I generally think of San Francisco as a forward-looking city, but however focused we are on moving forward, it seems we still like to remain connected to our past. Our cable car technology hasn’t changed since the 1870s. We decorate landmarks like the golden fire hydrant every April 18 to commemorate the 1906 earthquake. We even have almost 200 bronze medallions in our sidewalks helping us relive the raucous Barbary Coast days. And oh yeah, we also have dirt roads.
No, these aren’t the hiking trails of Mount Sutro, the Presidio, or Glen Canyon Park. These are actual dirt roads – with official street names – and most with street signs. So far I’ve found five of these roads, and there are probably more. Here’s how to see them for yourself.
Redfield Alley - Russian Hill
Russian Hill’s Redfield Alley is just 0.3 miles from the curvy, crowded part of Lombard Street. In the summer, the street is full of forage-able items: nasturtiums, blackberries, and fennel. Follow the street to its end and then head left to connect to another alley, Marion Alley.
One of the residents of Marion Alley feeds the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill every day between 2 and 3 p.m.
Bigler Avenue - Twin Peaks/Cole Valley
Bigler Avenue is so off the grid that it doesn’t have a street sign and it’s only marginally noted on Google Maps. You can find this dirt road where Twin Peaks bears right at its intersection with Clarendon Avenue. Yes, this is the start of the street. If you follow the pine needle–lined path down until you reach a small stairway, you are in prime position to climb Tank Hill or to visit the Interior Greenbelt.
Penny Lane - Glen Park
Penny Lane is one of three unpaved roads that you can visit while you’re in Glen Park. As you walk up Diamond Street from the center of Glen Park, Penny Lane is the first street you’ll reach.
There is a small park at the street’s end. There, you can turn right to take a stairway down to Surrey Street.
Poppy Lane - Glen Park
A little farther up the hill is Poppy Lane. You can explore two sections of the lane on either side of Diamond Street. If you look on Google Maps, you’ll see that Google’s Street View vehicle was able to navigate down the western side of the road – impressive! On the eastern side, a No Outlet sign accompanies the regular Poppy Lane sign. After a short paved section (just someone’s driveway), you quickly reach what looks like an old country road.
The street just dead-ends in a way that looks more like Tahoe than San Francisco.
Ohlone Way - Glen Park
Lastly there’s Ohlone Way. This street has short paved sections on both ends, but is mostly unpaved.
There are some quirky pieces of art here – like this jug covered in pictures of dogs and a foreboding eagle a little farther down the way. On my exploration, this was the only street where I encountered another human.