After our neighbors to the south in L.A. pitted two of their premier bike paths against each other in a battle, I decided to square off three of our best paths here in San Francisco in a kind of three way cage match battle royale. The California Bicycle Route 2, along the Marina and Crissy Field, Golden Gate Park, and the Great Highway Path were my candidates for a car-free ride in the city.
Here's how they fared:
The Contenders:
California Bicycle Route 2 is a popular path that goes from Embarcadero to Golden Gate Bridge. For most of the route it's flat and close to the waterfront. This path is popular with tourists in it for the impressive vistas.
Golden Gate Park is the most centrally located car-free bike path destination here, especially if you include Panhandle path as part of the package. The paths are a mix of gravel, dirt, and asphalt, and they wind through idyllic forests.
The Great Highway Path is flat and straight and follows the eponymous road up and down ocean beach. This is a simple ride with ocean vibes in a less crowded part of town.
The Cycling Experience:
The Route 2 path picks up at the Maritime Museum and passes the Aquatic Park, Municipal Pier, Fort Mason, the Marina Green, Crissy Field, and heads into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It ends at Fort Point right under the bridge. It's a pleasant, but at times confusing ride, that is constantly packed with tourists, dogs, kids, runners, and everyone is taking selfies constantly. Don't plan on a hammerfest -- this is most definitely a pleasure cruise. Stop and take some pictures of the bridge. Why not? Everybody else is doing it.
Golden Gate Park is a little more secluded, depending on what path you take. There's plenty to see, and while you might be dodging homeless encampments in some of the more remote parts of the park, it's generally idyllic, wooded, and quiet. It also offers a variety of surfaces including dirt singletrack. Note that the roads are car-free on Sundays, but there's no real reason to wait for Sundays with such an extensive selection of paths.
The Great Highway path starts where Golden Gate Park meets Ocean Beach. It's all about the beach vibes. This relaxing path can get blasted by cold Pacific wind and fog sometimes, but when the sun is out, it's a pleasant, straight forward ride between the dunes and the Outer Sunset. It's usually far from crowded -- it's pretty far from the Segway tours of the Marina and Fisherman's Wharf. On the other hand, it is straight and kind of boring.
Winner: Golden Gate Park offers the most options and interesting paths that aren't crowded most of the time.
Communion With Nature:
Route 2 boasts several protected wildlife areas, and it was the only place I saw wildlife other than seagulls:
This crane was high stepping through the grass a few feet off the path. You also get the majestic ocean views. It's pretty.
Golden Gate Park apparently has a coyote problem, as there are warnings posted around the park. I didn't have any trouble with coyotes -- there are some impressive waterfalls though:
There are also cool trees, ponds, lakes, and plenty of birds (like seagulls). While Golden Gate Park isn't exactly "natural" it does offer a pretty secluded, people free environment, to commune in.
The Great Highway is a much different biome than GGP or the other side of the city by the Marina. The sandy beach and the dunes are a nice backdrop for a ride. I wouldn't try to ride into the sand though lest your bearings get a little bit too much communion with nature and your wheels stop turning.
Winner: This is pretty much a toss up. Beach, ocean views, or wooded glens. We suggest an ocean ride on Saturday and a woodland ride on Sunday.
Safety and Hazards:
The major hazards on Route 2 are probably the gangs of Segway tourists, and the bike renters. See the rental bikes with the maps mounted on the handlebars and keep your distance and be prepared to stop suddenly in order to take pictures. Also, watch out for dog walkers with way too many dogs. And don't fall into the ocean. This path is well- policed and always populated, so it feels safe enough.
Golden Gate Park might be the best place to get mugged out of the three. With its dark secluded wooded corners, it feels like there's a good chance that an errant Robin Hood might forcibly redistribute your wealth if you go down the wrong path. Apparently, it's the best place to get attacked by coyotes, too. Keep an eye out for unemployed "writers" who think it's fine to take pictures while riding down steep dirt paths. Also, watch out for frolfers:
The Outer Sunset is a pretty sleepy hood. If anything, the biggest hazard here is the sometimes uneven and poorly maintained path as well as the traffic. Watch out for sand that has drifted over the path. If you hit a patch of deep sand the wrong way, you'll likely find the shortest distance between your bike and the ground.
Winner: The Great Highway wins for safety. The relative quietness of the Outer Sunset is its biggest asset.
Intangibles:
Route 2, along with the Golden Gate Bridge, is something that most people will want to do at some point. It's easy to forget how really remarkably beautiful the Golden Gate -- the land / water formation, not the bridge -- really is.
Golden Gate Park has miles of secluded single track, so if shredding the gnar , as the kids call it these days, is your thing, then make sure you explore the park.
Ocean Beach is really nice. If the weather is good, it's a great place to spend a day, and maybe even have a refreshing swim in the ice cold Pacific.
Winner: Golden Gate Park, because you can chill on paved paths or hit some sweet jumps:
Overall Winner
Golden Gate Park takes the prize, because really, it's the one ride that doesn't have the risk of getting smashed by a car or getting treaded on by a Segway. The Great Highway is just too far away from everything if you don't live in the Sunset, and it's not that exciting.
Also, Golden Gate Park is a great place to ride if you're a novice, a serious cyclist, or you just need to pretend that you've escaped the oppressive urban bustle for a second.
Whatever route you take, be safe, and watch for coyotes.
Leif Haven is a writer and cyclist living in the Bay Area. He can be spotted dragging himself up a hill -- literally and metaphorically.
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