Lake Merced-Harding Park Stroll
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location:Harding Road off Skyline Blvd. at the southwest corner of San Francisco, just south of the San Francisco Zoo, and just north of the border into Daly City.
Starting Point: A large sign for Harding Park stands at the junction of Harding Road and Skyline Blvd. Drive along Harding Road and look for officially marked parking.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Lake Merced information link (scroll down for location map) (SF Recreation and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/destination/lake-merced-park/
Harding Park (including municipal golf course) information link (scroll down for location map) (SF Recreation and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/destination/lake-merced-park/harding-golf-course/
Distance:
The paved path around the perimeter of Lake Merced is 4.5 miles, but the full path involves walking along busy roads part of the way. This post is about an easy, short walk on the short set of paths extending out from the Harding Road area, which is near the boathouse and golf course. A stroll from parking to along the lakeside paths could be as short or long as you want to make it, including just a short walk to see the water and then enjoying the scenery from a picnic table.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available.
• Parking is likely to be tighter on weekends. The picnic areas attract families and groups for outdoor gatherings, and there are organizations that meet here for activities, such as school dragon boat team practice and races.
• There are multiple picnic areas, a fishing pier, and a boat launch.
• This post is only regarding the small Harding Road area for short walks. A future post will cover the bigger loop walk (where road traffic and noise are bigger factors).
The trail:
Once you turn onto Harding Road from Skyline Blvd., watch for marked parking areas.
The photos in the gallery here are taken from paths along the south end of the northern half of Lake Merced.
Some of the walkways are a bit worn, but that offers a sense of rustic charm. Many paths here are wheelchair accessible.
Check out pathways that lead toward the water. Some of them just stop at the edge as viewing spots, and others lead out to mini-pier/fishing dock areas.
This is a great place to observe water fowl as well as watch boating sessions.
Catch the general Lake Merced view with a short stroll from this Harding Park entrance, and maybe plan for a longer Lake Merced walk in the future!
(Lake Merced-Harding Park Stroll Hike Notes originally paired with Insights post Wandering in the Mist.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop page! Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location:Harding Road off Skyline Blvd. at the southwest corner of San Francisco, just south of the San Francisco Zoo, and just north of the border into Daly City.
Starting Point: A large sign for Harding Park stands at the junction of Harding Road and Skyline Blvd. Drive along Harding Road and look for officially marked parking.
Info links:
For all web links, if a link doesn’t jump directly, copy and paste into browser.
Lake Merced information link (scroll down for location map) (SF Recreation and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/destination/lake-merced-park/
Harding Park (including municipal golf course) information link (scroll down for location map) (SF Recreation and Parks):
https://sfrecpark.org/destination/lake-merced-park/harding-golf-course/
Distance:
The paved path around the perimeter of Lake Merced is 4.5 miles, but the full path involves walking along busy roads part of the way. This post is about an easy, short walk on the short set of paths extending out from the Harding Road area, which is near the boathouse and golf course. A stroll from parking to along the lakeside paths could be as short or long as you want to make it, including just a short walk to see the water and then enjoying the scenery from a picnic table.
Considerations:
• Toilet facilities are available.
• Parking is likely to be tighter on weekends. The picnic areas attract families and groups for outdoor gatherings, and there are organizations that meet here for activities, such as school dragon boat team practice and races.
• There are multiple picnic areas, a fishing pier, and a boat launch.
• This post is only regarding the small Harding Road area for short walks. A future post will cover the bigger loop walk (where road traffic and noise are bigger factors).
The trail:
Once you turn onto Harding Road from Skyline Blvd., watch for marked parking areas.
The photos in the gallery here are taken from paths along the south end of the northern half of Lake Merced.
Some of the walkways are a bit worn, but that offers a sense of rustic charm. Many paths here are wheelchair accessible.
Check out pathways that lead toward the water. Some of them just stop at the edge as viewing spots, and others lead out to mini-pier/fishing dock areas.
This is a great place to observe water fowl as well as watch boating sessions.
Catch the general Lake Merced view with a short stroll from this Harding Park entrance, and maybe plan for a longer Lake Merced walk in the future!
(Lake Merced-Harding Park Stroll Hike Notes originally paired with Insights post Wandering in the Mist.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop page! Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
