceaseless sound of the breaking waves was hypnotic. Crowds? There was one guy surf fishing and the occasional individual who, like me, ventured down to take a closer look at these cool-looking ruins standing forgotten in the sand.

Spending an hour here is an ideal way to take a temporary break from your life. The area in the vicinity of the Sutro Baths is crisscrossed with sand trails, and you can use them to hike up to Point Lobos Avenue. From here walk to the Cliff House, a San Francisco institution due to its location high above Seal Rocks. Several restaurants within the building capitalize on the panoramic vista, but if you’re in the mood for a little grub I suggest walking just past the Cliff House for a gander at the primo view overlooking Ocean Beach, then backtracking to Louis’ Restaurant. It’s just a diner, but a friendly, touristy one with perfectly acceptable diner food. And you’ll spend less money for views that are just as impressive.

Lincoln Park is in the Outer Richmond neighborhood; the park entrance is at 34th Avenue and Clement Street. From downtown take the #1 or #38 Muni bus, both of which will drop you off a block away. There are free parking lots off Point Lobos Avenue in Sutro Heights Park, but they’re often full. Louis’ Restaurant is at 902 Point Lobos Ave. (between Merrie Way and Great Highway). -Greg Weekes