Barbary Coast Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barbary Coast Trail |
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Special markers implanted in the sidewalk trace the path of the trail
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| Length | 3.8 mi (6.1 km) |
| Location | San Francisco, California |
| Established | 2000 |
| Trailheads | Old Mint to Fisherman's Wharf |
| Use | Walking, History |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Sights | 20 historical sites |
| Surface | Concrete |
The Barbary Coast Trail is a special path in San Francisco, California. It connects many important historical places and museums. You can follow the trail by looking for about 180 bronze medallions and arrows. These are set right into the sidewalk.
The trail is about 3.8 miles (6.1 km) long. It helps you explore San Francisco's exciting past. Most of the history you'll discover is from the California Gold Rush in 1849. It also covers the time up to the Earthquake and Fire of 1906. During this period, San Francisco grew from a small town into a major port city.
Some of the cool places you can see include the Old Mint. This building is a national historic landmark. You can also visit Union Square and Maiden Lane. The trail also leads to Old St. Mary's Cathedral, which was the first Catholic cathedral west of the Rocky Mountains.
Other stops include the T'ien Hou temple, one of America's oldest Chinese temples. You can also find the Wells Fargo History Museum and the old Pony Express headquarters. The Jackson Square Historic District has some of the last buildings from the Gold Rush era. You might also see Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, and Ghirardelli Square.
The famous Hyde-Powell cable car line connects both ends of the trail. This cable car line is also a national historic landmark.
The Trail's Beginning: How it Started
The Barbary Coast Trail was created by a historian named Daniel Bacon. He worked with the San Francisco Historical Society. The trail first opened in May 1998.
At first, the trail was marked with painted pictures on the ground. Later, these were replaced with special bronze medallions. Daniel Bacon and an artist named Jim Blair designed these markers. By 2015, about 180 of these unique medallions had been placed along the trail.
Exploring Key Stops Along the Trail
Here are some of the main places you can visit on the Barbary Coast Trail. They are listed in order, starting from the southern end of the trail.
- San Francisco Mint
- Market Street
- Union Square
- Maiden Lane
- The Dragon Gate
- Waverly Place
- Tin How Temple
- Chinese Telephone Exchange
- Wells Fargo History Museum
- Belli Building
- Hotaling Building
- Bella Union
- Vesuvio Cafe
- City Lights Bookstore
- Washington Square
- Coit Tower
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Hyde Street Pier
- Buena Vista Cafe
- San Francisco cable car system
More to Explore
- Barbary Coast, San Francisco
- 49-Mile Scenic Drive
- Chinatown
- Hallidie Plaza
- International Settlement (San Francisco)
- Nob Hill
- Portsmouth Square
- The Embarcadero
