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Twin Peaks

Quick answer

Twin Peaks rises about 925 feet near the geographic centre of San Francisco, making the two summits the second and third highest natural points in the city after Mount Davidson at 928 feet. The Christmas Tree Point overlook faces northeast at downtown. The peaks sit on the fog boundary, so mornings are usually clearer than afternoons in summer.

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Full transcript

Two Hills, One Old Name

The two summits here rise about 925 feet above the bay, which makes them the second and third highest natural points in San Francisco. Only Mount Davidson, 3 feet taller, beats them. On a clear day you can see the whole city laid out below, the Golden Gate to the northwest, the Bay Bridge east, Alcatraz sitting in the middle of the water, and the Pacific behind you. The Spanish who mapped this coast called them Los Pechos de la Chola — the Breasts of the Indian Maiden. The name held until the Americans renamed them in the 1800s, it is still on the old maps, and the tour guides tend to hurry past the translation.

The Fog Line

Stand here and you are standing on the city's weather boundary. The summer fog comes in off the Pacific and hits these slopes, and the peaks split it. West of here, Sunset and the Richmond districts sit under gray and wind for weeks in July and August. East of here, the Mission gets sun. The temperature difference across two miles of city can be ten degrees or more. That is why San Franciscans talk about microclimates and why the answer to what should I wear is always: a layer more than you think. Which also means this view is a lottery. Morning is usually clearer than afternoon in summer. And the fog often clears in September and October, the city's real warm season.

The Three Legged Thing

You cannot look at this view without seeing the enormous red and white antenna on the ridge next door. That is Sutro Tower, finished on the fourth of July, 1973, and 977 feet tall. People hated it. Herb Caen wrote that he kept waiting for it to stalk down the hill and attack the Golden Gate Bridge. It was built because the hills of San Francisco block television signals, and it fixed that. Because it stands on high ground, the top of Sutro Tower is the highest point in the city by a long way, far above where you are standing and far above the skyscrapers downtown. One practical note: the parking area and Christmas Tree Point look northeast at downtown. If you want the classic photograph, that is the spot. If you want quiet, walk up the trail to either summit; the crowd stays at the railing by the car park.

The checkable facts

  • Twin Peaks rise about 925 feet and are the second and third highest natural points in San Francisco
  • Mount Davidson, at 928 feet, is the highest point within city limits
  • Spanish name recorded as Los Pechos de la Chola, 'Breasts of the Indian Maiden'
  • Sutro Tower is 977 feet tall and was completed on 4 July 1973

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Frequently asked

How high is Twin Peaks in San Francisco?
About 925 feet. The two summits are the second and third highest natural points inside the city; only Mount Davidson, at 928 feet, is higher. The overlook and car park sit slightly below the summits, and a short trail climbs to each one from there.
Why is Twin Peaks so windy and foggy?
Because it sits on the boundary. Summer fog pushes in off the Pacific and the peaks split it: the Sunset and Richmond districts stay grey and windy for weeks in July and August while the Mission, two miles east, gets sun. The gap across the city can be ten degrees or more.
What is the Spanish name for Twin Peaks?
Los Pechos de la Chola, recorded by the Spanish who mapped this coast and usually translated as the Breasts of the Indian Maiden. The name was replaced with Twin Peaks under American control in the nineteenth century. It survives on old maps, and most tour commentary hurries past the translation.
When is the best time to see the view from Twin Peaks?
Morning is usually clearer than afternoon through the summer, and September and October are the city's genuinely warm, clear months. The view is a lottery in any season, so check whether the peaks are in cloud before driving up rather than after.
What is the red and white tower next to Twin Peaks?
Sutro Tower, finished on 4 July 1973 and 977 feet tall. It was built because San Francisco's hills blocked television signals, and it fixed that. Herb Caen wrote that he kept waiting for it to stalk down the hill and attack the Golden Gate Bridge.

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