Sutro Baths Ruins and Cave Trail
The Sutro Baths Ruins and Cave Trail at Lands End in San Francisco is an easy 0.5 mile one-way hike that leads from the main parking lot, down to the Sutro Baths ruins and a sea cave.The trail itself is easy to moderate depending on your physical condition, but in order to reach the ruins, you'll have to climb about 50 stairs on the way back, including some uphill sections on the trail. At the bottom of the hike, before entering the sea cave, you'll reach the Sutro Baths ruins, which you can walk along; however, this recording does not follow any of the ruins trails. The trails along the ruins are technically just walks along the concrete structures.
Adjacent to the ruins is a large hole in the cliff below Point Lobos - the Sutro Baths cave. Within the sea cave there's an opening where you can watch the waves crash along the shore; however, please read the warning below if you plan to enter the cave. At the end of the cave is a lookout below the northern side of Point Lobos, and a view of the ocean.
Warning: The sea cave at Sutro Baths is not completely safe, as there are warning signs all over the area. The waves crash upon the cave's outer walls and sometimes the waves are strong enough to fill the tunnel. Some people have drowned here and the waves are impossible to predict. Enter the cave/tunnel at your own risk.
History: The Sutro Baths were built in 1894 by entrepreneur and silver mine millionaire Adolph Sutro. They opened in 1896, with a salt water pool and an aquarium and soon after he added a 3 acre public bathhouse so that the people of San Francisco could enjoy swimming. Sutro died in 1898, but the bath continued on for decades and eventually failed as a business. Forty years later, Sutro's grandson tried to build an ice skating rink there, but that also failed. In 1966, the place went up in flames, which left behind the ruins we see today.
