Mom Recs: Lands End Labyrinth Hike

Need to get out? GGMG Moms share their favorite places around the city, and provide all the dirty deets that you NEED to know before dragging your kids or yourself to a new destination  Check in each week, or search the tag, and shake up your routine. Email blog@ggmg.org if you’d like to contribute one of your favorite spots! 

I like it because the ocean makes everything better. On this hike, I get lots of ocean. The path is challenging enough that I feel accomplished—there are a lot of stairs— but it isn’t totally treacherous. 

They (my 4 and 6 yo) like it because it feels like a wild adventure, with an awesome maze at the end. 

Parking is gloriously easy on a weekday, and doable on a weekend. There is a whole lot, with overflow across the street. The 38 bus stops a block away, at Geary and 48^th. 

 Bathrooms at the visitor center are clean. The coffee shop offers free refills all day, and makes their own sandwiches. 

Some Do's and Don'ts

• Don’t go by yourself with a toddler who runs off; there are cliffs! 
• Do bring your carrier if you still have a little one. It is perfect for a hike with a napping baby, if you can handle steps. 
• Don’t bring a 3 yo whose bones liquefy when it is time to climb stairs.  
• Do check weather alerts for swells and high tides. 
• Don't bring a stroller, they won't work on the hike down to the labyrinth. Though a sturdy one will be fine on the smooth dirt path through a large portion of the park.